Most beloved Teams and Players

[mauconnfan]

89-90

Smitty and Nadav

 

[Kitaman]

Favorite Players are Rip, Bazz, Boat and:

 

[CTBasketball]

I would say 2009. Lot of great memories that season, and we watched Kemba begin to nurture into a superstar.

 

[JSB60]

Favorite Team: 2014. The improbability of that run and the to the NCAA makes it edge the tournament toughness of 2011.

Favorite Player: Scott Burrell. I'm an old guy from Hamden.

 

[UConn9604]

I have a dark horse for favorite (not necessarily "beloved") - 1994. I'd say that team is one of the most important in our history.

Prior to that season, we had one monstrous year (1990), one good Sweet Sixteen run (1991) and a second-round KO vs. the no. 1 seed (1992). That's it. No one in their right mind thought of us as a national power.

Then the 1993-94 team came along and Donyell was the best player in the country (better than Grant Hill and, in my opinion, better than Glenn Robinson), with 25.1 ppg and seven 30+ point games (second only to Kemba's 11 in '11 - Donyell had 9 fewer FGs in 7 fewer games), Ray was the second-leading scorer as the sixth man, and we had two point guards running the show (Ollie and Sheffer), with Donny, Donyell and a combination of 20 fouls out of Travis, Hayward, Boo and Kirk King as the starting 5.

They opened up the season blowing out no. 12 Virginia on the road by 40, and got off to a 9-0 start in Big East play. That team was the highest-scoring (86.0 ppg) and had the highest FG percentage (49.5%) of the Calhoun era, too.

If Huskymania began in 1990, our ride to the becoming a national power began in 1994.

 

[2Husky]

Outside championship years I'm partial to 2002 and Caron. It was a good year with elite eight appearance, that season has since been overshadowed by 3 more championships but was good after the 2001 let down.

 

[Inyatkin]

2014 had a player of the year candidate in Napier, two championship-level sidekicks in Boatright and Daniels and maybe the most versatile player in America in Giffey. Center was a weak spot, but I'm not sure where people get this "least talented to win a title" thing.

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

Rashad Anderson
Jeff Adrien
Austrie
Kemba
Niels

 

[Point6]

Caron, Khalid, Donyell, Ollie, and then about 15 are tied for 5th.

 

[Towney007]

2014 had a player of the year candidate in Napier, two championship-level sidekicks in Boatright and Daniels and maybe the most versatile player in America in Giffey. Center was a weak spot, but I'm not sure where people get this "least talented to win a title" thing.

I'm there with you. I'd probably take the 2014 team over the 2011 team by quite a bit and i'd probably take them over some of our 'better' near miss teams.

I just think they underperformed (for a variety of reasons) all year. Again I'm not sure they were the deepest team, necessarily - but that starting five was pretty excellent and in terms of four ways to really fry your a---, they had it. I personally felt pretty validated watching their run through the tournament, too. It wasn't like they played cupcakes. St. Joseph's was probably underseeded while Iowa State, Villanova and Florida were legitimate top-10 teams. Michigan State was a big pre season favorite - and a lot like Mississippi State in '96 - just underperformed. That was a different team we faced in March from what was struggling in December. And Kentucky, too - as much as it makes me queasy to say it... another team that underperformed and figured it out late. They basically bear four of the top 5 or 6 pre-season ranked teams in the tournament - and did so a few times handily.

 

[rayrayfor3]

c'mon y'all, there's only one GOAT..

 

[DOZE860]

have to say the 99 team is the team that all other teams get measured by in my eyes. They were so much fun to watch.. the 09 team was also a favorite, and have to go with the 04 team as well.

 

[Inyatkin]

'99 is my favorite team ever, too, but it gets lost how maddening they were at the time. They played a whole lot of close games against subpar teams. The key was that they could -- and did -- turn it on when they needed to. They only played close to a full 40 minutes a few times, but when they did, they were better than anyone.

 

[Waquoit]

My favorite player of all-time is Corny Thompson. All of UConn's success can be traced to him. Then, it's Khalid El-Amin. He's the guy who got the program over the hump. After that it's Kemba and Bazz 1 and 1A. They were just incredible, unbelievable really.

 

[jackanddanny8]

I have a dark horse for favorite (not necessarily "beloved") - 1994. I'd say that team is one of the most important in our history.

Prior to that season, we had one monstrous year (1990), one good Sweet Sixteen run (1991) and a second-round KO vs. the no. 1 seed (1992). That's it. No one in their right mind thought of us as a national power.

Then the 1993-94 team came along and Donyell was the best player in the country (better than Grant Hill and, in my opinion, better than Glenn Robinson), with 25.1 ppg and seven 30+ point games (second only to Kemba's 11 in '11 - Donyell had 9 fewer FGs in 7 fewer games), Ray was the second-leading scorer as the sixth man, and we had two point guards running the show (Ollie and Sheffer), with Donny, Donyell and a combination of 20 fouls out of Travis, Hayward, Boo and Kirk King as the starting 5.

They opened up the season blowing out no. 12 Virginia on the road by 40, and got off to a 9-0 start in Big East play. That team was the highest-scoring (86.0 ppg) and had the highest FG percentage (49.5%) of the Calhoun era, too.

If Huskymania began in 1990, our ride to the becoming a national power began in 1994.

+1 - my fav too. Donyell was dominant. Ray was showing signs he could be the next Jordan. Favorite player ever for me was Sheffer. Couldn't blow by anyone. Probably couldn't jump out of his own shoes, but just very, very smart with spacing, passing, and could shoot.

 

[Scottzer]

Yeah my favorite period might have been '94-'96.... Getting suck playing away games vs Florida in 94 and UCLA in 95 didn't help (I always thought we got hosed out of a #1 seed in 94); but those teams - especially '95 - were better than they were given credit for.

'94 was especially painful when B.C. knocked out North Carolina and basically opened up an easy route to the Final Four, too... that killed me. We just kinda ran into UCLA in 1995 - and i'm not sure we beat them, Arkansas or North Carolina that year - but we were right in that conversation. There was no OUTRIGHT star on that team (Ray was still a baby) - but sum of the players made them awesome - Ollie, Sheffer, Knight, Heyward (!!), Donny Marshall, Fair, King, Johnson.. it was like a schmorgasboard of my favorite UConn role players.

The '96 team was frustrating for no other reason than in probably any other year during that time period - they'd win a National Title. I thought the gap between UConn, Kentucky, UMass and the field that year was pretty significant. The Mississippi State loss stung, but people also forget that Miss St. was a concensus Final Four contender in the pre season (I believe they were ranked in the top 5 - I have an old preview mag that had them at #2) and underperformed almost the entire regular season. They were a different team in the tournament. Not that it takes the sting out all these years later, but it really bothers me that people knock the Mississippi State team so bad... they were legit.

'99 sticks out for obvious reasons - and having been really conscious throughout the whole period - was surprised to see them be the 'dogs to Duke they were in the final. Glad to see they proved people wrong.

I'd agree that 2009 and 2002 were probably the next two best teams outside of your tournament winners. I'd argue the '09 team was the most talented group we've ever had - although it's hard to argue with the 2004 team in that regard. I think 2004 is easily the best team out of our tournament champs.

'11 and '14 seemed like receipts for all those near misses, though. Strange as it seems - I felt like the '14 team was always that good and something just clicked between the AAC tournament and the NCAA tournament with them. I still can't put a finger on it - but I don't think they outplayed their talent or anything. I think they fulfilled it. Kemba's team was just a Kansas redux. Doesn't happen often, but once in a while a player just hijacks the tournament on their own, runs away and hides. That was that squad. And i'm fine with that. I think a lot of the knocks on that team are pretty fair. I'm still convinced the '96 Team might have been the best team in the 90's outside of UNLV in '91 to not win a title, so i'll take the IOU.

Those 90s teams you talk about we're really talented, but I was in high school and barely remember them. I remember KO's team with the non-twin D-Marshall's, and the Rudy Johnson's, Eric (cake loving) Heyward, but I have a hard time recalling which players were on which teams.

In junior high, we had Brian Fair come in as part of his community service, and it was nice to see a 3 point expert shoot.

I digress. Which team lost to George Mason? That team lacked the Emeka's and Gentle Ben's, but was really balanced. I guess they were a little like last year's Florida team. Really good, but not that threatening.

 

[jibsey]

Getting a player of Donyell's caliber was big time for this program so even though he's not my favorite player to watch on the floor, he's at the top my list. I still remember his first game 3 pointer and the announcers comments like it was yesterday. 2011 for what they did and how they did it in that league and from that position. So now add Maker's Muppet to the start of that run and how do you top that?

 

[Dogbreath2U]

Those 90s teams you talk about we're really talented, but I was in high school and barely remember them. I remember KO's team with the non-twin D-Marshall's, and the Rudy Johnson's, Eric (cake loving) Heyward, but I have a hard time recalling which players were on which teams.

In junior high, we had Brian Fair come in as part of his community service, and it was nice to see a 3 point expert shoot.

I digress. Which team lost to George Mason? That team lacked the Emeka's and Gentle Ben's, but was really balanced. I guess they were a little like last year's Florida team. Really good, but not that threatening.

The 2006 team that lost to George Mason was the #1 team in the country most or much of that year. Many of the announcers annointed that UConn team as the deepest and most talented team in the nation. They were much, much better and more "threatening" than you suggest. I just finished watching nearly the entire year and that team had amazing depth in the front court and on the wing, possibly our best passing point guard ever and a 3 point assassin. I was hoping to come up with a big theory on the reason that team did not make the FF. After watching, I reached the brilliant conclusion that George Mason outplayed our guys. That team had some weaknesses and was just not as good as the 2004 team as some have suggested 2006 was our most talented team ever. Their defense was not able to "put the clamps on" and get stops when absolutely needed and they lacked a true "go to" scorer in crunch time. They had four or five guys trying to be that guy.

One thing I did not see was signs that that team was in it for themselves as has often been suggested. All in all, one of our better passing teams and a lot of guys who seemed to accept their role even though it might not have been what they hoped. Rashad Anderson was the highest scoring 6th man in the nation, Hilton beat out Boone for BE Defensive Player of the Year, Marcus Williams would have led the nation in assists if he had more games played, and only 2 regular season losses. Denham had some great, clutch plays. Jeff Adrien and Ed Nelson were backups (think about having Hilton, Boone, Adrien, and Nelson on last year's team...even one of them would have made a big difference). No, the 2006 team was one of the best UConn teams, just didn't have the transcendent star to carry them in crunch-time.

 

[willie99]

89/90
98/99
10/11
13/14
3/4

and it's hard for me to leave 01/02 off the books

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

Butler
Kemba
Ray Ray
Meka

and Giffey

 

[Ts5034]

The 2006 team that lost to George Mason was the #1 team in the country most or much of that year. Many of the announcers annointed that UConn team as the deepest and most talented team in the nation. They were much, much better and more "threatening" than you suggest. I just finished watching nearly the entire year and that team had amazing depth in the front court and on the wing, possibly our best passing point guard ever and a 3 point assassin. I was hoping to come up with a big theory on the reason that team did not make the FF. After watching, I reached the brilliant conclusion that George Mason outplayed our guys. That team had some weaknesses and was just not as good as the 2004 team as some have suggested 2006 was our most talented team ever. Their defense was not able to "put the clamps on" and get stops when absolutely needed and they lacked a true "go to" scorer in crunch time. They had four or five guys trying to be that guy.

One thing I did not see was signs that that team was in it for themselves as has often been suggested. All in all, one of our better passing teams and a lot of guys who seemed to accept their role even though it might not have been what they hoped. Rashad Anderson was the highest scoring 6th man in the nation, Hilton beat out Boone for BE Defensive Player of the Year, Marcus Williams would have led the nation in assists if he had more games played, and only 2 regular season losses. Denham had some great, clutch plays. Jeff Adrien and Ed Nelson were backups (think about having Hilton, Boone, Adrien, and Nelson on last year's team...even one of them would have made a big difference). No, the 2006 team was one of the best UConn teams, just didn't have the transcendent star to carry them in crunch-time.

That 2006 season has been analyzed inside and out. For whatever reason, that team just played better in Nov/Dec/Jan than they did in late February and March. I remember most of the "experts" on the ESPN selection Sunday special reluctantly picked us to win because we clearly had the most impressive resume but we just were not sharp the last couple weeks of the season. I know theres speculation that everyone just lost focus but who knows? That season still kind of bothers me because we had a really good team that year but we have nothing to show for it...no BE Tournament trophy, no Final Four banner, and obviously no NC trophy.

 

[joober jones]

No team was ever more fun to watch than the 2005-2006 team, at least for me. Yes, 2011 and 2014 had some amazing tournament magic that I'll be forever grateful for the chance to witness. However, throughout most of those seasons, the games weren't the highlight-reel type of entertainment the 05-06 squad offered. I loved the emergence of Hilton Armstrong that season as well as Rashad Anderson coming back from his illness and the seemingly high ceiling Marcus Johnson had (believe it or not, back then he was being projected to be drafted 9th overall in the 2007 draft). Add in the brilliant playmaking of Marcus Williams and steady contributions from Rudy Gay, Josh Boone, Denham Brown, Ed Nelson, and Craig Austrie and it made for some great watching. It ended in painful fashion, but when the good times were rolling that season, they were some damn good times.

 

[Ts5034]

Yes. I have said in other threads that I miss when we used to dominate games. We did that a lot over the years. Especially 03-04, and 05-06. It feels like I aged 10 years after all the heart attack games we had the last couple years.

 

[Scottzer]

Ill

No team was ever more fun to watch than the 2005-2006 team, at least for me. Yes, 2011 and 2014 had some amazing tournament magic that I'll be forever grateful for the chance to witness. However, throughout most of those seasons, the games weren't the highlight-reel type of entertainment the 05-06 squad offered. I loved the emergence of Hilton Armstrong that season as well as Rashad Anderson coming back from his illness and the seemingly high ceiling Marcus Johnson had (believe it or not, back then he was being projected to be drafted 9th overall in the 2007 draft). Add in the brilliant playmaking of Marcus Williams and steady contributions from Rudy Gay, Josh Boone, Denham Brown, Ed Nelson, and Craig Austrie and it made for some great watching. It ended in painful fashion, but when the good times were rolling that season, they were some damn good times.

I'll never forget being amazed by Hilton Armstrong seemingly, suddenly having moves. There were a few games where you suddenly asked yourself, isn't this guy actually better than Boone? In the NBA, I think that clearly proved to be the case, as Hilton had offense when it seemed Boone was almost like a tip in machine.

Marcus Williams seemed so good. What happened to him in the pros? I remember Jason Kidd saying he could play when they were Nets teammates. But, then it seemed like he vanished.

Ah - that team was so good, but, lacking superstars. Just stars.

 

[huskyhaven]

Rashad Anderson
Jeff Adrien
Austrie
Kemba
Niels

Finally Someone mentioned Adrien. My fave. Also the 09 team.

 

[TheChamps990411]

I have a dark horse for favorite (not necessarily "beloved") - 1994. I'd say that team is one of the most important in our history.

Prior to that season, we had one monstrous year (1990), one good Sweet Sixteen run (1991) and a second-round KO vs. the no. 1 seed (1992). That's it. No one in their right mind thought of us as a national power.

Then the 1993-94 team came along and Donyell was the best player in the country (better than Grant Hill and, in my opinion, better than Glenn Robinson), with 25.1 ppg and seven 30+ point games (second only to Kemba's 11 in '11 - Donyell had 9 fewer FGs in 7 fewer games), Ray was the second-leading scorer as the sixth man, and we had two point guards running the show (Ollie and Sheffer), with Donny, Donyell and a combination of 20 fouls out of Travis, Hayward, Boo and Kirk King as the starting 5.

They opened up the season blowing out no. 12 Virginia on the road by 40, and got off to a 9-0 start in Big East play. That team was the highest-scoring (86.0 ppg) and had the highest FG percentage (49.5%) of the Calhoun era, too.

If Huskymania began in 1990, our ride to the becoming a national power began in 1994.

That team was fun to watch and i was absolutely convinced that we were going to the final four that year with a shot at the national title. But as it was we lost in the sweet 16 to Florida and "Da Meat Hook". Still upsets me to think about it. Why you miss free throw Donyell?!!!