It’s UConn’s first basketball title since Auriemma’s team won in 2016, the fourth in a dominating four-year run. 

The women’s basketball run came in a stretch when UConn lived in the American Athletic Conference. For Auriemma’s program that operates as a national brand, the league base had no real impact.

The men, though, have been recharged by UConn’s return to the Big East.

The way Auriemma sees it, returning to a conference that created so many memories for generations of fans was vital for the men.

“Honestly, if we hadn’t done it, I’m not sure this would be happening right now,” Auriemma said just minutes after Hurley and team cut pieces of the net.

Auriemma’s team lost to Ohio State in the Sweet 16, so he traveled with the men to Houston last week. He made a run to Dallas for the women’s Final Four, but he has been a presence around Hurley’s program all weekend.

As UConn won its fifth title in 25 seasons and first since 2014, Auriemma said the program’s revival is the product of Hurley and his staff. The recruiting, the preparation, the player development — “Off the charts,” he said.

But he also sees a program that’s ignited a fan base that was in wandering through the wilderness of the American Conference.

“It really, really hurt these guys,” Auriemma said. “That was my thing with the our new president and (athletic director David Benedict) and I talked about it a lot. You pretty much stick us in any conference … Believe me, was it fun going to some of those places relative to what we were doing before? No, but it didn’t keep us from winning a national championship.

“But for the guys, each year, you could see it, the fan base was getting more, ‘This isn’t what we came here for, this isn’t what we signed up for, this isn’t UConn basketball’

“We grew up with the Big East. Now these kids come to school and the fans, you can’t give what was maybe the best basketball league ever, right? We were getting 10 teams in the tournament every year … you can’t give them that and then give them a one bid or two bid league. You could see it with the fan base.”

Now? Fans traveled to Houston, they packed bars and Gampel Pavilion to watch the game.

“They’re back,” Auriemma said.

Auriemma has been touting this team for months. He said early in the season that this team could contend for a title and he’s become close to the coaching staff.

“When you have that much talent plus you're deep … even if guys are having an off night, it doesn’t matter. Just bring in another guy,” Auriemma said. “Keep going until you find a way, the right combination.”

UConn won six games in the NCAA Tournament by an average of 20 points. Hurley sent walk-ons such as his son Andrew into games.

That just doesn’t happen in the NCAA Tournament.

“Man, that’s pretty impressive when you think about it,” Auriemma said. “The way the men’s tournament traditionally has played out, there’s always one game that’s an incredible struggle. There’s always one.

“This team, it’s like a runaway train….it’s fun to watch. I’ve never seen any thing like it. I don’t remember when a team went through the tournament like this.”

Auriemma said Hurley is the perfect coach for UConn. But he also loves the staff — he’s connected with Luke Murray and Kimani Young, and he’s known Tom Moore.

The preparation for games, he said, is evident.

“They’re just really, really, really good at what they do,” Auriemma said. “And they maximize each one of their guys’ potential. That’s great coaching.

“These guys, they deserve this.”

And back to his original point: UConn has indeed benefited from returning to the Big East, but Hurley's Huskies — especially now, after securing a title — is returning the favor.

“Hell yeah, we are,” Auriemma said. “They wouldn’t bring just anybody in. It wasn’t like, ‘Hey we’re out shopping for a another team because we’re not strong enough’ … it ain’t like they’re begging. It’s not like they would take just anybody. And we weren’t going to leave for just anywhere. If we had a chance to go, we were going back home. We’re going where we belong in the first place.

“So the Big East benefits. Now look at that, right? Maybe we didn’t know it was going to happen this fast, but you catch lightning and get the right group of guys, everybody develops at the right time … and here we are.”

[email protected]; @pauldoyle1