Best blocked shot in UConn history

[Inyatkin]

And it was from a 6'0" guy? In the running, at least.

This date nine years ago

 

[hansonel-amin]

Mine is an Emeka block against Alabama in the 2004 Championship run. The Alabama player drove to the hoop, and as Emeka prepared to block with one hand, the Alabama player went to the other side of the basket, and Emeka blocked the shot with his other hand. I looked for a video clip, but didn't find one.

 

[upstater]

And it was from a 6'0" guy? In the running, at least.

This date nine years ago

View attachment 52625

I think this one will win.

I remember Roscoe having a big one in the same tournament too.

Emeka here:

 

[8893]

The one Sid had back in January was insane in terms of pure athleticism.

 

[Ricker]

My vague recollection is that Tony Robertson blocked the shot of a star Arizona 7ft player at the end of the game to win the game. Decent argument that it should have been goal tending but it wasn't called. Given the end of game, game winning circumstance against a highly ranked team, that was pretty big.

Postscript: Nevermind. Bad memory again. 12/09/2000 Robertson' shot with 1.8 sec left was blocked by Loren Woods and goal tending was called, (but was debatable), and we won the game. Not even a UConn block for this thread.

 

[aburks41]

Deng..OH what a block by Okafor!

 

[Marat]

2004 Emeka block against Nova to win the game at buzzer in OT in Philly. That was the game where Rashad hit the 3 to send it to OT.

 

[tcf15]

Emeka Okafor's game saving block at the buzzer against Villanova in 2004. Randy Foye coming at him, Okafor stumbles, recovers and then blocks the shot at the buzzer. That was only his second block of the game. The first block was at the buzzer during regulation and sent the game to overtime.

 

[MDHuskFan]

It’s so refreshing & quite frankly, nice to be reminded of actually how GREAT Emeka was here.

 

[Marat]

Emeka Okafor's game saving block at the buzzer against Villanova in 2004. Randy Foye coming at him, Okafor stumbles, recovers and then blocks the shot at the buzzer. That was only his second block of the game. The first block was at the buzzer during regulation and sent the game to overtime.

It was great to be at this game . I had a blast yelling non stop that i got some angry comments after by a Nova fan. There were also several bus loads of UConn fans there too.

 

[Ricker]

As an aside when I was searching for my misremembered Arizona play, I watched some of our 2002 team vs Arizona with Oakafor as a freshman. 19 pts 14 rb and tv had him as having 12 blocks for a triple double just a few games into his career, but he officially was credited with only 9 blocks by the Arizona scoring table. Taliek Brown, Selvie, Caron, and Ben were the other key players vs Luke Walton et al 100-98. Good game to go back and watch. We were #25 and Arizona #10.

 

[methodology]

I seem to remember a blocked shot by Doug Wrenn that he sent the ball into about the 15th row

 

[Earls & Kings]

The Emeka block was my only trip to the Palestra... From our view point his hand reached the top of the backboard...it was the most emphatic game ending I’ve ever felt.

 

[Waquoit]

As an aside when I was searching for my misremembered Arizona play, I watched some of our 2002 team vs Arizona with Oakafor as a freshman.

That's one game I remember well. I was at a bar that had that game and Aqueduct on and you could bet the races. And it wasn't an OTB. Heaven. I remember a balanced scoring attack.

 

[superjohn]

My vague recollection is that Tony Robertson blocked the shot of a star Arizona 7ft player at the end of the game to win the game. Decent argument that it should have been goal tending but it wasn't called. Given the end of game, game winning circumstance against a highly ranked team, that was pretty big.

Postscript: Nevermind. Bad memory again. 12/09/2000 Robertson' shot with 1.8 sec left was blocked by Loren Woods and goal tending was called, (but was debatable), and we won the game. Not even a UConn block for this thread.

Not debateable, it was definitely a clean block by Woods.

 

[cohenzone]

And it was from a 6'0" guy? In the running, at least.

This date nine years ago

View attachment 52625

I don’t know if that’s the best block, but it is one heck of a great photo.

 

[DOZE860]

My vague recollection is that Tony Robertson blocked the shot of a star Arizona 7ft player at the end of the game to win the game. Decent argument that it should have been goal tending but it wasn't called. Given the end of game, game winning circumstance against a highly ranked team, that was pretty big.

Postscript: Nevermind. Bad memory again. 12/09/2000 Robertson' shot with 1.8 sec left was blocked by Loren Woods and goal tending was called, (but was debatable), and we won the game. Not even a UConn block for this thread.

funny you should mention this game.. i worked this game when i was going to UCONN, i was just rewatching it this morning and found myself in a shot were the were showing Dave Gavitt and Mike Tranghese in the crowd..

me with the husky shirt

 

[fatlucy]

It’s so refreshing & quite frankly, nice to be reminded of actually how GREAT Emeka was here.

I remember reading an article where Ben was saying they played a game where everyone on the team would line up to try to score on Mek at practice and none of them could do it. He sounded like they were all in awe.

 

[the Q]

I think it was meka who went up to block on one side and ended up blocking it on the other side with his other arm? Does that sound right? Or maybe I’m just poorly explaining it?

 

[UConnKev]

I think it was meka who went up to block on one side and ended up blocking it on the other side with his other arm? Does that sound right? Or maybe I’m just poorly explaining it?

Yeah, against Bama in the NCAA’s in Phoenix.

Start at the 1:35 mark.

 

[businesslawyer]

Some of the Okafor blocks mentioned were awesome. But seriously, anything was better than Scotty Burrell knocking a Shaquille O'Neill dunk attempt into the friggin crowd in the Tournament?

 

[WrenchFan69]

I know the best pre-UConn block

 

[nadavtheman]

always felt confident with the ball in Taleik's hands. Great influence on Gaffney
seeya
LK

 

[bmayuc]

I know the best pre-UConn block

RIP layup kid. thoughts and prayers to his family.

 

[Kemba Time]

Yeah, against Bama in the NCAA’s in Phoenix.

Start at the 1:35 mark.

This one was my immediate choice. Was at this game Elite Eight game in Phoenix with my dad and Alabama fans around us were bizarrely cocky that Bama would beat us.

Remember turning and saying to them that it might be a good time to shut their mouths when Emeka is blocking one of their best player’s shots twice on the same play. The rest of the day was very enjoyable.