Five Worst UConn Losses Ever

[Mr. French]

We've had too much good news this week. So in an effort to appease the mojo gods, I offer this thread.

5. Duke 101, UConn 54 (1964 Elite 8): Before my time, but my father talked about this one until the day he died. We'd just beaten Princeton – featuring Bill Bradley – 52-50 in the Sweet 16 and this represented what was really our introduction on the national stage.

And so Duke absolutely humiliated us in one of the biggest blow-outs in tournament history. **** Duke.

4. Syracuse 127, UConn 117 (2009 BET): This one is maybe a little controversial to put on the list for a few reasons. First, not an NCAA tourney game. Second, it was actually a dog$h!t game. Third, 'Cuse went on to lose to Louisville anyway. Fourth, we made the Final Four that year, so it was by definition successful.

I don't care, though. This is the No. 1 game people remember against our most hated rival. Any time folks talk "Syracuse v UConn," this is the first game that gets mentioned. It kills me.

3. Florida 69, UConn 60 (1994 Sweet 16): We were 29-4, we had a fun and balanced team that could score at all 3 levels, we rebounded and protected the paint, we ran, we were deep. And most of all, we had Donyell – who was, at worst, the third-best player in the country that season, and who'd been so clutch for the entire year.

I still can't believe he missed those free throws.

2. Mississippi State 60, UConn 55 (1996 Sweet 16): We were 32-2 and IMO the best team in the country. We had the best player in the country. We'd just knocked off a really good Georgetown team in the BET via an incredible shot from Ray and literally the best 1v1 defense I've ever seen from a college guard (thanks Ricky!).

Injuries killed us. But still, I remember being filled with complete despair after this one. I was utterly convinced Calhoun would never, ever lead us over the hump – that his teams would always choke in March.

1. Duke 79, UConn 78 (1990 Elite 8): **** Duke.

------------

FWIW, the George Mason loss never really rated for me on the pain scale (I don't know why), and same with the 2009 Final 4 loss. I suppose if Dyson had stayed healthy I'd feel otherwise, though.

I was going to say, for me as a fan your two honorable mentions plus 94 & 96 are my top ones.

I really became a fan in 94 or so, so those early losses killed me. Then the 2000s losses are clearly the toughest ones I’ve felt as a fan since.

The 6-OT game I never care about the fact that we lost. The idea that it was an epic OT clash makes everyone forget the results, then add in our overall season as you pointed out, I don’t care much.

Also, how many important wins over UConn can Cuse claim? It adds to my joy that maybe their biggest win vs. UConn wasn’t important at all.

 

[Jaker]

The loss to texas in the elite8 hurt as well

 

[Matrim55]

20 months later, my father died. It tugs my heart and blows my mind that I have seen 4 National Championships, and he saw none.

Man, that hit home. I'm so sorry.

One of my cherished memories is celebrating on the phone with my dad after the Celtics won in 2008. Not because we were huge Celtics fans, but because we were so happy Ray got the ring he so clearly deserved. Dad died the following week.

If he hadn't, I'm absolutely certain the last two years would've killed him.

 

[Matrim55]

The loss to the Terps elite 8

The loss to texas in the elite8 hurt as well

Those two, UCLA (95) and UNC (98) didn't really hurt at all. We played well, just lost to a better, deeper team.

I felt bad for Caron, of course, and still do. But it didn't really register on the pain schedule.

Texas was in the Sweet 16 btw.

 

[methodology]

The San Diego first round loss in 2008 was one that really hurt too, as it was one of the only times I can remember where we were upset early in the tournament.

Aj price went down in that game. Torn acl?

 

[storrsroars]

IMO, Laettner making that shot in 1990 wasn't the worst part about that loss. That he got an open look on a basic sucker play is what burns me.

 

[Jaker]

You think of all the great teams Calhoun had, I am surprised he did not win more NC's.

 

[HuskyBoi]

freaking san diego in 2008 KILLED me. i was working and then came home just in time for the shot leaving the guy's fingertips and they scored. then we jacked up a pass to halfcourt or something and lost like 69-68. killed me!

 

[Mots010]

Florida in retrospect was a really good team, but UConn would definitely not have sleepwalked their way like they did throughout most of that tournament. I'd have liked UConn's chances there.

Nothing will convince me that 2006 Uconn had the mental toughness to beat 2006 Florida. Go back and look at what that Florida team did in the tourney. They had one close game with Georgetown and destroyed everyone else.

 

[Robertelamin]

freaking san diego in 2008 KILLED me. i was working and then came home just in time for the shot leaving the guy's fingertips and they scored. then we jacked up a pass to halfcourt or something and lost like 69-68. killed me!

It's your fault for not taking the day off.

 

[bazzketball13]

w

We've had too much good news this week. So in an effort to appease the mojo gods, I offer this thread.

5. Duke 101, UConn 54 (1964 Elite 8): Before my time, but my father talked about this one until the day he died. We'd just beaten Princeton – featuring Bill Bradley – 52-50 in the Sweet 16 and this represented what was really our introduction on the national stage.

And so Duke absolutely humiliated us in one of the biggest blow-outs in tournament history. **** Duke.

4. Syracuse 127, UConn 117 (2009 BET): This one is maybe a little controversial to put on the list for a few reasons. First, not an NCAA tourney game. Second, it was actually a dog$h!t game. Third, 'Cuse went on to lose to Louisville anyway. Fourth, we made the Final Four that year, so it was by definition successful.

I don't care, though. This is the No. 1 game people remember against our most hated rival. Any time folks talk "Syracuse v UConn," this is the first game that gets mentioned. It kills me.

3. Florida 69, UConn 60 (1994 Sweet 16): We were 29-4, we had a fun and balanced team that could score at all 3 levels, we rebounded and protected the paint, we ran, we were deep. And most of all, we had Donyell – who was, at worst, the third-best player in the country that season, and who'd been so clutch for the entire year.

I still can't believe he missed those free throws.

2. Mississippi State 60, UConn 55 (1996 Sweet 16): We were 32-2 and IMO the best team in the country. We had the best player in the country. We'd just knocked off a really good Georgetown team in the BET via an incredible shot from Ray and literally the best 1v1 defense I've ever seen from a college guard (thanks Ricky!).

Injuries killed us. But still, I remember being filled with complete despair after this one. I was utterly convinced Calhoun would never, ever lead us over the hump – that his teams would always choke in March.

1. Duke 79, UConn 78 (1990 Elite 8): **** Duke.

------------

FWIW, the George Mason loss never really rated for me on the pain scale (I don't know why), and same with the 2009 Final 4 loss. I suppose if Dyson had stayed healthy I'd feel otherwise, though.

WAGNER

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

The loss to the Terps elite 8

Comparable to the UCLA loss, but at least we'd won an NC by then.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

1) Florida 1994 - UConn was a much better team than Florida, and BCU was waiting for UConn in the Final 8. UConn would have beat BCU by 20. While Donyell is the focus for a brutal game, I think this is also Calhoun's worst game as a coach. UConn went something like 15 minutes without a field goal, and Brian Fair barely played in this game. I don't care what doghouse Fair happened to be in at the time or the fact that he was useless defensively, we needed his scoring, and Fair could score.

Florida vs. Connecticut Box Score, March 25, 1994 | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

2) George Mason - Boone and Armstrong were absolute Charmin inside against GMU's 6'7 forwards.

George Mason vs. Connecticut Box Score, March 26, 2006 | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

3) UCLA 1995 - Another game that could have used more Brian Fair. It wasn't like Ray and Ollie were stopping Edny and Bailey, so why not match fire with fire? I also think Calhoun should have recognized sooner that Bailey was releasing down court off our shot. Half of Edney's assists were length of the court passes.

UCLA vs. Connecticut Box Score, March 25, 1995 | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

4) Duke 1990 - All Tate had to do was knock the ball down court. Why did he try to catch it? Hurley also had the best 0 for 9 game I have ever seen. He shredded UConn's press.

Duke vs. Connecticut Box Score, March 24, 1990 | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

5) Texas 2003 - this game bugs me because the officiating was so terrible. There is no way the fouls should have been even given the gorilla basketball that Texas played that game.

Texas vs. Connecticut Box Score, March 28, 2003 | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

Mississippi State 1996 - This one doesn't bother me that much, other than I am confident UConn would have made the Final Four if they won this game. Mississippi State looks better in hindsight than it did at the time (3 NBA players on the team) and that UConn team was a 2 man offense. There was no Plan C if Allen and Scheffer had off nights at the same time.

Mississippi State vs. Connecticut Box Score, March 22, 1996 | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

The loss to texas in the elite8 hurt as well

Wedged ball.

 

[Robertelamin]

Wedged ball.

That was brutal. Sweet 16 though.

 

[aburks41]

You think of all the great teams Calhoun had, I am surprised he did not win more NC's.

Same could be said for Coach K, Calipari, Roy Willaims, and Bill Self. He won 3, he could easily have 5 if things had gone our way, but thats the way life goes.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

As long as people are bringing up games not really qualifyng for Top 5, I was pretty upset when KEA limped off the court against Tennessee (right?). It killed the season and reminded me of SEC losses to FL & Miss St.

 

[stick]

The loss to texas in the elite8 hurt as well

That was in the sweet sixteen. So not as painful, plus UConn won the NCAAs the following year.

 

[tzznandrew]

You think of all the great teams Calhoun had, I am surprised he did not win more NC's.

3 is a lot. Coaches in the history of college basketball who have 3 or more:

Wooden
Rupp
K
Calhoun
Roy
Knight

That's a small and elite list. One of them coached in an era where black players were hardly allowed to play, and another coached in an era where he was able to accumulate all the talent in the world without anyone really questioning it. Really, the modern era begins with in 1980, after Bird-Magic. And that makes it a list of 4.

Now I think he could have and should had more Final Fours. Probably at least 3. Bad luck, as we're talking about in this thread, led to fewer than we'd expect.

Had 1990 and 1994 in the bag except excruciating mistakes cost them Final Fours. 2006 for obvious reasons. So he really should have had 7 Final Fours. UCLA-Mississippi State-UNC-Maryland were teams that beat UConn teams good enough to go to the Final Four, but you always have good enough teams that fall short. The first three, though...

 

[nomar]

1) Florida 1994
2) Duke 1990
3) Miss St 1996

These are the clear top 3 to me. Nothing after 1999 can surpass these, IMO. The reason these hurt so bad, particularly Florida and MSU, is because we had never been to the Final Four.

4) George Mason 2006
5) Maryland 2002

Honorable mentions: UCLA, San Diego, NC State, Mich St, Texas (am I the first to reference the loss to Julius Hodge?)

The 6-OT game isn't in the top 30. We went on to win the title. It was a fun game.

I can think of a number of regular season games that hurt worse, including that 30-point beat down Kansas put on us (on CBS) when we were poised to be ranked #1.

 

[nomar]

Those two, UCLA (95) and UNC (98) didn't really hurt at all. We played well, just lost to a better, deeper team.

I felt bad for Caron, of course, and still do. But it didn't really register on the pain schedule.

Texas was in the Sweet 16 btw.

The Maryland one hurt because we had it in our hands.

 

[Fishy]

The Texas loss in the Sweet 16. We roll the rest of those bastards if that ball doesn't get stick on the rim.

Maryland in the Elite Eight. We roll the rest of those bastards if Juan Dixon's three doesn't go in.

Florida in the Sweet 16. We roll the rest of those bastards if Donnyell hits a free throw.

George Mason in the elite eight. We roll the rest of those bastards if Denham Brown's shot goes down.

Duke in the elite eight. We roll the rest of those bastards if Tate tips the ball one-inch further to the left.

Honorable mention: Tennessee in the round of 32. We roll the rest of those bastards if Khalid had a stouter high-ankle.

We'd be sitting at ten championships by my math.

 

[B1GEast]

There were a whole bunch this past season. Losing the Arkansas by a lot was terrible.

But officially, George Mason and Florida are the two most painful UConn losses that still bother me.

That 2006 team should have cut down the nets. No excuse. No excuse.

Edited per Fishy's post above, the Maryland game sucked too. Caron was a real warrior. He put that teston his back. Tough loss, but they went on to win the title, so in a small way, it's my only solice.

 

[UConnNick]

Those two, UCLA (95) and UNC (98) didn't really hurt at all. We played well, just lost to a better, deeper team.

I felt bad for Caron, of course, and still do. But it didn't really register on the pain schedule.

Texas was in the Sweet 16 btw.

True about UCLA and UNC, although it would have been interesting to see how those two games would have played out at neutral venues. That Texas game, too. We were at that game.

The night of the UNC game I had to play in the annual father-son BB game at my son's school. I recorded the game, was very careful not to hear or see the score, and watched it virtually live after midnight. My neighbors probably didn't appreciate the screaming going on past 2 a.m.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Honorable mentions: UCLA, San Diego, NC State, Mich St, Texas (am I the first to reference the loss to Julius Hodge?)

Yes, and it certainly qualifies.

 

[tzznandrew]

We went on to win the title.

No we didn't.

It also meant that, somehow!, Jeff Adrien graduated never winning a BET game. Crazy fact.

 

[B1GEast]

Tyus Edny's lay up. Ouch

 

[Waquoit]

1) Florida 1994
2) Duke 1990
3) Miss St 1996
These are the clear top 3 to me. Nothing after 1999 can surpass these, IMO. The reason these hurt so bad, particularly Florida and MSU, is because we had never been to the Final Four.

We held the record for most NCAA appearances without a FF. Breaking through was huge. I think BYU is the current record holder.

 

[Jaker]

The loss to UCLA hurt because everyone now knows how dirty Harrick was and that UCLA team should have been banned.

 

[tzznandrew]

We held the record for most NCAA appearances without a FF. Breaking through was huge. I think BYU is the current record holder.

BYU - 29
Xavier -28
Missouri - 26

It was our 21st tournament when we finally broke through, having been 0-4 in Elite 8s before that.