Favorite UCONN moment | Page 3 | The Boneyard

Favorite UCONN moment

8893 said:
Not gonna lie, this is up there for me:

hc-rod-sellers-christian-laettner-video-20150303
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From the forthcoming ESPN 30-30 "I Love Rod Sellers"
 
I tried to think of one but three came to mind instantly as almost equal. One stands out above the rest due to the company I kept.
2014 - Watched the Elite 8 and Final Four with my father who was four weeks removed from open heart surgery and is a rabid Husky fan.
1990 - The Shot - I was at Woodhaven apartments with a friend watching the game. It was completely amazing. A few days later I watched us lose and drove back to campus (I lived in Tolland Hall) past a giant banner on the dorm Towers (I think) that said "Laettner Must Die".
1990 - Watching UConn beat Syracuse in the BE title game at Teds.
 
I think it's the shot. It really got the momentum building towards 99. For me, everything from 1999 on has been icing on the cake.

Dreamed of one. Never would have believed 4 in 15 years.
 
To this day, I am dumbfounded as to how we won the national championship in 2014.
We had no business ripping through that tournament.

However, 5 games in 5 days was pinnacle UConn men's basketball. Unbelievable.
 
Ben's thunderous tomahawk jam against Duke in the NCAA's. Emeka controlled the boards in that game as well, as I recall.
 
So many to choose from and so difficult to narrow to one but gun to the head, it's the 1st NC. Watching the last play unfold standing up in the middle of my living room the moment they won I was like a little baby, tears and smiles but amazed that this happened to our Huskies. I mean I thought the ECAC wins were special and they were, the win over the Johnnies on the the tourney in the 70's heck a win over Hofstra too back then in the tourney. The NIT championship.Then the Shot, what a season how can we top that?

Anyway that moment Rash was running with the ball I have never been so happy about a sporting event in my life and amazed with what just happened. Proud of the program, the coach the kids just a moment I could never forget. I was supposed to be at Rookies with my boys but blew them off because I wanted to soak in every pregame show every moment I couldn't have had at a bar. While I sometimes wish I went because we went there for every other tourney game, I was pretty happy standing there alone taking in that special time with my young sons and wife sleeping.

Unbelievable what they've done for me as far as sports entertainment.
 
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boog204 said:
1999, not even close... First moment is Ricky causing the travel and the Ricky intense face in all its glory. Someone has it as their avatar here. Second moment is after Langdon tripped and Rash picks up the ball, tears in his eyes, and says "oh my god!" The fact that we won was amazing, obviously, but there are something so special (to me at least) that it was Rash who came up with the ball. Loved Rash and his selflessness over four years. Went from budding scoring star (he was averaging high teens for a bit his soph year) to defensive specialist b/c that's what the team needed.

Will never forget those couple of seconds after the final buzzer. Somehow, my neighbor, a very prominent football player, managed to get butt-naked in those milliseconds and started running through the halls. Then the windows broke. Then the fire started. Smelled just like victory.
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we are so on the same page!!
 
AZHuskiePop said:
For those of tramatized by Christian Lattner shot in 1990.,when we were a Tate George deflection away from our first final four.
Than suffered through a series of close misses in the 1990's even with all our success. Even with all the great players we had somehow managed to blow it in the Tourney.We had never even been to a FF
And then there was 1998-99
We knew we could possibly be the best team in the country going into that year but our old nemesis Duke generated buzz as the greatest team in college basketball history. They were awfully good but not good enough.
When that final whistle blew with us on top 77-74 it seemed if all those ghosts of bygone years were exorcized.. The feeling was like nothing I've ever experienced
Yea I was there for Cuse ,GT wins that put us in the big time but it wasn't the same
Nothing could ever be the same.
Winning in 2014 was close ,

as we were a team written off as dead.
Even if that was the last Hurrah of a UConn big time BB team at least we've had Hurrahs
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Although losing on a last second shot to the most repugnant player and program in CBB history really stung at the time it happened, let's face it, if we had advanced and made it to the title game, UNLV would have destroyed us just like they destroyed the aforementioned repugnants, and I kinda enjoyed watching that game. What I think hurts far worse now in retrospect was not making the FF in 1994 and 1995, with two teams that had a legit shot to make some noise in it and perhaps win the whole thing. Plus it is unfortunate that Donyell and Ray left UConn without a national title.
 
Nothing tops 77-74 but this comes closest. From losing to winning in an instant. The ball bounced around so long after Rip's initial miss I was sure the clock was going to run out. And then he hits it with that 7-footer in his face, and I think I woke up my entire neighborhood.
 
Hans Sprungfeld said:
From the forthcoming ESPN 30-30 "I Love Rod Sellers"
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OMG, I'd completely forgotten he didn't even get called for a foul. Rod, the Silent Assassin! I know he got suspended after they saw the film, but he didn't get thrown out of the game. Show that video to a bar full of CBB fans to this day and wild cheering will erupt.

Rod Sellers = America's Favorite Player
 
Omitting the obvious ones...

Jamelle Horne's open 3-pointer bouncing away as time expired in the 2011 Elite 8. The range of emotions felt during those final few seconds were unreal.
 
Inyatkin said:
Nothing tops 77-74 but this comes closest. From losing to winning in an instant. The ball bounced around so long after Rip's initial miss I was sure the clock was going to run out. And then he hits it with that 7-footer in his face, and I think I woke up my entire neighborhood.
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Yeah this had maybe the best call by McDonough too.
 
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Okay if we are digging a bit deeper...

1) Ray's dunk vs. 'Nova after that snowstorm and they had beaten us by 300 the previous year.
2) The opening run (14-0?) I think vs. G-Town during the dream season.
3) The opening run (14-0?) vs. St. Johns in the Big East Final in 1999.
4) Us absolutely slaughtering Virginia, at their place, when they were ranked in the top 10.
5) AJ dropping 36 on Marquette in a wildly entertaining game in 09.
6) Kemba vs. Kentucky in Maui in 2011. He hits a beautiful step back, two three's, then fake's the 3 for a gorgeous pass to Jamal Coombs-McDaniel for a layup. Feel like it was part of a 21-2 run or something.
7) It's a little foggier, but Lyman eating up Dana Barros in the NIT in 87.
8) Burrell jumping over Rodney Rogers
9) Cal and BU literally not being able to get a shot off against our press/defense in 90.
10) Vs. "The Untouchables" (Kansas) in 96 vs. Rip running the point. We went up big early on in front of a ridiculously raucous HCC crowd. Only time I remember us losing and getting a standing O.
 
Wow, remembering all of this we have to be the program with the most magical/crazy moments in the last 20 years. Unless that's just the homer in me talking
 
Thanks for the memories. That was a great trip
 
3/10/11 Kemba, Pitt, last shot, man down, BE Champs, Calhoun raising the roof
 
For me it was the 2004 championship weekend. I was a senior and it was a great way to end my 4 years there.

I remember after Ok4 hit the free throws to put us up 4 running outside with everyone else to go party. Wasn't until the next day I realized we won by a point bc of Duhon's pointless 3.

Being in Greensboro for Rip's fallback. Not only was it a great win but boy were we damn happy we didn't drive about 12 hours to see a terrible loss. Also walking out of there the UNC fans were really worried. To their credit, after we lost to that Vince Carter team, they were all gracious and said next year is your year.

That being said, the next year was 1999...enough said. What sticks out for me in that tourney though is the beautiful behind the back pass KEA made to someone on a fast break layup in the elite 8 against Gonzaga to take the lead or seal the game (can't remember which, just remember it being a killer for Gonzaga). I still say Gonzaga being in that game is what propelled their program.

So many more to mention, from Kemble to Bazz to Jalen's shot to Tate's, to the MSU game in MSG, to Marcus Williams doing chin-ups on the nets in Cuse and then us smashing them at their place, to KEA jumping on the table, to Taliek's 40 footer, etc.

Also, I know this is a men's board but how many schools can make a list like this for the men and the women? The '95 season, the crazy win streak, the wars with Tenn and then ND recently, from Lobo to Svet to Taurasi to Moore to Stewart, etc.

Don't bash bc I brought up the women, just cool to think about how we can do this for both teams and no other school really can.
 
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For me, might sound corny, but my favorite UConn moment came from our 1987-88 season; NIT Championship season. The game against West Virginia. Down two, Tate George hit a shot that tied the game sending our beloved Huskies on a magical run to win the NIT title.
 
JellyBean said:
For me, might sound corny, but my favorite UConn moment came from our 1987-88 season; NIT Championship season. The game against West Virginia. Down two, Tate George hit a shot that tied the game sending our beloved Huskies on a magical run to win the NIT title.
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This is my favorite moment because it also was the moment our program started to make some noise on the national level.
 
here's a totally obscure one... hopefully the vid starts in the right place, but watch 44:30-45:00. Ridiculous three play sequence. If Jonathan Hargett had completed his play it may have gone down as one of the most ridiculous things ever. Just the audacity to try that, down 20, is mindboggling.

 
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
 
willie99 said:
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
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The execution those last 3 minutes. They were so calm and focused it was incredible.
 
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The most recent moment for me was early in the 2014 NC game. I remember feeling good, KY was getting all the love but I was telling myself that they had to get lucky to beat two Big Ten teams while we had the best Big Ten team throwing passes into the stands. Not just that, we beat the SEC champ twice. Still I had that little nagging feeling, are we going to be OK inside? Two minutes in, Deandre Daniels beats one guy off the dribble and dunks in another guys face. I immediately thought, "We got this!" Check the 32:17 mark below.
 
April 7, 2014

I didn't go to UConn but grew up religiously watching games with my dad. As a young kid in the early 90s, I remember anxiously awaiting the local newspaper to see if their ranking climbed. We were a blue collar family, and even when my dad starting working the graveyard shift at a factory, he'd call me during his lunch break to hear about the games. I was 11yrs old in '94 when Donyell missed 2 free throws against Florida and my dad couldn't believe it as I described the sequence of events.

And that's how I remember growing up. My dad, who didn't speak great English and loved basketball, always found time to watch games and debate who was playing well. He loved Calhoun's passion, appreciated Ray Allen's stroke more than most, and found joy in El-Amin's bravado. I was a junior in college when they won in '04 and we spoke during every timeout of that Duke game. We both rejoiced and took pain in the wins and losses but more than anything, bonded always over our team.

I'll never forget that Friday morning phone call in May 2013. I was planning on heading home that day to visit my parents when I found out my dad unexpectedly passed away at the age of 53. I was shattered and still think about him every hour of every day.

When the 2014 season started, I had a hard time watching. It was difficult to accept that I wouldn't be having conversations with my dad during timeouts and halftime. But as the season progressed, I found more and more comfort. I started feeling like he was watching with me and there was a connection to an old sense of sharing the team with him.

After cheering them on at MSG as they miraculously made the Final Four, I booked flights and tickets. I headed down to Dallas excited to see the Final Four and expecting them to fall short to Florida. After that win, I changed my flight and decided to stay by myself for the Championship on Monday night. The whole experience was incredible as the team fought to win Title #4 just 10 months after the biggest loss of my life.

After the game, I walked into an empty bar at midnight in North Texas. The place was on the verge of closing but offered last call. I ordered two bottles of Coors Light (his faveorite) and enjoyed one more UConn win. I finished my drink and left his on the bar. I've never been overly spiritual, but I know he was with me that day. And I'll always be grateful for everything UConn gave us.
 
April 7, 2014

I didn't go to UConn but grew up religiously watching games with my dad. As a young kid in the early 90s, I remember anxiously awaiting the local newspaper to see if their ranking climbed. We were a blue collar family, and even when my dad starting working the graveyard shift at a factory, he'd call me during his lunch break to hear about the games. I was 11yrs old in '94 when Donyell missed 2 free throws against Florida and my dad couldn't believe it as I described the sequence of events.

And that's how I remember growing up. My dad, who didn't speak great English and loved basketball, always found time to watch games and debate who was playing well. He loved Calhoun's passion, appreciated Ray Allen's stroke more than most, and found joy in El-Amin's bravado. I was a junior in college when they won in '04 and we spoke during every timeout of that Duke game. We both rejoiced and took pain in the wins and losses but more than anything, bonded always over our team.

I'll never forget that Friday morning phone call in May 2013. I was planning on heading home that day to visit my parents when I found out my dad unexpectedly passed away at the age of 53. I was shattered and still think about him every hour of every day.

When the 2014 season started, I had a hard time watching. It was difficult to accept that I wouldn't be having conversations with my dad during timeouts and halftime. But as the season progressed, I found more and more comfort. I started feeling like he was watching with me and there was a connection to an old sense of sharing the team with him.

After cheering them on at MSG as they miraculously made the Final Four, I booked flights and tickets. I headed down to Dallas excited to see the Final Four and expecting them to fall short to Florida. After that win, I changed my flight and decided to stay by myself for the Championship on Monday night. The whole experience was incredible as the team fought to win Title #4 just 10 months after the biggest loss of my life.

After the game, I walked into an empty bar at midnight in North Texas. The place was on the verge of closing but offered last call. I ordered two bottles of Coors Light (his faveorite) and enjoyed one more UConn win. I finished my drink and left his on the bar. I've never been overly spiritual, but I know he was with me that day. And I'll always be grateful for everything UConn gave us.
 
Working on Car0n Butler highlights from 2002 season and this sequence was pretty great. 4 steals in first 5:30 of the game for Butler and Kevin Stallings' look of complete despair is the cherry on top.
 
willie99 said:
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
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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.
 
On the court: For me it has to be 1999. After all the time watching and not getting over the hump. Christian Laetner. Donyell's missed FTs. The track meet with UCLA. Missippi St.

To finally get over the hump, and to do against what was probably Coach K's best team ever, when they were heavy dogs despite being the #2 overall seed. The game itself was fantastic. You saw so many future NBA players make big plays in that game. And then you have the stop by Moore (where I held my breath thinking they bailed out Langdon with a foul) and then playing great D that Langdon coudln't even come close to getting a shot off despite having 5 seconds left...it was a UConn way to end it.
 
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