Team with Highest Expectations?

[CTBasketball]

Which team do you think had the highest expectations to fulfill? And did they fulfill them?

I'd have to go with the 2008-2009 team that went to the Final Four. The 1995-1996 team was a very close second.

 

[djct1999]

2006. No they did not.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

The '04 team. Consensus pre-season #1. Season preview magazine covers with Mek and Taurasi.

And yes, there were some stumbles along the way, but they met expectations.

 

[sammydabiz]

Ha, I can't seem to distinguish, but I'm one of the heads in the background, a family of Mizzou fans were sitting directly in front us, they actually attempted to get security to try to kick us out. Staff was like: "they paid for their tickets just like you, if they're too loud, you're more than welcome to view the game at the concessions", god that lady hated us lol
All on all, good times in zona.... The Purdue game had me shook for a sec tho

 

[UConnSwag11]

06 definitely. And no they didnt. 09 also but with dyson getting injured and that unc team it wasn't as high as 06. Also that 09 Louisville was extremely intimidating. They were big and very good. Except when we won at Louisville

 

[rw005]

09-10, the season that I saw a possible Sweet 16, Elite 8, team with Sticks having a huge year and Dyson coming back, was also the same season I wanted to rip all my hair out in frustration. Luckily that bald spot I had is gone now

08-09, was a small surprise to me, since this team was eager and motivated to redeem itself after the frustration of the last 2 seasons, I called that season, "The Year of Revenge"

 

[7774]

Wow, a LOT of people are forgetting how much was expected from the 98-99 team. Returning everyone from an elite 8 appearance where they lost a close game to North Carolina in a straight up road game.

People were really counting on that team. And of course they delivered. It's what that team did.

 

[art4life]

Wow, a LOT of people are forgetting how much was expected from the 98-99 team. Returning everyone from an elite 8 appearance where they lost a close game to North Carolina in a straight up road game.

People were really counting on that team. And of course they delivered. It's what that team did.

You beat me to it.
I was going to say the 99 team as well.
We were considered 2nd best team all year until we went & "Shocked the World!"
The promised land after all those years on the outside looking in...

 

[conn man]

Yep that 99 team for sure. The starting line up for the 97-98 squad was made up of all sophmores except for Ricky Moore and they made the elite 8. The foundation was very solid going into the 98-99 season.

 

[7774]

You beat me to it.
I was going to say the 99 team as well.
We were considered 2nd best team all year until we went & "Shocked the World!"
The promised land after all those years on the outside looking in...

We were actually #1 in a number of preseason polls, but then the media took over with their "Duke Invitational" narrative and somehow we were an afterthought. Still hilarious that a team 33-2 could be a 10 point dog in the NC game.

 

[Dogbreath2U]

Wow, a LOT of people are forgetting how much was expected from the 98-99 team. Returning everyone from an elite 8 appearance where they lost a close game to North Carolina in a straight up road game.

People were really counting on that team. And of course they delivered. It's what that team did.

I agree. Even though the '04 team had what seemed like more overall talent, I had more confidence in the '99 team, mainly because of the leadership at the PG factor. KEA was the X factor that brought confidence and poise under pressure.

 

[Horatio]

2011-2012 team. Back to back Champions was mentioned at times .They lost Kemba but added Drummond , Boat and Deandre. That team was supposed to be " loaded". Many distractions but Very disappointing considering the heart the kids just showed us this season.

 

[bobbygt]

It's a difficult question, since I think there are seasons when fans have just tasted a championship and expect a ton. I think that holds true for 2005-06 and 2011-2012.

Then you have teams like 2003-2004. You saw this team building and building and you just knew they were championship caliber.

Finally there are teams like 1995-1996 and 1998-1999 where you have really big expectations, but since you've never reached the Promised Land, somehow the expecations are not quite at the level of post-NC Uconn.

With that said, I think if you go by preseason expectations, the top 5 would be:

1. 2005-2006 They were ranked very high going into the season. AA type players with Gay and Williams. They only lost 2x during the regular season. Unfortunately, it was Final Four or bust for that team. Expectations met? NO

2. 2011-2012 I don't think I'm alone in thinking that there was some crazy possibility that Uconn would have another title contender. They brought in Drummond to go along with what we thought was an AA in Lamb and great supporting cast. Expectations met? NO

3. 2003-2004 Ranked very high going into the season and they barely got beat by a good Texas team in the s16 plus they had everyone returning. Expectations met? YES

4. 1995-1996 I thought this was the year they would get through to the FF. They had Ray and Sheffer back and Knight was primed and so on. They lost freaking two games all year! Two. Expectations met? NO

5. 1998-1999 This team just had something special to it and you knew it in 1997-8. They ran into a beast of a UNC team, but I would've been very disappointed if that team didn't make the FF. Expectations met? YES.

I would give 2008-2009 an honorable mention and I do think they met expectations.. Sure, I still think they could've hung with NC (much like I think 2005-2006 could've beaten Florida). I still think getting to a FF is a success.

 

[jdb50]

The 98-99 team had a great run in the Big East Tourney capping it with beating the Ron Artest led Redmen for the title. They delivered on all fronts.

 

[7774]

This thread is really interesting. It really shows how much emphasis is placed on raw physical talent by some people.

Most of my expectations for the 1999 team were based upon the fact that the 1998 team had amazing chemistry, and you knew it would be the same in 1999 because it was the exact same group of guys. They also played great as a team in 98 and I figured that would continue because, again, same guys.

My expectations for 2011 were much lower because even though we were obviously very talented, Kemba was gone and Drummond, Daniels, and Boatright were not on the team the previous year. You couldn't really know how they would affect team chemistry, and they had played a total of 0 minutes of college ball.

 

[ibleedhuskyblue]

2006. No they did not.

Agreed, it was 06 by ten miles in my opinion.
I really think that was possibly the best team (talent-wise) we ever had.

 

[patrick]

06 ...... Hurts just thinking about that team!!

 

[CAHUSKY]

Wow, a LOT of people are forgetting how much was expected from the 98-99 team. Returning everyone from an elite 8 appearance where they lost a close game to North Carolina in a straight up road game.

People were really counting on that team. And of course they delivered. It's what that team did.

Absolutely my choice as well. This was the first time there was incredible pressure on UCONN and JC to make it to the final four and we were ranked #1 in multiple preseason publications. Lots of folks were saying that JC couldn't win the big one and UCONN never would win a title. TONS of pressure on that team.

 

[Inyatkin]

99 and 04 we basically returned intact teams. 06 and 12 we had a lot coming back but were replacing lottery picks, so I can't put them at the same level.

 

[Huskyforlife]

I'm to young to know any team past 2010, but I know the 2011 team definitely underachieve.

Sound like the year 2004 was a fun year to be a husky!

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Sound like the year 2004 was a fun year to be a husky!

I picked that team because the expectations nationally were so outsized. In 2006 UConn was right there in the pre-season, but I think Duke was most people's #1. In '04 everyone picked both the UConn men and women in the pre-season and it felt like anything less than a championship would have been a failure. Hence the Doyel article after they lost a couple games.

It was a fun year but the weight of expectations takes away from the fun a little bit. I remember Emeka's back being a big cause for concern, and there being real questions about Gordon's ability to carry them. They played a pretty good Oklahoma team at Gampel and absolutely ran them out of the gym, but they lost to Carolina in the Dean Dome on a Rashad McCants three at the buzzer.

It wasn't until the BET when Emeka was out and Ben blew up that people really felt he had become the star he was destined to. During the regular season there was a fair amount of hand-wringing about his tendency to disappear.

Then they just obliterated the field in the tournament. I can remember being nervous about Alabama and then Rashad hit about 20 threes and the game was over by half-time. In the national championship game I lit up the celebratory J about 3 minutes into the second half.

 

[bobbygt]

I still think that Duke took a lot of pressure off Uconn in 1999. I think Husky fans knew Uconn could compete, but that Duke team was loaded.

I look back to 2005-2006 and there was no team that I thought was better than Uconn. Who the heck was good that year? Memphis and Duke maybe. And 2004-2005 was the year that Uconn had to replace All Americans. 2005-2006 was when Uconn had All American type players in Rudy and MWilliams. I know they were missing another ball handler, and perhaps I knew it at the time as well, but not getting to FF was shocking.

 

[aboogieee]

I highly recommend you Youtube the 03-04, 05-06 and 08-09 Seasons, Huskieforlife... UConn was just on another level & Atmosphere was amazing.. Just so much high-flying!

 

[Dogbreath2U]

Agreed, it was 06 by ten miles in my opinion.
I really think that was possibly the best team (talent-wise) we ever had.

I know that there are a number of people who felt that way (talent), but I don't get how that team would be seen as being more talented than the '04 team.

04 06
Mek Hilton --big advantage 04
Boone Boone --push, not much change
Rashad Rudy --Rash was clutch, Rudy was more well-rounded but not a go-to player, slight advantage Rudy, maybe
Gordon Rashad --Ben by a good margin
Taliek Marcus --Marcus by a good margin

Oh well, enough. I'm tired. '04 > '06

 

[Fishy]

The '04 team. Consensus pre-season #1. Season preview magazine covers with Mek and Taurasi.

And yes, there were some stumbles along the way, but they met expectations.

This.