ESPN article by Jeff Borzillo - "How UConn prepared to chase its third title in four years" | The Boneyard

ESPN article by Jeff Borzillo - "How UConn prepared to chase its third title in four years"

The best line:

“And the thing about UConn is, once we get out of that first round, we think we're supposed to win it."

Sad that we’ve always had to worry about that first round regardless of how good we were…
 
CTpessimist said:
The best line:

“And the thing about UConn is, once we get out of that first round, we think we're supposed to win it."

Sad that we’ve always had to worry about that first round regardless of how good we were…
Expand ...
A 16 seed should be a nice warm up. If ever the year to lock it in, this is it.
 
CTpessimist said:
The best line:

“And the thing about UConn is, once we get out of that first round, we think we're supposed to win it."

Sad that we’ve always had to worry about that first round regardless of how good we were…
Expand ...

I think you speak for yourself...

we-haha.gif
 
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CTpessimist said:
The best line:

“And the thing about UConn is, once we get out of that first round, we think we're supposed to win it."

Sad that we’ve always had to worry about that first round regardless of how good we were…
Expand ...
I haven't compared UConn's record to anyone else in this regard, but actual major upsets in teh tournament have been pretty few and far between. And half of them haven't been in teh first round. At the start, UConn was the first round killer, not the other way around. Hurley is clearly referring to his own meager beginnings at UConn, losing as the favorite twice in the first round, that's all.
 
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Ah, AI is so awesome. Google's AI claims UConn is 22-4 in first round games. Problem is, it thinks they lost in 2000 to Utah State. I'm like, nope, they lost to Tennessee that year. So not sure the record, overall, but looks like only 3 losses, two of them in 21 and 22.
 
DRBackup said:
Ah, AI is so awesome. Google's AI claims UConn is 22-4 in first round games. Problem is, it thinks they lost in 2000 to Utah State. I'm like, nope, they lost to Tennessee that year. So not sure the record, overall, but looks like only 3 losses, two of them in 21 and 22.
Expand ...
We have lost 4 times in the first round in the modern era: 2008 (San Diego buzzer beater after AJ Price got hurt), 2012 (no-show against Iowa State), 2021, and 2022.
 
DRBackup said:
Ah, AI is so awesome. Google's AI claims UConn is 22-4 in first round games. Problem is, it thinks they lost in 2000 to Utah State. I'm like, nope, they lost to Tennessee that year. So not sure the record, overall, but looks like only 3 losses, two of them in 21 and 22.
Expand ...
UConn lost Tennessee in the 2nd Rd of 2000.
 
Tenspro2002 said:
We have lost 4 times in the first round in the modern era: 2008 (San Diego buzzer beater after AJ Price got hurt), 2012 (no-show against Iowa State), 2021, and 2022.
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That 2012 team was Calhouns worst job especially with all that talent. 3 first round picks and another drafted?
 
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CTpessimist said:
The best line:

“And the thing about UConn is, once we get out of that first round, we think we're supposed to win it."

Sad that we’ve always had to worry about that first round regardless of how good we were…
Expand ...
We haven’t. That’s a Hurley thing, being 3-2 in the first round. KO went 2-0 in the first round, and the only time I recall JC losing in the first round was when our point guard and leader got hurt during the game (AJ Price against U of San Diego) and it took us too long to recover mentally. (Correction — I forgot the first round loss to Iowa state in 2012, with the immensely talented team that didn’t beat a single good team that year. But point remains — first round record was incredibly good pre Hurley. And I’m not knocking Hurley, but the numbers are what they are.)
 
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2 and 0 in first round games at Rhode Island (beat a 10 as a 7, and 6th ranked Creighton as an 11), 0 and 2 in his first two first round games at UConn is a weird stat. I think they more than made up for it, though, with being 2 and 0 in championship games.
 
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AdamaNation said:
That 2012 team was Calhouns worst job especially with all that talent. 3 first round picks and another drafted?
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That roster just didn’t click. Kemba had left, there was a leadership void, and I don’t think the team ever gelled after Bazz called out some of his teammates earlier in the season. Add in the Oriakhi family drama after Drummond showed up on campus, and you get a team that simply didn’t connect - despite the talent.
 
CTpessimist said:
The best line:

“And the thing about UConn is, once we get out of that first round, we think we're supposed to win it."

Sad that we’ve always had to worry about that first round regardless of how good we were…
Expand ...

I've never once worried about a first-round game. The Albany one in 06 was infuriating. But going in, I've always expected us to win our first-round games. 08 to me was a shocker - slightly mitigated by AJs injury. But, still expected us to win that one. The 12 team was broken the whole year. I thought we'd win, but figured it would be tight. Did not expect to get completely embarrassed, though. Royce White dunking on Drummond off the opening tip was your harbinger that it was going to be a mess. Kinda sucks that that was JCs last game.

AdamaNation said:
That 2012 team was Calhouns worst job especially with all that talent. 3 first round picks and another drafted?
Expand ...

In hindsight, 00 (Freeman at the 3), 06 (chemistry never worked), and 12 (chemistry again) were kinda wtf years for JC.
 
The once we get out of the first round comment is interesting. For me it was always the sweet 16. Even before the last two titles. I always felt that if UConn won their sweet 16 game it was time to go win the whole thing. That is when I start to believe it's going to go our way.
 
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boog204 said:
I've never once worried about a first-round game. The Albany one in 06 was infuriating. But going in, I've always expected us to win our first-round games. 08 to me was a shocker - slightly mitigated by AJs injury. But, still expected us to win that one. The 12 team was broken the whole year. I thought we'd win, but figured it would be tight. Did not expect to get completely embarrassed, though. Royce White dunking on Drummond off the opening tip was your harbinger that it was going to be a mess. Kinda sucks that that was JCs last game.



In hindsight, 00 (Freeman at the 3), 06 (chemistry never worked), and 12 (chemistry again) were kinda wtf years for JC.
Expand ...
Show me a Calhoun team that was truly successful that didn't have a 2 PG backcourt, or two strong playmaking guards. Guys like Denham Brown as a 2 were never going to lead to success.
 
Inyatkin said:
You worried about Stetson in '24? If so you were the only one
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Oh, I worry about every game. Doesn't necessarily mean that I'm expecting to lose, but I worry right up to the final buzzer.
 
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