Favorite UCONN moment

[the Q]

Now, not on the court:

February 13, 1993. A perfectly non-descript game against Miami during the infamous Constanatine Popa era. I was 7.

UConn wins the game and I start seeing the Miami players walking across the court (with a full pizza for each player in hand, lol).

Finally a UConn player comes out: Donyell Marshall. I ask my parents if I can go get autographs of the players. They say yes and I rush out onto the floor to meet Donyell. He signs something for me and another kid, and I ask him where we can get more autographs. He tells me to go through this door (that he just came out of), take a left and go in the first door on the right.

We follow his instructs...it's the freaking locker room.

We go inside and there's music just blasting out a stereo. Donny Marshall is dancing around the room in his seasonally appropriate heart shaped boxers. We get a few funny looks and I say "ummm, donyell told us to come here" and that settled everything. One guy comes up, welcomes us, introduces himself, and then takes us around to meet every player in the locker room. I got all the autographs I could've wanted. Boo Willingham gave me his game used wrist band (signed it too) and a coke.

That guy who took us around the room?

Kevin Ollie.

I doubt he even remembers doing all that for me. But I know I'll never forget it.

 

[willie99]

They should've been happy just to be in it due to the 2 BS fouls on Okafor that kept him out the first half.

No kidding, and don't forget the third foul at the start of the 2nd half.

I always laugh at Dookies who complained the Refs stole the game from them, when in reality the Refs kept Dook in the game by taking Okafor out of the game

It was men against boys when Meka was on the court

 

[walkrightier]

2014 Championship my Freshmen Year on Campus, Literally the best day of my life

 

[Kathy]

Agree with most of the favorite moments mentioned but to go back further was Lyman Depriest playing d on Dana barros to get the the NIT final in 88. That's when I knew Calhoun could lead us to the promised land

 

[RichZ]

Now, not on the court:

February 13, 1993... ...Kevin Ollie.

I doubt he even remembers doing all that for me. But I know I'll never forget it.

Might as well shut this thread down. You win.

 

[TheRealPuck]

First post ever. Long time lurker.

I went to Uconn 2001-2005 after being born and raised in CT for my whole life. My high school girlfriend went to Duke and we dated remotely my first couple of years of college. She broke up with me my sophomore year and I went I through hell a young and newly single person. She was on the "rise" as a underclassman girl and I was a disaster as an underclassman guy. Lots of hard times but my junior year came and I joined a professional co-Ed business fraternity where a new pretty girl became interested in me. First girl since I broke up with my ex who I was interested in.

Fast forward to the final four game on my fraternity's formal night. My brother and I carried a 50" CRT TV to the event and we hooked that beast up to cable in the lobby and the whole fraternity watched along with lil johns "yeah" being blatpsted in the background. With the new girl wrapped around my waist we all watched Emeka Okafor wrestle away a rebound and and put back the winning shot against Duke to send uconn to the finals.

I knew that night that my life was going to be won or lost. God was on MY side and in that exact moment I knew that I had won. Duke and my ex. My life was going to be ok. Got the girl and Uconn went home winners.

To this day I laugh and cry when I think about it. Actually not as big of a deal as it was in the moment but still look back on it fondly. This thread meant doing to me that I am writing this from my honeymoon.

 

[uconnever]

Okafor and Gordon puttin in work as freshmen in an overtime win against Arizona. Imagine if Caron had stayed his junior year. Possibly back to back National champs. Also Caron elite 8 against Maryland.

 

[MSGSeven]

I don't think this was mentioned but Gordon's go ahead basket against Pitt in the 04 BET Championship it was the culminating moment for Gordon my all time favorite who up until the BET that year was an ultra talented but inconsistent superstar.

In person for me would be Bazz's game winner against Florida and secondly Omar's tying three pointer against G'town.

 

[MSGSeven]

Ben's thunderous tomahawk jam against Duke in the NCAA's. Emeka controlled the boards in that game as well, as I recall.

I must've missed that dunk...

 

[Jaker]

 

[the Q]

Might as well shut this thread down. You win.

Obviously I wasn't trying to win anything. But it is my favorite memory. My whole family got involved.

My story I already shared.

My 4 year old sister got to kiss Scott Burrell's head.

And my parents got to call security thinking I had been kidnapped.

 

[Rico444]

Comeback vs Dook in the National Semi-Final in 2004

I was there, Dook fans AND PLAYERS were all celebrating with 3 minutes left. I told my buddy it's way to early for the Dook team to be on the court celebrating up 8 with 3 minutes to go . As it turned out, we quickly scored 5 straight and they couldn't breath anymore

I'll never forget how I was still confident in our chances, but obviously time was running down so we were going to have to make our charge soon. When Rashad caught that pass for the open 3 in the corner, I remember saying to myself "If he hits this, we're winning this game," and of course he drilled it. Then Emeka took over. What an incredible comeback.

 

[BugsyCT]

Lotsa good ones here, real good ones, but nothing can beat 77-74. Nothing. Our first title and there was nothing else like it. The euphoria of winning it all, beating our old nemesis that the so-called experts thought was unbeatable - it was perfect. The buzz in the state was unreal - the celebration, welcome home for the team, the parade, everything. Think I watched the replay of the game or listened to the radio broadcast replay every day that summer.

By far my favorite sports day of all-time.

 

[Dibbie]

The Shot by Tate "The Ponzi" George. Not only for the play, but the eruption on campus and the bon fire set at the Jungle afterwards. Police there and just let us do our thing, pure elation.

 

[Pudge]

• Sophomore year at Diana's pool. We were enjoying the April day that actually was warm (yes guys ... Storrs used to be sunny and warm). Tony Hanson, Al Weston and others were there. One of their entourage couldn't swim ... and Stowe B played lifeguard. O ... a good morning omen. Got free tickets often the next year into the Fieldhouse.
• 1990. Pat O'Shea's in SF watching first beating Cal by gobs. Then later watching the Tate shot. Huge fun as the hungryHusky. Endless high
• 1992-2009 ... 17 uninterrupted years of the Big East tourney. Sitting in good seats - usually provided by grifter Priests with a PC stockbroker as conduit - watching oodles of good games. While the client slept and drooled. Favorite memory moments are Friday night wins over Nova and that long long OT against Syracuse and Taliek hitting that wish of a 40 foot heave.
• 1999 - the Conference call the next morning listening to National partners exult over UConn Win Duke loss. I still regularly watch the last 3 minutes of that game more than any other.
• Sitting with Dad on a Monday night watching UConn play any old BE game.

This thread NEEDS to be each of us recommitted to more passionate UConn MBB moments. Enough with the negative. Only the stairs.