HOUSTON — The band blared and the fans filled the lower bowl at NRG Stadium as the UConn men put on a show during their open practice Friday; there were smiles and laughter. Dan Hurley, hands behind his back, just watched and smiled like an artist admiring his finished painting.
The prep work is about done, and so is the building. The UConn men’s basketball team is no longer a work in progress, but a finished product. Over the next three days, at this ultimate gallery, the Final Four, it could be judged a masterpiece.
Team building, at this level, is as much art as science, and the Huskies, who are set to play Miami in the national semifinals on Saturday night are a unique creation. Strokes of confidence, swagger, intensity, looseness, leadership all blend together and, during this NCAA Tournament, have sprung off the canvas. A winning vibe beats relentlessly through the Huskies now.
