20 Years: 5-16 in Conference Openers

[tykurez]

I wouldn’t have believed it if you told me but UConn is 5-16 in conference openers since the 2003-2004 season. Some bad years mixed in there but it’s a wild stat considering they have almost as many national championships in that span.

 

[shizzle787]

I wouldn’t have believed it if you told me but UConn is 5-16 in conference openers since the 2003-2004 season. Some bad years mixed in there but it’s a wild stat considering they have almost as many national championships in that span.

Prior to last year, I can't remember the last time we started 2-0 in conference play.

 

[XLCenterFan]

Extremely, very, incredibly reassuring.

 

[AdamaNation]

Maybe this is the deal we’ve made with the devil. I’ll take it.

 

[auror]

Might want to do that math again.

 

[Leebo]

Might want to do that math again.

You don't remember that one year when we lost TWO openers? smh

 

[willie99]

I remember Marquette running our eventual one seeded team out of the gym

It wasn't competitive

And the GOAT, the epitome of toughness, was our coach

 

[mbt0512]

You don't remember that one year when we lost TWO openers? smh

In any 20 year span (such as the one from 03-04 season thru 23-24), there are 21 conference openers.. didn’t go back and check each season, but it’s the same idea that there are 11 numbers from 0-10

 

[HuskyHawk]

I wouldn’t have believed it if you told me but UConn is 5-16 in conference openers since the 2003-2004 season. Some bad years mixed in there but it’s a wild stat considering they have almost as many national championships in that span.

It’s a national program built for March. To win in March you cannot be built to play thug ball. So we come in to the Big East and the rules of the game change and we aren’t prepared for it.

 

[Leebo]

In any 20 year span (such as the one from 03-04 season thru 23-24), there are 21 conference openers.. didn’t go back and check each season, but it’s the same idea that there are 11 numbers from 0-10

I guess you don't remember either. smh

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

You don't remember that one year when we lost TWO openers? smh

That SUCKED

 

[mbt0512]

Keep shaking your head, it doesn’t change the fact that you’re wrong—there was still a conference opener in the COVID-shortened season, if that’s what you’re referring to..

 

[ConnHuskBask]

In any 20 year span (such as the one from 03-04 season thru 23-24), there are 21 conference openers.. didn’t go back and check each season, but it’s the same idea that there are 11 numbers from 0-10

Eh, when talking sports, years are typically analogous to seasons.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Eh, when talking sports, years are typically analogous to seasons.

Imagine a team winning a championship on April 7 one year and April 2 the next year. Is the headline going to read "Team Wins Unprecedented Two Championships Within One Year!"?

But yes, the bottom line is we have been unprepared for conference openers for decades, spanning multiple coaches and teams and opponents both good and bad. It's pretty baffling and worth an exploration because it does hurt us going forward.

 

[mbt0512]

Eh, when talking sports, years are typically analogous to seasons.

I agree, but the OP explicitly stated “since the 2003-2004 season” which is different than saying “over the last 20 seasons”

I suppose you could argue whether ‘since’ includes that 2003-2004 season, but I think almost anyone would read it that way.. silly to get into semantics when there is a larger and valid point at hand, but asking him to check his math or whether we had two openers in a single year is aggressive.

 

[phillionaire]

Debate over number of seasons versus years is in the same vein as the amazing bodybuilding forum argument over how many days are in a week

 

[mbt0512]

Imagine a team winning a championship on April 7 one year and April 2 the next year. Is the headline going to read "Team Wins Unprecedented Two Championships Within One Year!"?

But yes, the bottom line is we have been unprepared for conference openers for decades, spanning multiple coaches and teams and opponents both good and bad. It's pretty baffling and worth an exploration because it does hurt us going forward.

So tell me how many national titles do we have since the 2010-2011 season, 2 or 3?

Your post makes it sound silly that we’ve played 21 conference openers since the 2003-2004 season by turning an annual achievement into a specific set of dates.. I’d venture to guess most people here, like me and maybe you, would answer 3 to my above question. But if you prefer answering 2, then Leebo’s criticism is valid.

That’s it from me on this topic, probably thankfully for everyone..

 

[tykurez]

I just knew some nerds would pop in here to debate the years vs. seasons thing. It’s been 20 years since the 2003-2004 BEast opener, that simple. Clock starts at 1 not zero because we’re not talking about little babies.

14 of those were on the road, so there’s that going for us.

Alternatively, they were 10-3 in openers up until that season if you start at the Dream Season.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

I agree, but the OP explicitly stated “since the 2003-2004 season” which is different than saying “over the last 20 seasons”

I suppose you could argue whether ‘since’ includes that 2003-2004 season, but I think almost anyone would read it that way.. silly to get into semantics when there is a larger and valid point at hand, but asking him to check his math or whether we had two openers in a single year is aggressive.

Well the thread title is 20 years and includes 21 results.

I don't particularly care one way or another just that it's kind of funny.

 

[Travelman6]

There's also no year 0. You go from 1 BC to 1 AD. (The more you know )

I just knew some nerds would pop in here to debate the years vs. seasons thing. It’s been 20 years since the 2003-2004 BEast opener, that simple. Clock starts at 1 not zero because we’re not talking about little babies.

14 of those were on the road, so there’s that going for us.

Alternatively, they were 10-3 in openers up until that season if you start at the Dream Season.

 

[Travelman6]

5 of those 16 times were 0-2 as well. You might be shocked to see what year one of those years was...the others, not so much. 2 others times 1-2 start.

No time to panic until they start 0-3 including laying an egg vs st. Johns imo.

 

[gtcam]

The past is the past
I concern myself with the present and I am hoping last night proves to be an anomaly for this season.
The talk about being built for March and not the NBE, to me, is puzzling at best. What percentage of the schedule is in conference? It is important that you win at least 65% of your league games to get at least a 7 seed in the NCAA tournament. Don't you want to achieve the highest seed possible?

 

[RichCTBB]

It’s a national program built for March. To win in March you cannot be built to play thug ball. So we come in to the Big East and the rules of the game change and we aren’t prepared for it.

That’s the problem. Is it possible to win a Natty and conform and the Big East? Without conforming to the thug ball that the Big East has become known for?

 

[Leebo]

Imagine a team winning a championship on April 7 one year and April 2 the next year. Is the headline going to read "Team Wins Unprecedented Two Championships Within One Year!"?

So tell me how many national titles do we have since the 2010-2011 season, 2 or 3?

Your post makes it sound silly that we’ve played 21 conference openers since the 2003-2004 season by turning an annual achievement into a specific set of dates.. I’d venture to guess most people here, like me and maybe you, would answer 3 to my above question. But if you prefer answering 2, then Leebo’s criticism is valid.

That’s it from me on this topic, probably thankfully for everyone..

Dude, it's a lighthearted jab. Take a breath.

 

[champs99and04]

What's really remarkable is how they've lost every type of game in every possible way. You have disheartening rivalry losses (BC in '05, Providence in '22), inexplicable duds turned in by great teams (Marquette in '06, Georgetown in '09, Houston in '14, maybe last night), games that set the stage for disappointing seasons (WVU in '07, Temple in '15, pretty much every loss that occurred between '17 and '20), and then sheer heart-breakers (Cincy in '10, Marquette in '13, Creighton in '21). The most normal conference opener they've lost might've been Pitt in 2011, and that was a national champ losing by 15.

Oddly, most of the victories prior to last year (Hall in '08, USF in '12, Tulane in '16) came during mostly forgettable seasons.