HOUSTON (WTNH) — The UConn Huskies (29-8) are the biggest name left playing basketball this season, making the Final Four as a No. 4 seed, joining Miami (29-7) and San Diego State (31-6), both No. 5 seeds, and ninth-seeded Florida Atlantic (35-3).
Coach Dan Hurley led the Huskies to its first trip to the Final Four in nine years.
What’s he like at home as a father and with his wife, Andrea?
News 8’s John Pierson asked the coach’s son, walk-on junior Andrew Hurley, “Who’s in charge at home, mom or dad?”
“No comment, but mom,” Andrew laughed.
“I’m in charge,” Andrea said. “I’m 1,000% in charge, and they’re all afraid of me, including the big guy.
And the big guy won’t argue.
“I met her at Seton Hall,” Dan said. “It’s like, by far, the best thing that happened to me at Seton Hall, but that was the thing that saved my life when I met her and changed my life and made me want to be better.”
The best part of Dan Hurley is a big part of Andrea Hurley. Heck, she wasn’t even a sports fan when they met.
“I didn’t know his story,” she said. “And then, you know, you just became we just became friends, and next thing you know, we’re engaged. We’ve been best friends ever since.”
That’s a lot of years of sacrifice, patience, and understanding. The coaching wife’s life isn’t for everyone.
“When you figure out how you could help your other half get better at what he does, and you see it come back to you,” Andrea said. “It’s a friendship. It’s working together as a team. I try to make his life easier in any way that I possibly can.”
A lot of that centers around the little things, the things that aren’t glamorous.
“You know, making his lunch every day. It’s it really is. It’s like making dinner every night and making sure that you, you know, still connect as a family.”
What does Andrea pack her husband for lunch?
“Every day, it’s a salad,” Andrea said. “I wash blueberries and raspberries every single morning. And then it’s the same salad. We just change up the dressing every single morning. Anything he likes. I try to fill his world up with.”
How much does the UConn basketball family reflect the Hurley family at all?
“Every single team that you have, every kid that comes into your life,” Andrea said. “I always say it just snags a little piece of my heart. His heart. I love these kids and the coaches and the coaches’ families so much that I don’t want this to end. Like you’re not going to get this time back.”
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UConn takes on Miami Saturday night in the Final Four in Houston.
News 8’s John Pierson and Erik Dobratz are there to bring you live team coverage.
