Amazing season by UConn

[ctbro1999]

Despite coming up short, I take solace in the fact Duke fans will forever be haunted by the Mullins Miracle and What If'ing if they had not horribly choked away the lead against us and believing they would have won the title if they had beat us. If we couldn't win it all, delivering the most crushing loss in Duke history is a decent consolation prize (not to mention the countless more times I'll watch the final 10 seconds of that game).

 

[Senor Blue]

For any other program - this would be a season steeped in legend and revered for years to come.

The fact that this team, not full of top 5 draft picks and NBA rookie of the year types, led by UConn-recruited upperclassmen and freshmen with a multi-year transfer, and a low amount of impact transfers is the anti-whatever this NCAA portal BS has turned the sport into.

This is a model team of doing it the right way, coaches who care about their players as men and people off the court, getting and giving everything they have for the school they play for...how could you not be prouder.

Went out on their feet - out rebounded, out hustled, and frankly out worked a much more talented team and the officials on the biggest stage. 3 possession underdogs being screwed by the refs, in effectively a road game, and still got it down to one possession in the final minute. Just couldn't hit the shots. Went out with their heads held high, great sportsmanship, and an absolutely legendary run with probably the most iconic shot and win in NCAA tournament history amidst a 19 point comeback against the #1 overall seed.

I know Dan said they don't hang final four banners in Gampel - but any other program would hang this banner and write songs about this team for decades. Hell of a season from these boys and this coaching staff. Find another program that's done what UConn has done in the modern era, continually reinventing themselves? You can't.

Not for nothing - you won the East region which was a joke of a bracket that contained Duke, Michigan State, Kansas, St Johns, and UCLA. You beat 3 of those teams. That East Regional championship trophy is worth a lot more than other similar ones.

What a season. What a program.

 

[Waquoit]

For the umpteenth time, our guys didn't get rattled in the big spot. How about that stretch in the mid-1st half where we had four subs on the floor and we were matching them. They may miss a few shots but they never let us down. It's incredible that after all the great teams UConn has had, we get another unique story.

 

[UC0NN]

Talking heads said Uconn wasn't consistent enough to win 3 straight games against good teams to get to a final 4 this year. And you know what, the case could certainly be made. We'll we won 4 straight games. Played our heart out in the finals.

Hurley had them peaking when it really mattered the most. We shot the 3 well in 1 game out of 6 games. So proud of this team. Never discount a final 4. Most schools would be thrilled to get 1 in 10 years. All i ever dreamed about from 1989 to 1999 was to reach a final 4. Winning a championship never crossed my mind that decade. Boy are we beyond lucky to have such great coaches and teams. Blessed.

 

[Scottzer]

It’s not a bad comp. In a weird twist, it almost felt like an alternate universe in which we played the role of Duke in 1990. 2 seed, make FF from a buzzer beater, go to championship against a scary, high octane team.

Just in the Final, we didn’t play Duke’s role, we switched to Ball State. Valiant effort.

…in looking at the talent on this team, I’m not sure they weren’t overachieving the whole season (minus big east). The non-conferemce record this season is insane.

 

[Superhuskies]

Yes- amazing-- overall-- BLASTED by johnnie's twice, last late, in mid-March..!, lost home Creighton, yuk !, lost late, March 1 at horrid 11-19 !! Marquette for co-championship, star stud guard high ankle sprain first ncaa game, normally takes 4-5-6 (?)weeks recovery..., blasted by Duke , 4-5-6 (?) NBA guys.. Cam B dominating o + d !! -- we/they had no right win that one, basically a miracle ?.. in SAME house as GEORGE WHOM...??? 20 ...million years earlier, yukkk!!, I'll have watch it over, maybe the twins had windshield washer fluid leftover in eyes...at :10 mark, ..but that was other-worldly,.. we were NOT supposed to win that one..... all THAT, then beat Croatian Nat team in semi-finals, then play the Dominican National team, come within 7? points of taking it all....??? 😅....you gotta be kidding me... !! Thanks, Karaban-ban !! FOR EVERYTHING !

 

[Superhuskies]

Not to mention Solos left hand/ wrist injury (?)....bugged him a while... no ? Or was just..in. slump...? Shooting great again, just recently....(no?).....

 

[UC0NN]

I think this team had top 5 talent on paper. They were loaded. But games aren't won on paper. The ceiling is the highest in the country if Ball/Mullins/AK shot their expected 40%+ from deep. That never materialized. They played like a team ranked #25 from January until March. They just couldn't get it together until it really really counted. Because of the wild inconsistentcy, the run was both surprising and amazing.

After getting blown out by Marquette and SJ, few could have seen this coming. Most surprising deep run in a tournament? You normally dont say that for a 2 seed. 2014 team will have an argument. But nothing really surprised me with the best player in the country that year in Shabazz on the team.