Ranking the five best title games of the 64-team era

[HooperScooper]

This is from last Friday but I don't remember anyone posting it. 77-74 is #2. Seventeen years later it still brings a tear to my eye reading something like this.

Ranking the five best title games of the 64-team era, SI.com

2. March 29, 1999: UConn 77, Duke 74

The last time the title game was played in March, it produced an outcome that would have seemed to be sheer madness if anyone tried to predict it. The top-ranked Blue Devils steamrolled opponents all season long, winning by an average of 25 points per game, and entered the championship game at 37–1 and riding a 32-game winning streak. The Huskies were overlooked, despite being 33–2, winning the Big East regular season and tournament titles and ranking third in the country.

UConn quickly proved it belonged, trailing by just two points at halftime and never letting Duke pull away. After falling behind by five early in the second half, the Huskies rallied behind junior star Richard Hamilton to take a five-point lead of their own. The Blue Devils were behind by one with under 10 seconds to go when senior Trajan Langdon was forced into a travel by defender Ricky Moore. After two UConn free throws, Langdon rushed upcourt only to turn the ball over again as the clock expired. The Huskies had been nine-point underdogs, making it by that measure the biggest upset in title game history, and justifying point guard Khalid El-Amin’s immediate postgame proclamation, caught by TV cameras, that his team had “shocked the world.”

 

[HuskyHawk]

This is from last Friday but I don't remember anyone posting it. 77-74 is #2. Seventeen years later it still brings a tear to my eye reading something like this.

Ranking the five best title games of the 64-team era, SI.com

2. March 29, 1999: UConn 77, Duke 74

The last time the title game was played in March, it produced an outcome that would have seemed to be sheer madness if anyone tried to predict it. The top-ranked Blue Devils steamrolled opponents all season long, winning by an average of 25 points per game, and entered the championship game at 37–1 and riding a 32-game winning streak. The Huskies were overlooked, despite being 33–2, winning the Big East regular season and tournament titles and ranking third in the country.

UConn quickly proved it belonged, trailing by just two points at halftime and never letting Duke pull away. After falling behind by five early in the second half, the Huskies rallied behind junior star Richard Hamilton to take a five-point lead of their own. The Blue Devils were behind by one with under 10 seconds to go when senior Trajan Langdon was forced into a travel by defender Ricky Moore. After two UConn free throws, Langdon rushed upcourt only to turn the ball over again as the clock expired. The Huskies had been nine-point underdogs, making it by that measure the biggest upset in title game history, and justifying point guard Khalid El-Amin’s immediate postgame proclamation, caught by TV cameras, that his team had “shocked the world.”

Clearly the best title game we've played in. I almost forgot what a fantastic game it was. The Butler game must be somewhere at the bottom of the list.

 

[Migs]

Clearly the best title game we've played in. I almost forgot what a fantastic game it was. The Butler game must be somewhere at the bottom of the list.

Right above the Georgia Tech game.

 

[Marat]

Clearly the best title game we've played in. I almost forgot what a fantastic game it was. The Butler game must be somewhere at the bottom of the list.

Too bad as that 2011 title game wasn't as entertaining. That 11 game win streak in the post season was incredible and really deserves to be remembered as such. The anti-climactic conclusion shouldn't take anything away.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Right above the Georgia Tech game.

Nah, that one was at least fun. I recall people actually scoring in that game. We were just better than GT. Watching at team shoot under 19% from the floor...that was unprecedented.

 

[upstater]

It's an OK list, but I would flip the Villanova wins.

Villanova beat a stud Georgetown team with one of the most unprecedented games in all of basketball history. Pinckney was throwing up stuff that had no business going in. (I risk saying this here but I picked Villanova to win it all, something only my high school buddy can vouch for to this day). Huge upset unbelievable victory.

UConn over Butler is unfairly maligned. People keep talking shooting %s without noticing a few things.

1. UConn held Arizona and Kentucky to sub 30% shooting as well. A great defensive team.
2. Practically every starter for UConn was on the bench for much of the 2nd part of the first half, when UConn went very very cold (check out the play by play of the last 10 minutes, UConn had the second unit out there and barely scored a bucket).
3. UConn shot 50% in the second half if you disregard the last minute when they were in clock killing mode.

 

[August_West]

UConn Butler was a thing of beauty. For us.

For the rest of the country, I get it. It sucked.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

, and justifying point guard Khalid El-Amin’s immediate postgame proclamation, caught by TV cameras, that his team had “shocked the world.”

How do they write this and not mention that he said the same thing BEFORE the game, too? That's part of his legend, to me.

Nothing will top that game as a UConn fan.

 

[HuskyHawk]

It's an OK list, but I would flip the Villanova wins.

Villanova beat a stud Georgetown team with one of the most unprecedented games in all of basketball history. Pinckney was throwing up stuff that had no business going in. (I risk saying this here but I picked Villanova to win it all, something only my high school buddy can vouch for to this day). Huge upset unbelievable victory.

UConn over Butler is unfairly maligned. People keep talking shooting %s without noticing a few things.

1. UConn held Arizona and Kentucky to sub 30% shooting as well. A great defensive team.
2. Practically every starter for UConn was on the bench for much of the 2nd part of the first half, when UConn went very very cold (check out the play by play of the last 10 minutes, UConn had the second unit out there and barely scored a bucket).
3. UConn shot 50% in the second half if you disregard the last minute when they were in clock killing mode.

Agree on the Villanova games. Jimmy V alone makes the first one more memorable. It's sad that they say UConn over Duke was some huge upset when we were 33-2. Nova over Georgetown was an epic upset.

 

[Devland]

Right above the Georgia Tech game.

I didn't look, but I wonder if there is thread on the Syracuse board arguing which of their national championships was the most exciting. The 2003 championship or either the 1918 or 1926 Helms votes?

 

[uconnfan68]

I can only think of 4 great ones.

 

[champs99and04]

Agree on the Villanova games. Jimmy V alone makes the first one more memorable. It's sad that they say UConn over Duke was some huge upset when we were 33-2. Nova over Georgetown was an epic upset.

Weren't we ten point dogs? I can't imagine there have been many bigger upsets in a title game.

 

[ucp990411]

1 - 1999
2 - 2014
3 - 2004
4 - 2011

The rest are tied, except 2003.

 

[whaler11]

Freddie Got Fingered is unfairly judged. If only people understood how good it was - who cares that they can watch it and make their own judgement.

 

[HooperScooper]

How do they write this and not mention that he said the same thing BEFORE the game, too? That's part of his legend, to me.

Nothing will top that game as a UConn fan.

Yeah I said the same thing when I read that. The post game proclamation was made great because he predicted it in the pre-game interview. I was at the game so I didn't see that but I remember when I got home and watched the tape of the game I smiled when Khalid said that. I think I would have been sure UConn was going to win if I had watched the game on TV and heard that pre-game interview. That team was supremely confident.

 

[Ts5034]

The 1999 championship game was very well played by both teams. I always wondered why this game is not talked about as one of the classic championship games of all time.

 

[seeya27]

Clearly the best title game we've played in. I almost forgot what a fantastic game it was. The Butler game must be somewhere at the bottom of the list.

Seeing that game live, it is emblazoned in my mind. With so much on the line historically and so brilliantly played, it is as great as game as UConn has ever played in my opinion.

 

[gtcam]

The 1999 championship game was very well played by both teams. I always wondered why this game is not talked about as one of the classic championship games of all time.

Because the hated JC led dogs beat the media darlings lead by the rat face

 

[Towney007]

I swear outside of UConn land, the one thing that makes me so shocked about the Duke win was how everyone treats that like it was the US hockey team beating the Soviets or something. That was arguably the best Duke team i've ever seen, but we were *clearly* the second best team in the country heading into the tournament and I couldn't imagine how anyone would have thought we couldn't have beaten them. And while that Duke team might have been the best Duke team i've ever seen - I've still seen better teams. AND have seen better teams lose.

I just never got it.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Weren't we ten point dogs? I can't imagine there have been many bigger upsets in a title game.

Yes, but that was just blatant stupidity. We were dominant all year long.