Jay Bilas lists top 10 college basketball teams during his time as a broadcaster

[Travelman6]

Bilas shows 1999 UConn some love but I think 2004 edges out 99 slightly. They are just a tad more talented but both leave everything on the court. In an alternate universe, I'd love to take 2004 in a time machine back, or 99 in a time machine forward to play the other and just watch in awe. What a matchup. I think 04 would win 78-72 or something like that.

Jay Bilas lists top 10 college basketball teams during his time as a broadcaster

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247sports.com

 

[HooperScooper]

2004 always gets hurt by the 6 losses they took in the regular season. Mostly because of injuries. But that team just buzzsawed through 6 tournament games like no other teams I can remember. Were you even a little worried during any of those 6 games?

 

[alexd]

2004 always gets hurt by the 6 losses they took in the regular season. Mostly because of injuries. But that team just buzzsawed through 6 tournament games like no other teams I can remember. Were you even a little worried during any of those 6 games?

Ummmm. A little. When we were down 8 to Dook with 4:00 to go. Yes. A little worried. ;-)

 

[HooperScooper]

Ummmm. A little. When we were down 8 to Dook with 4:00 to go. Yes. A little worried. ;-)

Oh yeah, forgot about that! Stupid me! Yes, I was out of mind at that point. I think it was 8 with like 2:50 to go so even worse. O.K. then first 5 games then!

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Ummmm. A little. When we were down 8 to Dook with 4:00 to go. Yes. A little worried. ;-)

It makes for a beautiful replay, watching the nearly compete defensive shutdown & mostly measured offense that was required.

 

[alexd]

It makes for a beautiful replay, watching the nearly compete defensive shutdown & mostly measured offense that was required.

Oh yeah, forgot about that! Stupid me! Yes, I was out of mind at that point. I think it was 8 with like 2:50 to go so even worse. O.K. then first 5 games then!

Ummm... The first FOUR games since Dook was in the semis. We blew out GA Tech in the Finals. You forgot A LOT Hooper!!! LOL

 

[CL82]

The takeaway here is that Jay couldn't include the 1999 Duke team on his list. Thus he has to begrudging tip his cap to the team that beat them.

 

[freescooter]

By tournament time the 2004 team was probably one of the top 5 of all time. That team had everything.

I think 1999 will always be my favorite because it was the first title after so many near misses and heartbreaking losses.

I admit though that I would love to see Khalid and Emeka each trying to will their teams to the title...

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

By tournament time the 2004 team was probably one of the top 5 of all time. That team had everything.

I think 1999 will always be my favorite because it was the first title after so many near misses and heartbreaking losses.

I admit though that I would love to see Khalid and Emeka each trying to will their teams to the title...

I am certain you complained relentlessly about both of those teams at the time.

 

[huskiesNhoos]

I'm still annoyed at 09 unc because with Dyson in that game, like many on this board, I still am confident we would have beat them

 

[alexd]

I'm still annoyed at 09 unc because with Dyson in that game, like many on this board, I still am confident we would have beat them

UNC????

Now about Mich State ???

 

[bendm]

yeah 4th sounds about right, after duke, unc, and kentucky's best squads

 

[huskiesNhoos]

UNC????

Now about Mich State ???

Man dunno how I forgot about that home job game at Ford field...ya that one too!

 

[tzznandrew]

Man dunno how I forgot about that home job game at Ford field...ya that one too!

Dyson doesn't go down UConn's probably #1 overall instead of Louisville and so we get them in Boston rather than in Detroit.

 

[freescooter]

I am certain you complained relentlessly about both of those teams at the time.

Nope. Loved ‘em. They were committed players.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

The takeaway here is that Jay couldn't include the 1999 Duke team on his list. Thus he has to begrudging tip his cap to the team that beat them.

By my own version if similar logic, I admit to liking his inclusion of 2002 Maryland, because it was the team that knocked out Caron Butler et al in the Elite Eight.

 

[Hoophound]

The best a UConn team has ever played was 2009 before Dyson went down. I beat this drum all the time, but they were making it look too easy. So pretty.

 

[UofCT]

I was going to comment about how the 2015 Kentucky team should be on it given their regular season success but I just viewed their roster again and (insert Larry David voice) ehhhhhh not so great. They have two stars in Booker and Towns and two rotational NBA guys in Cauley Stein and Trey Lyles.

They were obviously very talented but I'm sure they regret playing Booker only 20 mins per game while the Harrison brothers played 26 mins per game.

 

[CL82]

Not motivated enough to take the the time to do it, but it would be interesting to compare the various UConn NCAA via post season and NCAA runs. Comparing the MOV and the ranking of the opponents would be a more data driven comparison.

 

[Chief00]

The 2004 UConn team was our most talented and deep team. Emeka, Josh, Ben, Charlie and Hilton all had long NBA careers. Chief’s favorite team was 1999, but despite a few loses due to injury and Calhoun intentionally peeking the team for the NC run, the 2004 team should have made Jay’s top 5 teams. They were that dominant.

 

[TheChamps990411]

2004 always gets hurt by the 6 losses they took in the regular season. Mostly because of injuries. But that team just buzzsawed through 6 tournament games like no other teams I can remember. Were you even a little worried during any of those 6 games?

Which is lame because the UNLV 90 team lost 5 games that season and theyre considered the best team of the last 40 years. I GUARANTEE Uconn 04 beats UNLV 90 in a one off game. If they play 10 times its problably split.

 

[HooperScooper]

Ummm... The first FOUR games since Dook was in the semis. We blew out GA Tech in the Finals. You forgot A LOT Hooper!!! LOL

Boy, getting old sucks!

 

[RichZ]

Oh yeah, forgot about that! Stupid me! Yes, I was out of mind at that point. I think it was 8 with like 2:50 to go so even worse. O.K. then first 5 games then!

Still off. That was the 5th game. #6 was a no contest.

 

[Get a Job]

Which is lame because the UNLV 90 team lost 5 games that season and theyre considered the best team of the last 40 years. I GUARANTEE Uconn 04 beats UNLV 90 in a one off game. If they play 10 times its problably split.

This doesn't make any sense. You are effectively saying that, for some reason, UConn would have a major advantage the first time the teams see each other, and then UNLV would have a slight advantage over the next 9 games. Why would that be the case?

 

[Waquoit]

Dyson doesn't go down UConn's probably #1 overall instead of Louisville and so we get them in Boston rather than in Detroit.

Uh, am I missing something? We got them in Detroit because it was the Final Four!

 

[Tenspro2002]

Man dunno how I forgot about that home job game at Ford field...ya that one too!

True road game in the Final Four was spectacularly unlucky, though I don't think we get past UNC either way.

With Dyson, we're probably a slight underdog to UNC, but it would have been a hell of a game.

 

[Chief00]

The best a UConn team has ever played was 2009 before Dyson went down. I beat this drum all the time, but they were making it look too easy. So pretty.

Chief knows that’s a popular narrative, but without dredging up a lot of details it’s very unlikely that Sticks would have played as well as he did in the tournament run, if Jerome was still playing. Sticks surge corresponded to Jerome’s absence. Stanley was a caring and sensitive guy, who was always one of Mrs. Calhoun’s all time favorites and suffice to say Jerome for whatever reason wasn’t compatiable with him on or off the court.

 

[Waquoit]

Chief knows that’s a popular narrative, but without dredging up a lot of details it’s very unlikely that Sticks would have played as well as he did in the tournament run, if Jerome was still playing. Sticks surge corresponded to Jerome’s absence. Stanley was a caring and sensitive guy, who was always one of Mrs. Calhoun’s all time favorites and suffice to say Jerome for whatever reason wasn’t compatiable with him on or off the court.

That team played better when both guys were in the game.

 

[Chief00]

That team played better when both guys were in the game.

No, Stanley played much better after James unfortunately got injured.

 

[Mr. French]

No, Stanley played much better after James unfortunately got injured.

He said the team played better, not Stanley or “James” Dyson.