Glendale, Ariz. — Alabama assistant coach Preston Murphy isn’t surprised about Dan Hurley’s tremendous success at UConn.

Well, maybe a little bit.

A former assistant coach on Hurley’s staff at Rhode Island, Murphy has watched Hurley guide the Huskies to two straight Final Four appearances for the first time in UConn basketball history and a 66-11 overall record in the last two seasons.

“I did see it coming, but not to that magnitude,” Murphy said standing in the Alabama locker room on Friday. “I’m not surprised with the success he’s had. He’s super organized. He’s extremely intelligent and very detail oriented. And he does not like to lose.

“So you put that together, it makes for a successful guy. Look at the stops that he’s had from St. Benedict’s to Wagner to Rhode Island to Connecticut, there’s a reason why he wins everywhere he goes.

“He grew up in a certain way where losing was not acceptable. He has an incredible work ethic and an incredible drive and you see it.”

Top-seeded UConn and No 4 Alabama will clash in the national semifinals at 8:49 p.m. Saturday at State Farm Stadium.

Murphy, who joined head coach Nate Oats’ staff last July, learned a great deal about the coaching profession working under Hurley for four seasons.

Hurley took the UConn job in 2018.

“Dan is a great friend and great mentor. I learned a lot from him. He’s a guy that’s one of the best coaches in the business. It was a great experience for me as an assistant working for him. Just seeing him work and operate on a day to day basis and working with him, seeing the way he develops and people, you take that with you on my stops along the way.”

Murphy, a former URI player, also spent four years as an assistant at Creighton.

Now he’s trying to do his part to help Alabama beat UConn.

“Nate and Dan have a lot of similar tendencies in the way they approach their craft,” Murphy said. “I’ve known Nate for over 20 years. It’s been an unbelievable experience for me to be able to come here and not only work with a friend, but a guy that you really respect in the business.”

Diarra and Dioubate reunite

UConn senior guard Hassan Diarra and Alabama freshman Mouhamed Dioubate are close friends. They’re both from Queens and attended Putnam Science Academy.

They grew up playing basketball together back home.

“It’s going to be amazing,” Diarra said. “I”m going to give him a nice hug and tell him that I’m super proud of him. Truly, truly happy for him to be in this position. … I’m like a big brother to Mo. I’ve seen him grow up since he was in seventh grade. To see him, it makes me so happy.”

Dioubate has fond memories of their time together on the basketball court.

“He was a guy that I looked up to,” Dioubate said. “He’s older than me. I played in park tournaments with him, and he was on fire and I was still coming up and trying to make a name for myself. He was already at that level, so that just inspired me.”

They’ll meet the Final Four stage on Saturday.

“It’s going to be competitive,” Dioubate said. “We both talk some trash.”

His message to Diarra: “I hope you’re ready. We’re preparing very hard. We know the talent that you have and the potential that you have on your team. I just hope you come ready

Recent history

UConn and Alabama have a recent history on the court.

At the 2022 Phil Knight Invitational in Portland, Ore., the Huskies emerged with an 82-67 win on Nov. 25.

“It was a battle until about six minutes left,” Diarra said. “Adama (Sanogo) played well for us. I thought we did a great job last year guarding the 3-point line and that’s going to be a major key this year.”

Alabama went just 6 for 16 from 3-point range in that meeting.

Both teams have undergone significant roster changes since then.

Hurley on UConn women’s run

UConn and North Carolina State are the only two schools with both men’s and women’s programs in the Final Four.

It’s the fifth time in school history that both Huskies have accomplished the feat, with others coming in 2004, 2009, 20011 and 2014.

The women’s team overcame injuries and a shortened roster to earn a Final Four spot and a meeting with Iowa in Cleveland.

“It’s why Geno (Auriemma) is one of the best coaches of his generation,” Hurley said. “Obviously, Paige (Bueckers) and the crew, it’s special. To do it with everything that they’ve dealt with the last two years, it’s incredible. Just speaks to the level of Geno and his staff, UConn women’s basketball, why they’ve been the premier program in the country.”

Huge venue

State Farm Stadium, the 71,000-seat home of the Arizona Cardinals, is far better suited for football than basketball.

It has a tough shooting background.

The Huskies practice there both Thursday and Friday.

“It’s not often you get to play in an NFL stadium,” so you definitely really just try to enjoy it all,“ redshirt sophomore Alex Karaban said.

UConn fared pretty well playing at NRG Stadium in Houston last April, beating San Diego State, 76-59, in last season’s national championship game. The Huskies shot 43.4 percent from the field.

Veteran guard Cam Spencer has a good feeling about the State Farm Stadium rims.

“You just look at a rim and the eye doesn’t lie,” Spencer said. “I could tell that they’re shooters’ rim and and I think all the guys definitely liked them.”

News and notes

UConn worked out at Arizona State, where Hurley’s brother Bobby coaches, Friday before heading to State Farm Stadium for an open practice and media availability. … Former Husky James Bouknight was hanging out in the locker room. … Hurley fell just short of being named the Associated Press coach of the year, finishing a close second to winner Kelvin Sampson of Houston. Sampson earned 23 of 63 votes while Hurley had 21 votes.

g.keefe@theday.com