Best UConn comebacks?

[Husky25]

Duke '04 is #1 merely for when it took place and what it meant. All other comebacks start at #5 (i.e. the #2-4 slots are empty). Nothing even approaches Duke '04. That includes all the games they were trailing at the half in '99.

Fun fact(s). 1) UConn was 9-0 in 1988-99 in games they trailed at halftime. 2) UConn was undefeated outside the state of Connecticut.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

We did have the two Pitt regular season games that have been pointed out and the 04 BET game against them.

There also was a game at BC ~93 or 94 where we were down by around 18 or so late in the first half and came back to crush their spirit (and continue a streak that lasted another eight or so years).

I still believe that Jim Calhoun willed us to that win as he could not tolerate losing to BC.

 

[Excalibur]

We were down 24 at halftime versus Pitt (can't remember home or away). With ten minutes to go in the game we were ahead and pulling away.

The UMass comeback at Civic Center was a god one.

Away in 1995.

Randy Smith had a great column in the JI after that game that I cut out and still have --

"Put yourself at Fitzgerald Field House with the scoreboard reading 'Pitt 40, Visitor 15'. At that moment, all hidden doubts concerning your team and yourself have emerged, and are staring you smack dab in the face. If you're a phony, the conditions will expose you as a phony. If you're a pretender, you'll be exposed as a pretender. If you've got an ounce of quit in you, you'll quit. Adversity sometimes brings out the best in athletes and sometimes the worst, but it always brings out the real athlete -- good, bad, or somewhere in between. Down 25 in the other guy's building is a time for truth telling . . . ."

 

[HooperScooper]

It was 8.......75-67. Then we scored the next 12 before Duhon hit the meaningless half court 3 at the buzzer that allowed Duke to cover

That and the Gonzaga game in 1999 each took about 5 years off my life. In 2004 I was trying to figure out if we could go home on Sunday until Rashad hit that shot and then Emeka fouled out Duke’s entire center rotation.

 

[Jaydumo20]

In the Hurley era last night's game reminded me of the Georgetown game at home. The Joey C game. We thought we were gonna lose. But we kinda always knew we'd win

 

[Eric K]

The UMass game at the Civic Center when Rashad introduced himself to our fandom as an assassin is up there too.

I sat right beyond the bench. 34-9 at half; end up winning 59-48. Rashad was huge. What a game.

 

[boog204]

Duke in 04 and GTown in 96 for the importance of the games. Don't remember the particulars, but weren't both 12-0 runs to cap it off? (I don't count that useless Duhon 3 that caused Verne to show his Duke bias.)

The UMass game was an amazing comeback because we looked like we had never played basketball before and then Rashad and Ben hit 900 straight threes, and it was over. I think in 95 we were down like 25 at the half to a hideous Pitt team. We came back and crushed them in the second half.

 

[Jaydumo20]

Duke in 04 and GTown in 96 for the importance of the games. Don't remember the particulars, but weren't both 12-0 runs to cap it off? (I don't count that useless Duhon 3 that caused Verne to show his Duke bias.)

The UMass game was an amazing comeback because we looked like we had never played basketball before and then Rashad and Ben hit 900 straight threes, and it was over. I think in 95 we were down like 25 at the half to a hideous Pitt team. We came back and crushed them in the second half.

Your memory for sports facts makes me jealous. I don't remember either of these games. I can't recall any games over the past 25 years except a game vs Washington in the 05 tourney and a Cincinnati game where kemba threw himself a lob off the backboard.

We're the same age You taking that ginkgo biloba?

 

[TheRick]

We were down 24 at halftime versus Pitt (can't remember home or away). With ten minutes to go in the game we were ahead and pulling away.

The UMass comeback at Civic Center was a god one.

January 11, 1995 (Basketball): In a remarkable comeback, #2 UConn erased a 15-point halftime deficit (and a 25-point first-half deficit) to defeat Pitt 85-76 at Fitzgerald Field House. The Huskies outscored the Panthers 55-31 in the second half.

 

[CTBasketball]

The one game where I knew Shabazz Napier would be the next guy was 2012 Big East Tournament vs. WVU.

We were down like 10 with 4 to go, Truck Bryant launched a Luol Deng-style heat check which led to the UConn killer Dennis Kalicla fouling out, and then Napier took over down the stretch to tie and send to OT where we eventually won. Garden was PUMPING.

 

[Marat]

The one game where I knew Shabazz Napier would be the next guy was 2012 Big East Tournament vs. WVU.

We were down like 10 with 4 to go, Truck Bryant launched a Luol Deng-style heat check which led to the UConn killer Dennis Kalicla fouling out, and then Napier took over down the stretch to tie and send to OT where we eventually won. Garden was PUMPING.

I remember a nice come back by the team that afternoon - I was there as I skipped out on work that day. But I don't remember the exact sequence of events . Just remember Napier was important !

 

[Hoophound]

Away in 1995.

Randy Smith had a great column in the JI after that game that I cut out and still have --

"Put yourself at Fitzgerald Field House with the scoreboard reading 'Pitt 40, Visitor 15'. At that moment, all hidden doubts concerning your team and yourself have emerged, and are staring you smack dab in the face. If you're a phony, the conditions will expose you as a phony. If you're a pretender, you'll be exposed as a pretender. If you've got an ounce of quit in you, you'll quit. Adversity sometimes brings out the best in athletes and sometimes the worst, but it always brings out the real athlete -- good, bad, or somewhere in between. Down 25 in the other guy's building is a time for truth telling . . . ."

I used to really enjoy Randy Smith articles. Sometimes, he really missed the mark, but he was very good at his job.

 

[BGesus4]

Khalid table game is goated in my book… had a brief daydream about Demary doing something similar right before the end of regulation last night

 

[HooperScooper]

Your memory for sports facts makes me jealous. I don't remember either of these games. I can't recall any games over the past 25 years except a game vs Washington in the 05 tourney and a Cincinnati game where kemba threw himself a lob off the backboard.

We're the same age You taking that ginkgo biloba?

Those gummies catch up to you later in life. 😀

 

[uconngb]

Ones I thought of were already mentioned. Down 34-9 to UMass at the half. Down 24 to Pitt. Duke, Georgetown.

There was also a game against BC in the middle of our long streak against them that we won in double overtime when we down by 18 in the second half, I think Sheffer and Donyell both hit tying threes at the end of regulation and OT.

Was at that one too…..Donyell went OFF in the 2nd half. Was a huge snowstorm that night.

 

[Gurleyman]

Maybe UConn's biggest one of all was the school bouncing back from the "great pick" commercial.

 

[BugsyCT]

1. Duke 2004 FF
2. GTown 1996 BET final

 

[bdbdbdbd]

I remember sitting in Huskies looking at my buddy when we were down 11 and saying that if they were going to win, they couldn't give up another point. I didn't realize until the next day that I was right.

I got Arnold Dean's autograph at that game. If you don't know that name, ask your grandpa.

 

[boog204]

Your memory for sports facts makes me jealous. I don't remember either of these games. I can't recall any games over the past 25 years except a game vs Washington in the 05 tourney and a Cincinnati game where kemba threw himself a lob off the backboard.

We're the same age You taking that ginkgo biloba?

During COVID, I rewatched a ton of old games to prevent myself from recording an album of my acoustic ballads. So...

 

[boog204]

The one game where I knew Shabazz Napier would be the next guy was 2012 Big East Tournament vs. WVU.

We were down like 10 with 4 to go, Truck Bryant launched a Luol Deng-style heat check which led to the UConn killer Dennis Kalicla fouling out, and then Napier took over down the stretch to tie and send to OT where we eventually won. Garden was PUMPING.

Remember when people called him the "reacharound bandit"? That was unfortunate phrasing.

 

[UDann]

I got Arnold Dean's autograph at that game. If you don't know that name, ask your grandpa.

The Dean of Sports. WTIC

 

[HCCForever]

I got Arnold Dean's autograph at that game. If you don't know that name, ask your grandpa.

I loved listening to Arnold. I believe Donny Marshall started broadcasting on Arnold’s show.

 

[Vuce]

BC vs UConn in 2002 at the HCC. It was similar to yesterday - we were down 10 with less than 3 min left and came back to win in OT. This was the game that featured an amazing dunk by Tony Robertson. It was so awesome to own bcu forever

 

[Kathy]

Was at that one too…..Donyell went OFF in the 2nd half. Was a huge snowstorm that night.

Yes there was - got home and had no power for 5 days

 

[Kathy]

1996 Big East final vs Georgetown. Allen vs Iverson

Down 11 with less than 5 minutes to go, UConn ends game with 12-0 run to win 75-74. Ray Allen hits game winner with about 13 seconds left.

Announcers were so sure we were going to lose that they voted Victor Paige MVP - boy that pissed me off