POLL: best one-loss UConn team ever?

[alexrgct]

This has been an immensely satisfying season. Despite the one early loss, UConn dominated opponents the rest of the way and became national champions. Three players were WBCA AAs, and Morgan was so good in her own right that Doris Burke twice suggested the rules be changed to allow one team to nominate four. The lowest margin of victory in a win was 10 against a very good Notre Dame team. Yes, for one blemish on the season, 2014-15 was a hell of a campaign.

But was it the best one-loss incarnation of the Huskies ever?

You could easily make a case for 2000, which suffered a single loss by a single point, featured two of the three best players in WCBB, and culminated in a rout of archrival Tennessee.

Meanwhile, 2003 featured great play, toughness/grit beyond compare, memorable close shaves, and only one inexplicable loss (to Villanova in the BET semis).

And 1997 should have been a team for the ages, but the team was slowly losing its mojo just as the Lady Vols were finding theirs. Had Shea Ralph and the Husky mojo both stayed intact, the regional finals (and indeed the rest of the season) might have gone much differently.

Given all of that, which of UConn's seasons with a single blemish was the best of that variety?

 

[MilfordHusky]

I was thinking about this very point over the past week. I think the only competition is the 2000 team. They won it all in convincing fashion. But the 2015 team was ridiculously dominant after an OT loss to a very good team in the second game of the season. I voted for 2015. They had the 2-time NPOY, the Lieberman winner, and the best distance shooter ever. Plus, they had Captain Morgan, who performed as an AA.

 

[BigBird]

Plus, they had Captain Morgan, who performed as an AA.

So, Captain Morgan "stepped up," right?

 

[Oldbones]

Captain Morgan stepped up and had them over a barrel.

 

[HuskyPup]

And don't forget the 2015 team had THE ERASER!

 

[bballnut90]

I'd vote 2015, but 2000 was darn good. One through 4 they had players who earned 1st Team All America honors and at center they had Schumacher who blocked 9 shots in the title game. Off the bench they had Jones and Cash, not to mention Johnson as a good backup to Bird and Paige Sauer who barely got playing time by the end of the season after being a standout in previous year.

2000 was also a stronger year for women's basketball, UCONN had to beat some really really good teams to win it all. Tennessee was stellar, Penn State was immensely talented, LSU had some great players and they beat Rutgers 2 or 3 times.

2015 was more dominant against weaker competition, but Jefferson's perimeter defense and the inside outside abiljty of Stewart, Tuck, and KML gives 2015 the edge.

 

[hoophuskee]

I'm with bballnut - I'd go with 2015. I think the 2015 UCONN big lineup would serve well in this fantasy game.

 

[Wally East]

The 2000 team played a much tougher schedule than the '15 team. The Big East was the 2nd or 3rd best conference. The AAC, well, wasn't.

 

[HGN]

Its hard to say which 1 loss team is the best.........Different time , different era , different players , etc. ..They all were good. But you know what is the Best and Greatest thing really is ? Its that they all were so good that its debateable. And just look how many 1-loss seasons UConn has had. How many other programs can say that ? Not many.

Just like Geno has said , UConn is in a League of its own.

 

[Drumguy]

I'd vote 2015, but 2000 was darn good. One through 4 they had players who earned 1st Team All America honors and at center they had Schumacher who blocked 9 shots in the title game. Off the bench they had Jones and Cash, not to mention Johnson as a good backup to Bird and Paige Sauer who barely got playing time by the end of the season after being a standout in previous year.

2000 was also a stronger year for women's basketball, UCONN had to beat some really really good teams to win it all. Tennessee was stellar, Penn State was immensely talented, LSU had some great players and they beat Rutgers 2 or 3 times.

2015 was more dominant against weaker competition, but Jefferson's perimeter defense and the inside outside abiljty of Stewart, Tuck, and KML gives 2015 the edge.

I only take exception to the part about "weaker competition". I don't buy it. I think CT was just that much more dominant. There is definitely more parity and better athletes in many programs, so 2015 gets my vote. These young women are better overall.

imho it's like comparing a pro football team today to one from 10 years ago - the players are all taller, faster, and more skilled.