The Old Field House

[FillTheRent]

I made a basket during an intramural game at the Field House.

Everyone on my team was yelling, "No!" or "Don't do it!" as I got the ball and looked up at the rim. My teammates told me before the game that I wasn't allowed to shoot the ball. I was strictly there for defense. I took the shot anyway, and made it.

It was the highlight of my UCONN basketball career.

 

[Old school]

The first game that I went was in 1964 vs. New Hampshire. At that time they had freshman games before the varsity game. Uconn had a great freshman team led by wonderful Wes and Bill Holowaty who was the best ofthe freshmen. It’s too bad he injured his knee or he would have been a special player. still had a solid career and later became a great College baseball coach at Eastern. Was crazy as a coach but won an amazing number of games.
was also there the night Wes had 50 against Maine. Would have been 65 if there was a 3 point line at the time.

 

[gtcam]

Watching Dr J play while tracksters are throwing shot puts and pole vaulting!
But that was almost an every game occurrence in the 60s
The best was listening to the thud of the ball hitting the catchers mitt while it was quiet for UConn freethrows
Watching Wes hit 50 vs Maine and it allowed him to lead the nation in scoring for a few days
Loved that filed house

 

[Guapo]

We played intramural basketball on the same court that the varsity played. Kind of cool. Do current students get to play at Gampel?

We played intramural basketball on the same court that the varsity played. Kind of cool. Do current students get to play at Gampel?

Nope...they still play at the Fieldhouse lol

 

[Giscombe12]

I only saw two games there, Maryland-Eastern Shore & Virginia Commonwealth.

I also was on Gerry Besselink’s team in the summer of ‘87 for Calhoun’s first summer camp.

 

[Dove]

What's with all the questions? Just curious.

They should change their handle to Interrogator.

 

[MyDorona]

It was 2000 or '01- watching a friend play in the co-ed intramural soccer championship. With about five minutes left, my buddy chases down a gal who has an open breakaway goal and kicks the back of her knee, causing her to collapse to the floor. It was Sue Bird. I never heard the gym so quiet before.

 

[Sky ball]

My dad brought me to game there vs 14th Ranked Hawaii. Loved their Multi Colored rainbow uniforms. Don't think NCAA allows those anymore. It was a big deal then playing a highly ranked team. Must have been 1968 or so.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

In '05, I invited everyone on my floor to play on an intramural basketball team. There were like 21 of us on the roster, we played full court press 100% of the time, none of us played for our high school teams and we lost every game. There was even one game where I was the leading scorer because I made one three.

My roommate tore his ACL the previous spring, so he dressed up each game in a full suit, acting like a crazed basketball coach from the '50s. A rolled up Daily Campus in hand, talking like Red Auerbach.

There was one team we played against called "We Only Shoot Threes", and apropos to the name, their only field goal attempts were three pointers. If any BY'ers played on that team, hat tip to you.

We were god awful, but it was so much fun.

I have so many great memories playing intramural and pickup games at the field house. My intramural team played in the independent division. We were OK, but there would always be 2 teams in our division that were much better than us, and then we would lose another 1-2 games we should have won because we were idiots, so we were always right around .500.

My senior year we recruited this guy that could really play ball, and we won the first game by like 30 points. We played really well and the team we played sucked, but he started talking like we were going to win it all. He was going to learn soon enough. The next opponent was really good, and we reverted to our normal behavior. My buddy got 2 T's in the first 5 minutes and was tossed. I think I got a T. All of us were arguing with each other the whole game and then it became every man for himself on offense. We got destroyed, losing by at least 50 points. We were laughing about it the next day, but the new guy didn't think it was that funny. I think that was the last game he played with us.

The last game of that season we played this team that was terrible. I scored 2 baskets in the first minute, and am expecting a 20 and 10 night, but we got up 10+ and then the guards stopped passing and it was once again every man for himself on offense. Of course, against teams like this, no one wants to come out of the game so those on the sideline were arguing with those on the court. I think we almost got a technical for fighting between ourselves.

Anyone watching us for a whole season would wonder what was wrong with those guys, but I think we were pretty much like every other middle-of-the-pack intramural team. I really miss those days.

 

[60'sfan]

Back around '69 or '70 watched Doug Melody give a Marques Haynes type of dribbling exhibition throughout a four-corners/slow-down game against URI. What a great display of dribbling skill that was!

Also saw Dr J there as well!

I went to that slowdown game against URI. As I recall, URI was heavily favored because we lost two starters and a top reserve just prior to the game. I think it was academic issues. Uconn was leading something like 10-8 at halftime and went on to win by about 5. They had to give Melody oxygen several times during the game. One of the most exciting that I ever saw!

 

[alphasigko]

My dad brought me to game there vs 14th Ranked Hawaii. Loved their Multi Colored rainbow uniforms. Don't think NCAA allows those anymore. It was a big deal then playing a highly ranked team. Must have been 1968 or so.

I do remember that game, particularly because of their uniforms! It is the only game that the Huskies have played against Hawaii. It occurred on Jan 12, 1972, and we lost 77-71. The team was probably dazzled by their uniforms as well! (They were also ranked #19!) See: Matchup Finder | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

 

[slepers]

I do remember that game, particularly because of their uniforms! It was the only game that the Huskies have played against Hawaii. It occurred on Jan 12, 1972, and we lost 77-71. The team was probably dazzled by their uniforms as well! (They were also ranked #19!) See: Matchup Finder | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

Their best player Bob Nash was from Hartford. Another Ryan Gomes moment must have occurred.

 

[alphasigko]

I went to that slowdown game against URI. As I recall, URI was heavily favored because we lost two starters and a top reserve just prior to the game. I think it was academic issues. Uconn was leading something like 10-8 at halftime and went on to win by about 5. They had to give Melody oxygen several times during the game. One of the most exciting that I ever saw!

UConn wound up winning 35-32. It was the only slow-down game that season, or possibly ever, for the Huskies.

 

[Vancat]

I don't remember the opponent, it must have been just before Gampel was built...but it was some sort of big game (I was a newbie then) and it was so hyped-up and fan crazy in there it was foggy! Also remember Cliffy giving the crowd the bird when fans were chanting SIT DOWN (after he was yanked but wouldn't sit). I also remember those bleachers, if you dropped something, good luck getting it back.

 

[Waquoit]

UConn wound up winning 35-32. It was the only slow-down game that season, or possibly ever, for the Huskies.

Unfortunately, it worked so well that Rowe brought it back for the 2nd half of the 1972 1974 NIT Elite 8. Going to the NIT Final Four was still a pretty big deal back then. The FF games were on national TV at a time when only a couple of national games in total were shown each week. The entire tournament was in MSG, UConn smoked St. John's in the opening round and the Huskies were the talk of the tournament. They were cruising past BC when they got into some foul trouble, Rowe panicked and went into the stall. A grateful BC chipped away until they won by 1 in the final seconds.

 

[ColchVEGAS]

I have so many great memories playing intramural and pickup games at the field house. My intramural team played in the independent division. We were OK, but there would always be 2 teams in our division that were much better than us, and then we would lose another 1-2 games we should have won because we were idiots, so we were always right around .500.

My senior year we recruited this guy that could really play ball, and we won the first game by like 30 points. We played really well and the team we played sucked, but he started talking like we were going to win it all. He was going to learn soon enough. The next opponent was really good, and we reverted to our normal behavior. My buddy got 2 T's in the first 5 minutes and was tossed. I think I got a T. All of us were arguing with each other the whole game and then it became every man for himself on offense. We got destroyed, losing by at least 50 points. We were laughing about it the next day, but the new guy didn't think it was that funny. I think that was the last game he played with us.

The last game of that season we played this team that was terrible. I scored 2 baskets in the first minute, and am expecting a 20 and 10 night, but we got up 10+ and then the guards stopped passing and it was once again every man for himself on offense. Of course, against teams like this, no one wants to come out of the game so those on the sideline were arguing with those on the court. I think we almost got a technical for fighting between ourselves.

Anyone watching us for a whole season would wonder what was wrong with those guys, but I think we were pretty much like every other middle-of-the-pack intramural team. I really miss those days.

Sounds just like the intramural team I played on. We were our own worst enemies. In team arguments would derail us. We would win a game by 20 and then lose a few by 20. I do not think we were ever in a close game.

 

[buckley503]

Pick up games while taking summer classes. Getting dunked on by Tim Coles (which was no real test since I'm only 6 foot) and taking an elbow to the sternum from Chris Daly on a beautifully set pick (I think I still have the bruise).

And BP behind the stands while the girls played. I'd say they've come along way since.

 

[87Xfer]

... but easily #1 game of many for me at Field House is front row under the basket vs Phil Stinnie and VCU on the way to the NIT championship. Crowd was amazing, loudest in the FH I had ever heard. The beginning of the program becoming top notch under that guy from Northeastern, won't forget that one.

this

 

[Chasm64]

Used to play pickup games there. Only men’s game I saw was the nit game. So loud and raucous I thought the bleachers were going to collapse. Never seen a UConn crowd like that since.

 

[king conn]

Unfortunately, it worked so well that Rowe brought it back for the 2nd half of the 1972 NIT Elite 8. Going to the NIT Final Four was still a pretty big deal back then. The FF games were on national TV at a time when only a couple of national games in total were shown each week. The entire tournament was in MSG, UConn smoked St. John's in the opening round and the Huskies were the talk of the tournament. They were cruising past BC when they got into some foul trouble, Rowe panicked and went into the stall. A grateful BC chipped away until they won by 1 in the final seconds.

Jimmy Foster. Poor guy has been forgotten about historically

 

[mauconnfan]

Jimmy Foster. Poor guy has been forgotten about historically

Hard to forget Jimmy Foster if you had the fortune of seeing him, he could flat out play. Special player no doubt!

 

[alphasigko]

Unfortunately, it worked so well that Rowe brought it back for the 2nd half of the 1972 NIT Elite 8. Going to the NIT Final Four was still a pretty big deal back then. The FF games were on national TV at a time when only a couple of national games in total were shown each week. The entire tournament was in MSG, UConn smoked St. John's in the opening round and the Huskies were the talk of the tournament. They were cruising past BC when they got into some foul trouble, Rowe panicked and went into the stall. A grateful BC chipped away until they won by 1 in the final seconds.

And, it happened again in 1974 against BC at MSG (unless this is the same game you mentioned); UConn was up after the 1st half by running the ball. They went into a stall in the 2nd half and wound up losing the game 76-75. I took the long bus ride to NYC and it was an even longer ride home having to live with the huge disappointment of the horrible way to lose a game (thanks to Dee Rowe) See: 1973–74 Connecticut Huskies men's basketball team - Wikipedia

 

[uconnric]

First game as a kid with my dad, sat under the basket and saw Toby Kimball in a game vs. Manhattan. Never forget that, Toby was a beast under the basket. Also saw Wes B. several times there. As a student saw many games in the Dee Rowe era. John Thomas, Al Weston, Jimmy Foster, Earl Wilson, Al Vaughan, Tony Hansen and many others.

 

[Waquoit]

And, it happened again in 1974 against BC at MSG...

We're talking about the same game. I confused the dates when I looked it up.

 

[UConnFranklin]

One of my funniest memories of the Field House was when we were playing BC. The students in the end court seating were right on top of the court. At one point, towards the end of the game, a BC player was shooting foul shoots when the students unfurled a larger than life banner of a fully naked lady behind the basket. It really distracted the shooter as he missed the shot. The place when into an uproar of chants and the police came running over to take the banner and apprehend the students. But the students were faster as they ran away. Loved those days!!!