Rewatching UConn Illini Elite 8 game

[TheChamps990411]

Clingan had the most dominant tournament game I've ever seen from a player anywhere. Others have scored a lot more and had much bigger statlines but I've never seen anything like this performance. The numbers of the performance don't do justice to how dominant he was and of course he was screwed out of his real block total again. He took the Illini's soul that game.

He was an eraser his two seasons at UConn but he just obliterated teams in the NCAA tournament. It's even more impressive on multiple viewings.

We have so much talent this upcoming season but he's going to be so damn hard to replace. He's really a special player with an incredibly high bball IQ.

Now go watch the national title game and keep track of Clingan v Edey. Sure Edey ended up with 37 points but after a hot start on DC he went like 6/15 with two travels vs DC. People act as if DC got exposed and dominated that game but upon review its not at all what it seems.

 

[drayenob]

 

[superjohn]

Now go watch the national title game and keep track of Clingan v Edey. Sure Edey ended up with 37 points but after a hot start on DC he went like 6/15 with two travels vs DC. People act as if DC got exposed and dominated that game but upon review its not at all what it seems.

Clingan is the best defensive player we've ever had and we've had unbelievable defensive players in Okafor (I could see if some still have him #1) Thabeet, Boone, Ricky Moore, Donyell, Boat etc.

 

[REB1094]

I think Stephon Castle shutting down the dynamic and proven scoring of Terrence Shannon, and making him a complete non-factor, was one of the best defensive efforts ever by a UConn player that I can remember. It ripped the hearts and hopes right out of the Illinois fans.

Castle on Buie and Castle on TSJ are some of the best individual defensive performances I’ve seen in the Hurley era. Kid was a freshman and locked up two of the most dynamic scorers in the B10, both 5th year seniors

Then when they actually got by him, Clingan was there to destroy them at the rim

 

[superjohn]

Honestly, this Louisville game was probably the most impressive single-game team performance prior to the Illinois game and something we were missing -- despite a few championships -- for the better part of 15 years.

This was a vintage dominating UConn performance.

Nah, we boatraced everyone in the tournament for two straight seasons having the largest margin of victory in tournament history and the fourth largest margin of victory in tournament history and 4 national championships since that Louisville game. We gave Florida 2 of their only three losses in 2013-2014 and easily beat them in the final 4, Florida was the #1 overall seed. We destroyed Gonzaga in the Elite 8 by 28 pts and it could've been worse. A 17 point road regular season win against #7 Louisville when UConn was #1 is nice but not nearly at the same level as what we've seen since.

 

[TheChamps990411]

Clingan is the best defensive player we've ever had and we've had unbelievable defensive players in Okafor (I could see if some still have him #1) Thabeet, Boone, Ricky Moore, Donyell, Boat etc.

View attachment 103304

Proves my point. I also agree on your point of him being the best defensive player we`ve had.

 

[auror]

I just want to make sure we put some respect on Thabeet's name in these conversations. He anchored two top 10 defenses (his junior year defense was 2nd best D in our history behind '99 according to KenPom) during his 3 years and had similar and maybe a little better block rates to Clingan. His rebounding was a lot worse, though.

I think it's a pretty clear top tier of Clingan, Okafor, Thabeet and you can put them in any order.

 

[aceboon]

Honestly, this Louisville game was probably the most impressive single-game team performance prior to the Illinois game and something we were missing -- despite a few championships -- for the better part of 15 years.

This was a vintage dominating UConn performance.

UConn vs Florida 2014 FF is right up there. #1 overall seed and they got stomped out after going up 16-4.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

I just want to make sure we put some respect on Thabeet's name in these conversations. He anchored two top 10 defenses (his junior year defense was 2nd best D in our history behind '99 according to KenPom) during his 3 years and had similar and maybe a little better block rates to Clingan. His rebounding was a lot worse, though.

I think it's a pretty clear top tier of Clingan, Okafor, Thabeet and you can put them in any order.

Think the difference between Thabeet and Clingan is strength. Clingan is pretty much a brick wall and has great hands. I can’t remember him getting in foul trouble much. Thabeet was known to get in foul trouble from time to time and maybe the Pitt games distort my memory, but he could be on the softer side in the paint when not blocking shots.

 

[SportsFan88]

Honestly, this Louisville game was probably the most impressive single-game team performance prior to the Illinois game and something we were missing -- despite a few championships -- for the better part of 15 years.

This was a vintage dominating UConn performance.

That ‘Ville game was so satisfying, we took their hearts on their home floor and the very next day the national media were saying we clearly were the best team in the country, Dyson gettin hurt that year is the biggest what if for me cause I really think we could of beat UNC, who was really, really good

 

[Rocktheworld]

UConn vs Florida 2014 FF is right up there. #1 overall seed and they got stomped out after going up 16-4.

And, for me, there’s always that one picture of Scottie Wilbekin (who everyone was fawning over all year) towards the end of the game hopelessly bending down and reaching back through his legs for the ball after it got stolen from him for what must’ve been the third time. All on the way to him scoring 4 points total.

One of my all time favorite still shots of a UConn game. Definitely makes the game that much more iconic

 

[SoFla Steve]

I think I've rewatched the full game a dozen times and the quicky 10 min highlights videos (they show the entire 30-0 run) a bunch of times, too.

Can't get enough. This was a very special season.

 

[gsmooth]

Think the difference between Thabeet and Clingan is strength. Clingan is pretty much a brick wall and has great hands. I can’t remember him getting in foul trouble much. Thabeet was known to get in foul trouble from time to time and maybe the Pitt games distort my memory, but he could be on the softer side in the paint when not blocking shots.

Clingan got in foul trouble plenty his freshman and first half of 2024. His freshman year he had some high foul rates (f/40 min).

Spencer not only was a big part of the 2024 title run with his play on the court, but one of his biggest contributions was cursing Clingan out for committing a dumb 2nd foul in the first half of one of the Big East games (don't remember opponent). Ever since Spencer did that, Clingan stopped getting in foul trouble for the rest of the 2024 year.

2023 Sanogo/Clingan > 2024 Clingan/Johnson, so foul trouble was more detrimental in 2024. A perfect example of that was the game against Creighton in Omaha. UConn was doing fine at the start of that game, but as soon as Clingan picked up that 2nd foul (bogus call, Ashworth flopped) the game completely changed after that.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Clingan got in foul trouble plenty his freshman and first half of 2024. His freshman year he had some high foul rates (f/40 min).

Spencer not only was a big part of the 2024 title run with his play on the court, but one of his biggest contributions was cursing Clingan out for committing a dumb 2nd foul in the first half of one of the Big East games (don't remember opponent). Ever since Spencer did that, Clingan stopped getting in foul trouble for the rest of the 2024 year.

2023 Sanogo/Clingan > 2024 Clingan/Johnson, so foul trouble was more detrimental in 2024. A perfect example of that was the game against Creighton in Omaha. UConn was doing fine at the start of that game, but as soon as Clingan picked up that 2nd foul (bogus call, Ashworth flopped) the game completely changed after that.

Oh yeah I was comparing last year Clingan vs last year Thabeet. Clingan for sure fouled a lot freshman year like all first time college bigs.

Also I’m not sure what it is, but something to me made Clingan a better defender than Thabeet. I just don’t remember ever watching someone close off the paint almost entirely as much as Clingan did during this run. It was comical how little of a chance teams had of finishing in the paint.

Even against Bama the only chance they had was to catch fire from 3. We had such a crazy advantage with him.

 

[Icehawk]

Nothing funnier than watching a dude try to drive to the paint, see Clingan, and nope outta there!

 

[Travelman6]

I always thought that nothing could top Emeka and how dominant he was when he was on the court, how he changed the game, especially in subtle ways. Especially vs Duke.

Then Clingan came along.

Two of the best college bball center performances of the past quarter century are UConn.