Syracuse coach Gerry McNamara wants matchup with Dan Hurley: 'I despised UConn'

Gerry McNamara doesn’t want his hatred of UConn to prevent a matchup between Syracuse and the Huskies and the court. The new Orange head coach “despised” UConn, as he told Mad Dog Sports Radio’s Adam Schein.

But he has a lot of respect for head coach Dan Hurley and what he’s accomplished in his career. That’s where McNamara aspires to be with his alma mater.

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“I’ll talk to Danny this off season. It’s something obviously that both fan bases would love,” McNamara said. “I despised UConn … And they despised me. And I think part of it is, and it’s undeniable, and I said this about the Georgetown rivalry in college, I have a great appreciation for that program … Part of the appreciation was because of how good and talented they were, and they were hard to beat. 

“So, when you lose to a team, you get pissed off, and you hate them. Obviously what Danny’s done, they’re right there, they’re back in the mix in terms of top teams in college basketball, and we want to be on that stage. I want to play against the best teams and coach against the best coaches. Rick Pitino is elite, Danny Hurley’s elite. You know? I want to be among the elite. The way you do that is you continue to challenge your program and put yourself on that stage.”

Of course, UConn’s won two national titles under Hurley so being one of the premier programs in college basketball is factual. It’s been awhile since Syracuse could say the same.

McNamara played at Syracuse from 2002-2006 and was part of the most iconic team in school history. In 2003, alongside Carmelo Anthony, the Orange went all the way and cut down the nets in New Orleans after winning the national championship. While Anthony was the headliner name, McNamara made a huge impact as well.

Returning Syracuse to prominence is priority No. 1 for McNamara. Playing UConn again would be the cherry on top considering ‘Cuse has been in the ACC for a while and hasn’t had their regular matchup with an old Big East foe.

“I love this place. I love what Syracuse means: to the fans, to the players who have worn this jersey, to the people of Central New York. This program has given me everything, and I am ready to give everything back to it,” McNamara said in the release when he was hired. “College basketball has changed. How you build a program, recruit talent, compete for resources and win looks different than it did even five years ago. I know that. I’m ready for it. What hasn’t changed is what Orange Nation expects, and what this place deserves. We are going to build something special here.”