How bad do you want this one compared to the others?

[That Guy]

Gotta be honest, I definitely wanted us to win last year more than this year just because of how down in the dumps we were for those Ollie years and the Hurley rebuilding years. A lot of us thought at some point that we would never see UConn lift another trophy ever again, that's how bad it got. So to finally watch us climb that mountain again felt incredible.

When it comes to this year, going back to back would be absolutely amazing and being 6-0 in championship games is probably even more amazing, but I know that if we lose on Monday that we will still be in the hunt almost every year going forward as long as Hurley is here so I guess knowing that, it kind of numbs the thought of potentially losing.

 

[BFieldHusky]

This is probably our best opposition since 99 in the title game. I would argue Purdue is better an 04 GTech, an 11 Butler, 14 Kentucky, or a 23 San Diego State team.

 

[speckle]

I love how it's playing out with the top two squads from the last couple years, each with epic giants, battling for interstellar domination. Feels more like claiming the undisputed crown than some of our past runs. Yeah, I want it pretty freaking bad!

 

[gsmooth]

This is my first one in person. I want it more than I could’ve imagined.

That's how I felt in 1999 when I was there in St Petersburg, Florida.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

Great question. This is right behind number 1 for me. Shabazz and Kemba runs were amazing and unexpected. 04 had a lot of hype and promise. Delivered Last year, was great but not surprising if you missed watching BE games.

But back to back? The way we are doing it. It’s more impressive than Duke and Florida b2b

Hurley said this team. has the ability to make history at a place where it’s extremely difficult to do .

 

[Huskyforlife]

1999- First has to be the most important.

2014- That team had no business doing what it did. Coming off the ban made it even sweeter.

2023- Should’ve erased any doubt about blue blood status post 2014. Proved we were back from the basement for good. Most dominant tournament run I’ve ever seen.

2011- Kemba Walker basically got me into this sport, so I’m biased. Calhoun firmly in the goat debate.

2004- Not even sure what to say. Second title is probably less meaningful than third.

2024- 5 titles in, and fresh off number 5 last season, this is probably the least important. But that doesn’t mean my anxiety levels won’t kill me by Monday at 9pm.

 

[YukonDolt5]

I want every one of them that is within our grasp as if we may never get close again.

Just because Hurley has been successful now doesn't mean he will be forever, or forever at UConn. I'm damaged by Ollie's collapse - when I thought he was going to be delivering us natties on the reg.

 

[superjohn]

In this moment I want it more than anything and that's all that matters.

With this program it's always about proving it. '99 it was about Calhoun proving he could make a final 4 and then it was the smack in the face that we were 10 point underdogs against Duke even though it was us and Duke all year...

In '04 I think most of the country knew we were the best team in the country but we were a #2 seed and it would take us beating a formidable #1 Duke seed to win it, the title game was a formality...

'11 was nuts, (ranked #68 preseason SI) Kemba did 5 in 5 days and got us a #2 seed (not sure on that but not looking it up) we were on a heater with an unreal player and a bunch kids. Calhoun dealing with one health issue after another, a lot of us were talking about the end...

'14 we were locked out of the tournament over complete APR retroactive bullspit, it was Bazz and Boat with a sprinkling of superstar play from DeAndre when it mattered. '11 and '14 were crazy because people were kicking dirt on Calhoun for the first one and '14 was the NCAA screwing us and we were in a conference we didnt belong in...after that things were dark, the good teams the conference had split and it was us playing in gyms that had less juice than some high school gyms and we were getting blown the hell out...

We hired the right guy...fast forward...

Last year we were the best and we didn't really know it...Hurley hadn't been good in close games, had yet to win a tournament game, and we had that January swoon of a bunch of tough road games against great Big East teams. Hurley broke though in Albany and then it's UConn running roughshod over everyone. 11 tournament games in row in the NCAA tournament, it's silly stuff.

Nothing about this program and the disrespect this program has received makes sense. Us, the nutbag Husky fans know the story. Unless you're diehard like all of us you can't really know it because none of it makes sense. It's the strangest most drama filled experience I've ever seen in sports. We're a soap opera and we're so goshdarn good.

One more game

 

[Leebo]

My desire for "the next one" never goes down.

 

[Doctor Hoop]

I want this one badly, because this team just doesn’t deserve to lose with how amazingly poetic they play on offense, and how tough, determined, and resilient they are on defense. It’s really unlike anything I’ve seen in college, so unselfish sharing the ball, scoring at every position, dangerous yet different off the bench, and on D “no drive, 12 foot in” as Shooter might say. And back to back? Legendary!

i think it’s right behind only ‘99, because that was the 1st and we were so close with Ray a few years earlier.

 

[Lefty2one]

It's always the same, just a new reason.

 

[Hamms30]

I want every one. I want this one because the B1G and SEC are about to upend college athletics, so who knows what that's going to mean for the Big East, AAC and other G5 schools in the future? How many more times will we be in this situation if there is a split between the P2 and the NCAA? I look at this as we are holding the line against power conference money, politics and ego for athletic departments that aren't getting $40 million a year. And every title is a middle finger to the ACC for snubbing us and now the Big12.

 

[cwh20]

In this moment I want it more than anything and that's all that matters.

With this program it's always about proving it. '99 it was about Calhoun proving he could make a final 4 and then it was the smack in the face that we were 10 point underdogs against Duke even though it was us and Duke all year...

In '04 I think most of the country knew we were the best team in the country but we were a #2 seed and it would take us beating a formidable #1 Duke seed to win it, the title game was a formality...

'11 was nuts, (ranked #68 preseason SI) Kemba did 5 in 5 days and got us a #2 seed (not sure on that but not looking it up) we were on a heater with an unreal player and a bunch kids. Calhoun dealing with one health issue after another, a lot of us were talking about the end...

'14 we were locked out of the tournament over complete APR retroactive bullspit, it was Bazz and Boat with a sprinkling of superstar play from DeAndre when it mattered. '11 and '14 were crazy because people were kicking dirt on Calhoun for the first one and '14 was the NCAA screwing us and we were in a conference we didnt belong in...after that things were dark, the good teams the conference had split and it was us playing in gyms that had less juice than some high school gyms and we were getting blown the hell out...

We hired the right guy...fast forward...

Last year we were the best and we didn't really know it...Hurley hadn't been good in close games, had yet to win a tournament game, and we had that January swoon of a bunch of tough road games against great Big East teams. Hurley broke though in Albany and then it's UConn running roughshod over everyone. 11 tournament games in row in the NCAA tournament, it's silly stuff.

Nothing about this program and the disrespect this program has received makes sense. Us, the nutbag Husky fans know the story. Unless you're diehard like all of us you can't really know it because none of it makes sense. It's the strangest most drama filled experience I've ever seen in sports. We're a soap opera and we're so goshdarn good.

One more game

Beautiful job recapping!

1999 - I was there and UConn beat Duke at their so called coronation. That championship will always be at the top for me. The high lasted quite a while. The congratulations from across the country from fans of other teams (especially UNC) on The Boneyard poured in. That was magical!

Kemba’s 2011 championship with Lamb was awesome too. What a run! I was happy the Big East Tourney started with the top teams getting byes. I was thinking UConn would be in the NCAA field but who knows what the committee might do? Beating Seton Hall and Georgetown cemented the bid and then amazingly UConn took down #1 Pitt, Syracuse and Louisville in the next 3 days! That earned UConn a #3 seed for the tourney after being uncertain of even getting a bid. Kemba and the guys took it from there.

Someone else wondered if anyone could imagine we’d be in this place. Not a chance. There were grumbles about why we were even in the Big East if we were going to be fighting to not have to play in the 8/9 game every year come tournament time. And then Calhoun! I admit I was not aware of who he was when he was hired. And then the transformation began. The state was completely behind the team that qualified for the NIT in ‘88. The Garden was rocking when Cliff Robinson, Phil Gamble and Lyman Depriest took down BC and the Colorado to win it!! And it only got better from there.

And now there is a chance to go back to back winning titles while obliterating the field? WOW!!! New levels of, “Can you believe THIS??” are here!!

Bring home the championship Coach Hurley and staff! Go UConn!!

 

[Deepster]

This one would be special to me. Not because it’s the most special to us here in CT. It’d be arguably the greatest season and most impressive back to back tourney run of all time through the annals of the sport.

The scope and magnitude is historical and national here.

 

[ninety-nine]

As a Seahawks fan who watched her team excruciatingly toss away the one chance it's likely ever going to get to win back-to-back Super Bowls, I can attest to feeling the most pressure since '99 for tomorrow night's game. These chances to repeat never come along for most programs/teams, and not capitalizing on one when it improbably develops will sting for a long time.

 

[Waquoit]

I want this one as much as any of them. A win here launches UConn into the stratosphere. It won't be a matter of debating if UConn is a blue blood anymore. It will be a matter of debating which other programs deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as UConn.

 

[FearThePups]

So bad - this cements us in everyone’s minds as the top dogs and an absolute dynasty. You win one and they forget about you. You win two in a row and sustain that success you’re legendary

It’s not just the two in a row, it’s also number 6. And with that, we surpass Duke and Indiana with the most all time. We may have to keep winning for the few remaining blue bloods ahead of us acknowledge that we belong. So how bad do I want this? As bad as any of the other 5 championships.

• UCLA — 11
• Kentucky — 8
• North Carolina — 6
• Duke — 5
• Indiana — 5
• UConn — 5
• Kansas — 4

 

[gsmooth]

As a Seahawks fan who watched her team excruciatingly toss away the one chance it's likely ever going to get to win back-to-back Super Bowls, I can attest to feeling the most pressure since '99 for tomorrow night's game. These chances to repeat never come along for most programs/teams, and not capitalizing on one when it improbably develops will sting for a long time.

Yeah I can come up with more examples. As a NY Giants fan, in 2008 they had a great chance to repeat and started out of the gates hot at 10-1 and then Plaxico Burress had his mishap and with that the Giants stumbled down the stretch and lost their first playoff game. And then in 2009 the Celtics, with our own Ray Allen, started off that season 27-2 and had a great chance to repeat but then Kevin Garnett was lost to a season ending knee injury and that was that. Even winning 2 titles in 3 seasons would have been nice, but they lost to the Lakers in 2010 after the officials gifted the Lakers so many FTs.

Having said all of the above, I will say something contradictory and echo what Billy Donovan told Dan Hurley: don't make this about repeating, it will drive you crazy. Just focus on defeating Purdue, that's it.

Can the dominant UConn repeat? Many have tried, many have failed

The Huskies are making it look easy to win back-to-back NCAA titles, despite the pressures faced by former champions that preceded them.

www.espn.com

 

[dingaling]

This would make up for the 06 loss to George Mason for me

 

[Rocktheworld]

I personally find it wild that this NC is basically a luxury lol

Now that luxury is achieving next-level legendary status, but I agree with @thatguyed that last year was bigger in a way, in that we got ourselves out of the dumps

But sealing this would just be insane

 

[Hunt for 7]

This is right up there in the want it category. But when you get to this game, every one of them could fit into that category. Wanting and having are difficult to separate when considering the question. I am happy it is Purdue. This game is good for the sport of college basketball. Two insanely large human beings one who moves like a man who is an immovable crane and one who covers more ground quickly with two steps than more than just a handful of 7+ footers at the next level. And Castle is making every five star look like a four star. He is already a man among boys just incredible how good he is now that he has adjusted and is 100% healthy.

The answer is the next one is the one I want the most!

 

[StllH8L8ner]

We’re losing A LOT of talent after this season so I really want this one badly. You never know when you’ll have this kind of elite team again with the game of musical chairs that goes on in college sports these days.

 

[HailUConn]

Crowning Monday night would be a stamp to this team as one of all time great teams that ever stepped on the bb court in the history!

 

[Husky25]

Except for the first, the next one is always the one I want most.

 

[SubbaBub]

A loss would be 2009, 2006, 1995, 1994 level sucky.