How to watch UConn men's basketball vs. Furman in NCAA Tournament

PHILADELPHIA – The scene entering Xfinity Mobile Arena has been completely transformed from when the UConn men’s basketball team last visited and beat Villanova four weeks ago. Now it has become the place where the Huskies hope to start their run in the NCAA Tournament.

The experience of seeing the building plastered in March Madness logos, from signs directing traffic to decorations in the locker room – and of course, the court, where all eight teams assigned to play in Philadelphia hosted an open practice on Thursday – is the ultimate page-turner that UConn needed to reset its focus for one last chance at a championship.

“March Madness is a unique experience itself and it’s such a special event,” said Alex Karaban, who has experienced more glory in this event than any other active player. “You want to give it your all and really learn from last (Saturday’s loss in the Big East championship against St. John’s). Realize that if we show up like that again, this group’s never gonna be together again.”

The Huskies’ chance at a potential third national title in four years starts off with No. 15 seed Furman at 10 p.m. Friday night.

Silas Demary Jr., the all-important Huskies’ point guard, has experienced the big dance once before, losing to Gonzaga last year in the first round as a No. 9 seed at Georgia. Without yet playing a tournament game for UConn, he could tell the experience was different with a Huskies’ logo on his chest.

“Being here, the standard is winning,” he told The Courant, nearing recovery from a mild ankle sprain he suffered after being stepped on toward the end of Saturday’s game. “I wouldn’t even say it’s pressure, I think it’s a privilege to be here and be a part of a team that’s won a lot. So now, being able to put this jersey on in March Madness is kind of just joyful for me.”

Demary said he fully expects to be “good to go” after he had to be carried off the court and receive treatment in the locker room as the game concluded.

“Doing everything I can to take care of my foot and everything like that,” he said. “Taking it day-by-day and trying to be as close to 100% as possible.”

UConn coach Dan Hurley wasn’t ready to make the final call on whether he’d play, and said he would probably be listed as “questionable” on the pregame injury report. Jaylin Stewart is also nearing return from his knee inflammation. He practiced Thursday and took part in the open portion with compression on his right knee, but will also be questionable. Demary wore ankle support.

The Huskies won’t be taking Furman lightly. They are well aware of the Paladins’ upset of No. 4 seed Virginia back in 2023, when UConn’s run of back-to-back national titles started.

Furman earned an automatic bid after winning the Southern Conference Tournament and enters March Madness at 22-12 on the year. The Paladins have the fifth-tallest roster in the country and rank No. 14 nationally in 2-point field goal percentage (59%).

“The SoCon is an underrated league,” Hurley said. “I was surprised to see them as a 15. Obviously, everyone comes in here and is going to talk up their opponent. But I think just watching that league, I watched 10 of their games. I went back earlier into nonconference and watched some. I think I watched the last seven games they played, and you just see a tough league. A lot of good teams that kind of beat the heck out of each other. … It’s a really good league, and they’ve got really good players. They’ve got an excellent coach. We got to be at our best on Friday.”

No. 2 seeds in the NCAA Tournament are 373-155 all-time, and 149-11 in the first round. Three No. 2 seeds have fallen to a No. 15 seed in the last five years: Oral Roberts over Ohio State in ’21, Saint Peter’s over Kentucky in ’22 and Princeton over Arizona in ’23.

UConn’s history as a No. 2 seed includes the 2004 national championship run – the second under Hall of Fame coach Jim Calhoun – and three losses in the Elite Eight (1995, 1998, 2002), one in the Sweet 16 (1994) and one in the second round (2005).