Scariest tournament win in Uconn history

[UConnTrumbull]

Every game in the 06 tourney. One of the most talented squads we ever had though that post-season seemed to age me 20 years...and I was only 14 at the time.

 

[David 76]

What was the greatest thing before sliced bread?

Bread

 

[Dogdeacon]

Gonzaga - I can still feel the anxiety, so much more at stake. IF there were an alternate universe where UConn loses that game I'm not sure UConn has any championships in that universe, or maybe 4 - but either way a scarier world.

 

[8893]

Gonzaga - I can still feel the anxiety, so much more at stake. IF there were an alternate universe where UConn loses that game I'm not sure UConn has any championships in that universe, or maybe 4 - but either way a scarier world.

That's the thing. Our trajectory is forever altered if we lose there imo. That--and the fact that I literally had plane tickets and FF game tickets in my pocket--made me more of a wreck than I had ever been during the closing minutes of that game.

Duke in 2004 was a close second, because I was there, and I couldn't bear the thought of sticking around San Antonio for two more nights while Duke celebrated and we had no more games to play. I turned to my buddy when we started to mount the comeback after Rashad's first three down the stretch and told him I thought I was having a cardiac event. Without hesitation he told me he'd carry me out of there if I did. As ridiculous as that was, it somehow calmed me down enough to breathe.

 

[David 76]

That's the thing. Our trajectory is forever altered if we lose there imo. That--and the fact that I literally had plane tickets and FF game tickets in my pocket--made me more of a wreck than I had ever been during the closing minutes of that game.

Duke in 2004 was a close second, because I was there, and I couldn't bear the thought of sticking around San Antonio for two more nights while Duke celebrated and we had no more games to play. I turned to my buddy when we started to mount the comeback after Rashad's first three down the stretch and told him I thought I was having a cardiac event. Without hesitation he told me he'd carry me out of there if I did. As ridiculous as that was, it somehow calmed me down enough to breathe.

So, it's all about you?

 

[8893]

So, it's all about you?

Absolutely!

"Scariest" has to be a subjective determination, no?

 

[Uconn77Duke74]

once we had that first NC under our belt everything for me dropped down one notch from Scary to just extremely tense.
1. Gonzaga 1999, (the program changing win.. somewhat in question until the final few seconds)
2. Duke 1999
3. Duke 2004
4. AZ

 

[Doheny]

Duke in 2004 was a close second, because I was there, and I couldn't bear the thought of sticking around San Antonio for two more nights while Duke celebrated and we had no more games to play.

I was there also. I was confident, but it was nerve-wracking waiting for our move at the end. Started celebrating when Okafor made his free throw and completely missed the final three. It only as we were leaving that we realized we had lost $100 against the spread.

 

[Palatine]

That three pointer by the Wildcats was in the air for hours and it looked good.

 

[8893]

It only as we were leaving that we realized we had lost $100 against the spread.

My little brother managed to call me from home during that mayhem and he was a little bitter because that shot cost him $2,000.00.

 

[Inyatkin]

It's not as though Arizona and St. Joe's weren't scary, but to me there was so much less at stake than the Gonzaga game. We already had 2/3 titles under our belts. Albany I could certainly see being No. 1, though. I'd say Gonzaga 1, Albany 1a

 

[Brochacho]

2011 Arizona definitely. Loved the team, and it was the one time I was able to watch a UConn game in full with my grandfather.

Also think this game showed that you need a little bit of luck if you want to win 3 straight E8 games and 5 of your last 7 E8 games overall. If not for 2006, we'd be at 5 straight. Crazy.

 

[Dogdeacon]

I was there also. I was confident, but it was nerve-wracking waiting for our move at the end. Started celebrating when Okafor made his free throw and completely missed the final three. It only as we were leaving that we realized we had lost $100 against the spread.

I was also there and you guys must not have been sitting within earshot of me because the entire game I was yelling that once the refs stopped quick whistling Okafor was going to eat their lunch. They did, he did with very necessary dramatic help from Rashad.

But to illustrate how dramatically Gonzaga changed things, I wasn't nervous at all watching UConn win to get to that final four even though the $ and reservations for that final 4 were already spent. I think they played Alabama... yes looked it up and game was as much of a blowout as I recall.

 

[Inyatkin]

I was also there and you guys must not have been sitting within earshot of me because the entire game I was yelling that once the refs stopped quick whistling Okafor was going to eat their lunch. They did, he did with very necessary dramatic help from Rashad.

But to illustrate how dramatically Gonzaga changed things, I wasn't nervous at all watching UConn win to get to that final four even though the $ and reservations for that final 4 were already spent. I think they played Alabama... yes looked it up and game was as much of a blowout as I recall.

There was no time to get nervous in the Alabama game because by the time anyone sat down we were up 25.

 

[Marat]

Duke 2004. I was there. And was so sick to my stomach until the end.

I was so nervous during that 2nd half that as soon as the game ended, I ran into the bathroom and vomited.

 

[Tommyboy]

this @tcf15 old yyoutube account? def is. so prolific my man ha

Just watching that last shot again I still get a knot in the pit of my stomach for a second.

 

[bobbygt]

I think I need to separate 'scariest game' and 'game that made me scariest to be around.'

Scariest game- Albany 2006
I can understand why Gonzaga would be here, but my life at the time (junior in college [not Uconn]), was so busy that I didn't put as much energy into cbb. That whole tournament was one wild party in between classes and work and I was just one happy dude no matter what.

The Albany game was just atrocious. I remember my brain turning the corner and accepting that it would be the first 16 seed to win.

Game that made me the scariest to be around- Duke 2004
I just remember screaming pretty much the whole game- filled with rage. Of course, that made the victory probably #2 all time behind the 99 championship, but I have no idea how my dad and brother stayed in the same room with me!

It's funny, as scary as a bunch of the 2011 games were (SDSU, Zona, UK), I guess I was just enjoying the incredible ride and was much more calm throughout. I didn't have the lofty expectations for 2011 and 2014 that I had in 04, 06, or even 09.

 

[Point6]

It still hurts that we can't answer Denham's OT 3 vs. GMU to this question.

 

[JimHurley]

I'm only 20 so I don't remember too many games before 2009. But for me the two scariest were Arizona in 2011 and St. Joe's in 2014. Also, San Diego State in 2011 was a little scary too.

 

[intlzncster]

ha, yep.

this @tcf15 old yyoutube account? def is. so prolific my man ha

He's a freakin machine.

 

[intlzncster]

It's not as though Arizona and St. Joe's weren't scary, but to me there was so much less at stake than the Gonzaga game. We already had 2/3 titles under our belts.

Everyone is saying this and there's a lot of truth to it. But I felt that 2011 was just as important. The program was kind of on the ropes for a number of reasons. It put UConn right back in the national spotlight, and cemented Jr's legacy as a top 5 coach.

And 2014 is right there too. The start of the post JC Era, unsure if we'd stay relevant, post sanctions, facing a new conference, it was just huge. It might have set the table for the next 20 years.

 

[champs99and04]

2011 vs. Kentucky is up there