Ahem, I can introduce the topic of television to this. The money for a CBS game (not sure who is still doing these) is big for each program.
Nobody thought we were a mid major in the 1990’s. We pretty much were the best program in the best conference. I will give you pre 1990 but definitely not after 1990
One further benefit of winning most of the games - it raises the overall Big East conference ranking, which then reflects back on UConn.
In 1989 I started graduate school at Michigan. I told someone I was a UConn basketball fan and they said, "Yukon? Is that in Alaska?" And they were being serious. Then the Dream Season happened. Then they made the NCAA Tournament the season after that and there was momentum. But it probably took another few seasons to get things rolling where people everywhere knew what UConn was. So you're right, UConn wasn't an unknown to some people during the entire decade. I probably should have said 1980s and it would have made more sense. But there's nobody now that would perceive UConn as a "mid-major" as the post I was replying to said. That's just absolutely ridiculous.
This sounds similar to the 2025 baseball schedule. Very strong OOC schedule but the baseball team faltered out of the gate and despite a good record in a weak Big East, UConn failed to secure a regional bid since they didn't win the conference tournament. MBB needs to secure wins against the strong OOC games.
Kind of the story of 2023 MBB too. Crushed the OOC and was one of the best teams in the country. Miserable 4-5 weeks in BE play that put us towards the end of the top 25. But pulled it together towards the end, and leaning on the OOC dominance, was able to pull a 4 seed despite not making the BET finals. Rest is history
www.courant.com
Dan Hurley made waves about it making that statement, but that was because most of the media kept reporting those quotes after the tournament. What they neglected to mention was that Hurley said the same thing or something similar about not wanting to play in the MTEs before the Maui Invitational.Dan Hurley made waves online when he said UConn wouldn’t participate in three-game multi-team events anymore, inviting criticism after the reigning back-to-back national champs lost three straight at the Maui Invitational last November. Instead, UConn would only play home-and-home series and single game events in big-time arenas, which just happen to be within driving distance.
That formula, with six high-major games revealed so far, has set up the Huskies for what will be an entertaining, yet highly-challenging start to their quest for a third national title in four years.
Breaking down six high-major games on UConn men’s basketball’s monster 2025-26 nonconference schedule
The UConn men’s basketball program isn’t ducking anything with its 2025-26 nonconference schedule, which features six much-anticipated games against top teams.
Alternate access:
Breaking down six high-major games on UConn men’s basketball’s monster 2025-26 nonconference schedule
Tuesday night, at Big XII team, it’ll be ESPN
www.cbssports.com