#1 in Team BPG for the 9th time in the 2000s

[Mike Honcho]

I didn't realize until they mentioned it tonight, but we led the nation in team blocks per game last year with 6.2.

That marks the ninth time we've led the NCAAs in blocks per game over the past quarter century. Pretty cool stat that spans several elite individual shotblockers (Okafor 4.3, Thabeet 4.2, Brimah 2.8, Boone 2.2, Clingan 2.1).

• 2024-25: #1 (6.2bpg)
• 2023-24: #11
• 2022-23: #18
• 2021-22: #2
• 2020-21: #6
• 2019-20: #4
• 2018-19: #47
• 2017-18: #116
• 2016-17: #11
• 2015-16: #24
• 2014-15: #16
• 2013-14: #16
• 2012-13: #55
• 2011-12: #4
• 2010-11: #12
• 2009-10: #2
• 2008-09: #1 (7.8bpg)
• 2007-08: #1 (8.6)
• 2006-07: #1 (8.6)
• 2005-06: #1 (8.8)
• 2004-05: #1 (8.9)
• 2003-04: #1 (8.1)
• 2002-03: #1 (7.5)
• 2001-02: #1 (6.9)
• 2000-01: #100
• 1999-00: #26
• 1998-99: #54
• 1997-98: #49

 

[Kitaman]

In 2001 this All American joined our team and started a block party that hasn't ended.

 

[Mike Honcho]

Post your favorite block photo.

 

[Nameless]

We led the nation in blocks for 8 years in a row, lmao. Domination down low

 

[DogMania]

That run from 2002 though 2009 was remarkable considering a college program is continuously building a new roster each season or two. I remember frequently checking the stats during the end of the 2009-10 season to see if they would continue the streak, but fell just shy, landing at #2.

I must admit that I am surprised that they UConn was back to #1 this past season (2024-25), and don't recall anyone bringing that up until now, but maybe someone did. Also interesting, that blocks per game average (6.2) was lower by a large margin than any of their numbers during that unprecedented streak.

I'm sure who's on the roster has a large part in racking up a lot of blocked shots, but I wonder how much coaching goes into this.

I'm surprised that UConn didn't end up #1 during any of the seasons that Donovan Clingan played at UConn, but reached #2 at the end of the 2021-22 season, which was the season before Donovan arrived.

Lastly, blocking a lot of shots is a nice statistic, but can be detrimental if the bigs put themselves out of rebounding and defensive position going after too many of them, which was the case sometimes with Samson Johnson. Knowing when to sky for the block and when to hold one's defensive positioning is important to learn.

 

[Nameless]

I'm surprised that UConn didn't end up #1 during any of the seasons that Donovan Clingan played at UConn, but reached #2 at the end of the 2021-22 season, which was the season before Donovan arrived.

Lastly, blocking a lot of shots is a nice statistic, but can be detrimental if the bigs put themselves out of rebounding and defensive position going after too many of them, which was the case sometimes with Samson Johnson. Knowing when to sky for the block and when to hold one's defensive positioning is important to learn.

I think the 2nd paragraph quoted kind of explains the first. Clingan wasn't just tall, his defensive positioning was elite. You could probably make a 5-10 minute montage of plays where someone drove to the hoop, saw Clingan, and either threw up an erratic shot or just pulled the ball back out and reset. He likely blocked a lot less shots as a result, but the defensive impact was obviously still there.