When San Diego State played a preseason closed-door scrimmage against Arizona State, new strength and fitness coach Daniel Marshall hugged Sun Devils coach Bobby Hurley.

And when the Aztecs play top-seeded Connecticut in the NCAA Tournaments Sweet 16 on Thursday night at Bostons TD Garden, hell hug Huskies coach Dan Hurley.

He worked for both, with Dan at Rhode Island from 2014 to 2018 and then Bobby at ASU for five seasons.

I have the utmost respect for that entire family, Marshall said. I love those guys. They did tremendous things for my career and took a chance on me when they didnt have to.

Marshall was an associate strength coach with the NBAs Chicago Bulls when, wanting to work for a college program, he applied for an opening at Rhode Island. He went for an interview and attended a summer skills workout in a small gym on campus.

The moment I stepped into the gym and saw the energy, I was like, Man, this is where I want to be, Marshall said. Just the intensity they were doing everything with. I was coming from the NBA, where everything is so laid back. This was a completely different world, but it energized me. It was fun to be in that gym. The energy in there was through the roof.

Dan Hurley hasnt changed a decade later. The start of UConns practice in TD Garden on Wednesday was open to media, and even in innocuous ballhandling drills Hurley was actively involved, encouraging, demanding, screaming.

People see stuff on social media and think its for show, but hes just the ultimate competitor, Marshall said. A high-level attention to detail with everything he does, and he makes sure everyone around him is the same way. Hes going to make sure everybody is all in. Theres no one foot in, one foot out.

With Dan, youre going to hear it. If hes upset with you, if hes not happy with you, youre going to know. Which I actually respect. I like to know where I stand at all times. If youre not on your Ps and Qs, youre going to hear about it and youre going to keep hearing about it until you get it right.

Marshall likely could have followed Hurley to UConn, as much of his staff did. But hes from Phoenix and wanted to get back West. There was an opening at ASU, and Dan Hurley called his older brother to set up an interview.

Marshall moved farther west last June after SDSUs previous strength coach, Justin Landry, left for Georgia Tech, not knowing hed encounter both Hurleys in his first season.

Its been a crazy whirlwind, Marshall said, but its exciting.

Whenever SDSUs season ends, either Thursday or Saturday here or next week at the Final Four in Glendale, Ariz., assistant coach Chris Ackers five-year tenure with the program will likely end as well.

Acker is widely expected to become the new head coach at Long Beach State, as first reported in the Union-Tribune on Monday and repeated by national media Wednesday.

The athletic director at Long Beach State is Bobby Smitheran, a former associate AD at SDSU who knows Acker well from his time there. Smitheran parted ways with longtime coach Don Monson before the Big West tournament.

Acker declined comment Wednesday, preferring to focus on UConn and the Sweet 16.

Coach Brian Dutcher was asked about it in his post-practice interview session at TD Garden.

With Coach Acker obviously we're excited he is a candidate for Long Beach State, amongst other jobs, Dutcher said. I take great pride in that, that you dont have to go from a power (conference) school to get a head job, that you can get one from San Diego State.

We may not be in a power conference, so to speak, but I feel like were a power (conference) school. I like the opportunity that our coaches are getting, and hopefully will continue to get, to become head coaches from San Diego State. I take great pride in that.

SDSU freshman forward Miles Heide is in Boston for the Sweet 16. His sister Sela, a junior at third-seeded Oregon State, is in the womens Sweet 16. The Beavers will take on second-seeded Notre Dame in Albany, N.Y.

With Miles playing Thursday and Sela on Friday, and the venues separated by a 3-hour drive on Interstate 90, the temptation for his parents was to come east.

Its a long way to go (on short notice), Heide said. They thought about it, but its expensive. And Ive got two other younger siblings that theyve got to drive to school and sports and stuff. It just didnt work out.

Wednesday was the sixth anniversary of the death of UConn 7-foot-2 center Donovan Clingans mother from breast cancer. Stacey Clingan played basketball at Maine, a 6-4 center who averaged a double-double as a junior.

That changed my life forever, Clingan said. I really wasnt the biggest fan of basketball. When she passed, it made me realize how much I loved basketball and gave me a reason why to be great. She was a big basketball player at Maine and had a great career. Instead of going to the WNBA, she wanted to have kids and be a mom. She had me and my sister, and I just try to live her name through the game.

Just gave me a reason to make her proud and gave me a way to represent her and feel like I still had an attachment to her. She was the best mom anyone could ask for, and she influenced me in so many ways. Im just hoping to make her proud.