Dan Hurley calls Nick Smith 'electrifying'

Dan Hurley has his eyes on Nick Smith ahead of the Connecticut Huskies‘ showdown with the Arkansas Razorbacks.

On Thursday, the two teams will face-off in the Sweet Sixteen, tipping off at 7:15 p.m. ET on CBS. Only one team can move on to the Elite Eight, and Hurley of course wants that to be the Huskies, while Smith will be doing everything he can to send UConn home.

Speaking with the media in advance of the game against the Razorbacks, the Connecticut leader elaborated on Smith, and it’s evident he has a lot of respect for the Arkansas star..

“He’s really an electrifying player to watch, just in terms of his abilities with the ball, just how twitchy he is with the ball,” stated Hurley. “Obviously his size, his length. I saw him a bunch in high school so we know what he’s capable in terms of the 3-point shooting and perimeter shooting.

“We’re obviously preparing for him like we’ve got to guard one of the best scoring guards in the country.”

On the season, Smith is averaging 12.6 points per game, but he hasn’t brought that to the NCAA Tournament just yet. He’s scored a combined six points in two games, but expect that to change on Thursday.

Obviously, Hurley’s Huskies are on a mission. Arkansas and Smith represent a unique challenge for the Connecticut though, as they’re battle tested and ready to roll.

The Razorbacks are coming off a 72-71 victory over Kansas to get to the Sweet Sixteen. It’s the 14th Sweet Sixteen appearance in program history, as well as their third straight under coach Eric Musselman.

Davonte Davis led the way for Arkansas in their big victory, scoring 25 points and pulling down eight rebounds against the Jayhawks last Saturday. The Razorbacks needed a performance like that to defeat the reigning champions of the college basketball world, and that’s exactly what they got.

Moreover, the winner of Connecticut versus Arkansas will welcome the challenge of facing either the UCLA Bruins or Gonzaga Bulldogs in the Elite Eight. Either way, there’s an opportunity ahead of the Huskies and the Razorbacks to get to the Final Four, and both teams feel the pressure on their shoulders.

Time will tell if it’s Arkansas or Connecticut who gets the victory on Thursday, but one can bet that Adama Sanogo will play a gigantic role either way. It’s going to be a fun one in Las Vegas.