Best of the Last Decade: Out of Conference Games
-CTBasketball
There have been a lot of great Husky basketball games over the years. Everyone remembers the epic games against Syracuse, Georgetown, Pittsburgh, and most recently Louisville; Big East Tournament games highlighted by Kemba’s heroics and Ben Gordon’s dominance. When Husky fans think back, these games always are the first to be remembered. But what about the out of conference bouts that seemed to set the tone for the season? In this article, my top ten greatest out of conference games within the last ten years are ranked.
10. Washington 2012-2013
This game almost didn’t happen; a snowstorm blanketed Connecticut and the surrounding area with measurable amounts of snow. Despite the poor weather, Husky fans came out to the XL Center to see the UConn Huskies take on the Washington Huskies. Although both unranked at the time, the game ended up being a great matchup. In addition, it was Kevin Ollie’s first game as the official head coach of UConn. The standing ovation that Coach Ollie received before the game was the loudest the XL Center has gotten in years. The snow fell so hard after the game that UConn’s team bus got stuck, but it didn’t stop the players from getting out and pushing it out of the snow!
9. Michigan State 2012-2013
Despite having the post-season taken away from them, the 2012-2013 squad looked forward to big regular season games instead of March basketball. The first game was the Armed Forces Classic; which was played on the Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany. It was also the first game where longtime head coach Jim Calhoun wasn’t the official coach. Regardless, UConn ran #14 Michigan State off the court and started the game on a vicious run, going up by as many as 16 in the first half. Sparty caught up in the second half, but Shabazz Napier and the Huskies were able to hold them off for one of the biggest victories of the season.
8. Texas 2010-2011
Many thought the 2010-2011 Huskies got lucky on Maui. Some said they weren’t a good team. This was their first real test; a hostile environment against the #12 Longhorns. Kemba Walker wasn’t going to let this happen. Taking over the game late, Walker powered UConn into overtime with clutch shooting and leadership. Sophomore center Alex Oriakhi steadied the Huskies by grabbing 21 rebounds. It became Walker’s show in overtime, as he hit an off-balance 35 foot 3-pt heave from his hip. The shot sank, giving UConn a three point advantage. It went down to the wire, where Walker was found one-on-one with Texas’s best defender, Dogus Balbay. Walker crossed to his left then stepped back and let it go. The shot sank, and the ninth ranked Huskies escaped Austin with an impressive out-of-conference win.
7. Michigan State 2010-2011 | Maui Invitational
The Huskies run from Maui, through Manhattan, and finally to Houston really started with this game. Wichita State was a hiccup, but Kemba Walker carried them on his back. The #2 Michigan State Spartans were a lot better than the Shockers, which meant Walker had to be better. And he was. For the second game in a row, he scored over 30 points and also led the team in steals and assists. He helped set up other teammates and played good defense. Nobody expected UConn to win in 2011; picked to finish 9th in the Big East and not even a receiving vote for the national rankings. This win was unexpected, but it gave Husky fans the hope of having a tournament-contending team.
6. Oklahoma 2003-2004
The unbeaten, 6th ranked Sooners rolled into Storrs with hopes of dethroning the top ranked Huskies. But UConn had revenge on its mind after last season loss in Norman. One man stood in Oklahoma’s way; Emeka Okafor. The All-American center was 1 block short of a triple-double. He propelled UConn to a 27 point blowout. Oklahoma never even showed up, and the Huskies took advantage. It turned into a highlight reel very quickly; put-back dunks, vicious blocks, and one unbelievable no-look pass from point guard Taliek Brown. The atmosphere in Storrs was indescribable; it was a great win.
5. Texas 2009-2010
Despite being one of the most disappointing seasons under Jim Calhoun, this win was the highlight of the season. #1 Texas rolled into Storrs hungry to keep their rank. The underachieving Huskies had different ideas. Interim Head Coach George Blaney took the reins and guided UConn to the victory. Overcoming a double-digit second half deficit, UConn went on a tear and eventually won the game by 14. This victory was bittersweet for some fans. The students rushed the court, which felt like something a fan-base for a mid-major team would do. Regardless, it was one of Connecticut’s biggest out-of-conference victories of the last decade. The only reason it isn’t higher is because it was the climax of the Huskies season.
4. Gonzaga 2005-2006 | Maui Invitational
This game featured a rematch of the 1999 Elite Eight: Connecticut vs. Gonzaga. UConn had retained their firepower from 6 years prior; they still are a top ranked program. Gonzaga has improved as well, now the #9 team nationally. UConn’s main task was to stop scoring juggernaut Adam Morrison, who went for 43 the previous night against Michigan State. UConn had its own sharpshooter in Rashad Anderson, who scored 14 points off the bench. The game went down to the wire, but Denham Brown became the hero when he hit a turn around one-handed hook over Adam Morrison at the buzzer to push UConn to a 65-63 victory and the 2005 Maui Invitational Title.
3. Gonzaga 2008-2009
Gonzaga and UConn have had great showdowns in the past, and the December 2008 matchup was no different. Everyone knew the 2008-2009 Huskies were a national title contending team, but this was their first true test. The rowdy road environment in Seattle, Washington placed them straight into the hornet’s nest of the Gonzaga faithful. It was a classic top 10 showdown. #7 Gonzaga at home, trying to knock off #2 Connecticut. With the stage set, the only thing left was to show up and play. And that is exactly what UConn did. In an epic dogfight, UConn found itself down by 3 with less than 10 seconds left. That’s when senior captain AJ Price heaved an off-balance, highly contested 3. It fell, and color commentator Gus Johnson went nuts. The game was tied, ready for overtime. Despite an ejection of Hasheem Thabeet, Gavin Edwards and Jerome Dyson supplied the scoring to propel UConn to the victory.
2. Kentucky 2010-2011 | Maui Invitational
The 2010 Maui Invitational was already going great for the Huskies, but a win over Kentucky in order to take home the trophy would be icing on the cake. John Calipari’s freshman-dominated lineup was highly favored in the matchup, but they forgot about one player: UConn’s Kemba Walker. For the third straight game, Walker went off. He scored 29 points against Big Blue, but he had help from some other Huskies. Alex Oriakhi put up a double-double. Freshmen Shabazz Napier and Niels Giffey both found themselves in double digits. With all this help, Kemba and the Huskies were untouchable. They finished the first half with a 21-2 run, putting the Wildcats away. This game is ranked second for a couple of reasons. One being it was the Maui Invitational; the other being it was a classic Calhoun-Calipari showdown. Calhoun came out victorious. And he did months down the road in the Final Four, where UConn was able to beat UK on its way to its 3rd NCAA Championship.
1. Indiana 2007-2008
Given the circumstances, this was one of UConn’s biggest wins in recent memory. With guards Jerome Dyson and Doug Wiggins suspended, it left UConn dangerously thin as it travelled to Bloomington to take on #8 Indiana. This led UConn to be a huge underdog against the Hoosiers. But it didn’t matter; UConn played out of its shoes and was able to take down the favorites on their home court. The entire Husky starting lineup scored in double digits, including double-doubles from Stanley Robinson and Jeff Adrien. UConn only played nine players, and everyone was exhausted minutes before the final buzzer. Jim Calhoun was covered in sweat as he made his way to the post-game press conference. It wasn’t his sweat, but sweat from hugging his players after the game. Calhoun continued to deliver one of the best press conferences in UConn basketball history. The win placed this Husky squad back on the national map after a year absence.
Honorable Mentions: Arizona 2005, Buffalo 2008, Florida State 2011, Indiana 2004, LSU 2006, Tennessee 2011, Wisconsin 2008,
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