New York — Reigning national champion UConn has impressively handled the pressure that comes with enormous expectations so far this season.

The Huskies dominated the Big East, winning the regular season and conference tournament championships. They’ve gone an impressive 31-3 overall.

Now the pressure is about to really ramp up, as top-seeded UConn begins NCAA tournament East Region action Friday against No. 16 seed Stetson (22-12) as the favorite to raise the title trophy in April.

The Huskies appeared cool, calm and confident while talking about the challenges ahead during Thursday’s media availability at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

“We’ve done a great job of blocking out the noise just because we have had a target on our back since June,” redshirt sophomore Alex Karaban said. “Ever since we won it last year, everyone has just been wanting to beat us and everyone has been talking about us repeating and all that stuff. But we’ve blocked it out this entire year.

“And we’re just excited going into Friday’s game. And we’re just excited to do this journey with a new team.”

The Huskies set the goal of repeating — something that hasn’t been done since Florida in 2006 and 2007 — during preseason. But they didn’t bring it up much after that.

Hurley prepared for the journey by asking advice from some national championship coaches — Tom Izzo (Michigan State), Jay Wright (former Villanova coach) and Billy Donovan, who led Florida to the two straight titles.

He also took a different approach with his players, driving home his message that last year’s national championship run — the Huskies won all six games by double digits — is in the rearview mirror.

“It’s really easy to get seduced into thinking it's going to be easy to do it again, or it's going to be easy to make another run,” Hurley said. “Especially when we did it in such dominant fashion like we did last year.

“Yeah, I've been tougher on the group throughout the season because I've just been trying to root out any form of complacency or entitlement with this team. You're not entitled to nothing, especially this time of year. And anything we've done this year, we can't trade it in for jack at this point.

“Like the only thing that matters is what happens on Friday.”

Stetson is in the opposite position as UConn. The Hatters are under no pressure and can play loose in the program’s first NCAA tourney game.

Only two No. 16 seeds have pulled off upsets in tournament history: Fairleigh Dickinson stunned Purdue last year and Maryland Baltimore County shocked Virginia in 2018.

So anything is possible.

“A lot of it is mentality and understanding and you have to have a belief in who you are,” Stetson coach Donnie Jones said. “For us, it's going to be 95% about us and 5% about them. We have to go out and play with confidence. We understand the pace of the game and the depth they have and all the weapons they’ve got.

“But I think we’ve just got to go out and make sure that we don't get overwhelmed in the moment and know there will be runs in this game and know that the big plays and the excitement that they can bring with their talent is something that we've got to be able to sustain for 40 minutes.”

There’s certainly no guarantee of a deep run just because UConn is the top overall seed.

Previously as the No. 1 seed, the Huskies reached the Final Four only twice — 2009 national semifinals, 1999 national champions — out of five times.

UConn’s side of the bracket is loaded with landmines, including No. 2 seed Iowa State (Big 12), No. 3 Illinois (Big 10) and No. 4 Auburn (SEC), all winners of conference tournament championships.

But the Huskies have faith that they’ll stick around for awhile in March Madness if they play up to their high standards and ignore any outside pressure.

Experience is on UConn’s side.

Karaban, Tristen Newton, Hassan Diarra, Donovan Clingan and Samson Johnson already have national championship rings.

“It's just a regular game,” Clingan said. “Obviously you might feel the pressure because it's a tournament, win-or-go-home. But we have to stick to the script and what we've been doing right all year and don't let the atmosphere and the pressure get to you. It's just one game at a time and if we do what we do, we're good.”

And, if the Huskies need a reminder, Hurley will gladly oblige.

“Everyone is vulnerable in every game in this tournament,” Hurley said, “so obviously we have got to take care of business on Friday to get to Sunday. This road is what we’ve been manifesting and talking about for a long time. You always have to have your sights set on something you want to achieve.”

If UConn advances, it will play on Sunday against the winner of Friday’s game between No. 8 Florida Atlantic and No. 9 Northwestern.

g.keefe@theday.com

No. 1 UCONN vs. No. 16 STETSON

Game: NCAA tournament East Region first round

Location: Barclays Center, Brooklyn

Tip time: 2:45 p.m. (CBS)

Records: Top-seeded UConn (31-3), No. 16 Stetson (22-12)

Series: First meeting

Probable starters: UConn, 6-5 graduate guard Tristen Newton (15.2 pts, 7 rebs, 6 assists), 6-4 graduate guard Cam Spencer (14.5 pts, 4.5 rebs), 6-6 fr. guard Stephon Castle (10.8 pts, 4.5 rebs), 6-8 r-so. forward Alex Karaban (13.9 pts, 5 rebs), 7-2 so. center Donovan Clingan (12.5 pts, 7.2 rebs, 2.3 blks)

Stetson, 6-2 sr.. guard Stephan Swenson (13.8 points, 5.9 assists), 6-3 jr. guard Jalen Blackmon (21.5 pts, 2.7 rebs), 6-5 sr. guard Alec Oglesby (10.9 pts, 4.5 rebs), 6-6 fr. guard Tristan Gross (4 pts, 1.9 rebs), 6-11 jr. center Aubin Gateretse (11.8 pts, 7.6 rebs, 1.5 blks)

Noteworthy: Fourth straight NCAA tourney trip for the Huskies, first ever for the Hatters. ... Stetson, located in Deland, Fla., is a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference. … Huskies are 65-32 all-time in NCAA tourney play, 19-4 in first-round games since 1979. Hurley 1-2 in openers. … UConn riding a six-game tournament winning streak. … Stetson tied a program record for regular-season wins with the 1974-75 team.. …. Blackmon an All-Atlantic Sun first team pick for second year in a row. … Swenson is the program’s all-time assist leader (602). … Top reserve: 7-foot Treyton Thompson (4.5 pts, 4 rebs). … Hatters score 77.5 pts per game, allow 72.8. ... Hot: UConn has lost only one game since Dec. 20, going 21-1 during that span. Cold: Opponents are averaging 64.4 points per game and shooting 39.8%. … UConn needs 55 assists to break the program’s season record of 684 set by last year’s team. … Up next: Friday’s winner will play either No. 8 Florida Atlantic or No. 9 Northwestern in Sunday’s second round.

– Gavin Keefe