Video: "Huskymania! Connecticut's 1989-1990 Championship Season"

[boog204]

I was also 10 and it was right around the time I was becoming a huge sports fan, my dad and older brothers had me watching games since I was an infant but I remember it was around this time I really started learning and loving the game. What an unbelievable team to watch as you are really starting to learn about the game. That team was sick....Smitty was a very unique scorer, Tate was clutch and steady, Henefeld did some things on the court I haven't seen any players do since, Gwynn was instant offense and pure excitement, I could go on and on. It's sad to think we will never see crowds and that kind of all out helter skelter defense again, what we had that year was special and I'm glad I was just old enough to understand it. I always wondered what UConn hoops would have looked like if Henefeld stayed.

We really were helter skelter. It was obviously 20+ years ago and I was young, but I don't remember us being as crazed in the half court trapping all over. Didn't we start out really slow that year too? I remember that Nadav didn't play much in the beginning. Then he became the 3/4 and we were on... Watching that vid reminded me of how deep we were. I had totally forgot that Lyman and Murray Williams were on that team as well. For some reason I had thought they had graduated the previous year.

 

[alexd]

Boog....And Lyman D. was only a Jr. in 89/90.

Nadav did not break into the starting lineup until the end of Dec. Up to that point Cyrulik was at the 5 and Sellers was the 4. Then Sellers moved to the 5 and Henefeld slid into the 4 spot.

 

[Vuce]

We were not a big team either so the press was used to off set that advantage other teams had over us. We also were not a very good shooting team but because of all the steals the press generated we overcame that by getting more shots than our opponents. It was a special team to be sure. We lost our first two Big East games that season including a 30 point loss at St. John's.

 

[Tenspro2002]

We were not a big team either so the press was used to off set that advantage other teams had over us.

Well, we didn't have size in the post. We were quite big and athletic at the guard positions, which enabled our press to be effective.

The guards we're bringing in in 2014 and 2015 all have great size and in theory could lend itself to a pressing defense in a way we can't right now, being undersized with Bazz at the 1 and ridiculously undersized with Boat at the 2.

The pressing teams of the early-mid 90's sure were fun to watch.

 

[dogpause]

A few thoughts while watching this:

Chris Smith was as good a player as we've ever had.
Toraino Walker could have been a star.
I didn't remember Cyrulik being so good. In fact, I only remember yelling at him through the TV.

 

[junglehusky]

I feel that this team was going to win the NCAA championship. If only Tate dribbled that ball to Denver.

I have to admit it, I didn't recall that play (I don't remember if my family had a VHS recorder then... we probably did but we didn't record the game) but seeing that now... ooooohhh...

 

[alexd]

We were not a big team either so the press was used to off set that advantage other teams had over us. We also were not a very good shooting team but because of all the steals the press generated we overcame that by getting more shots than our opponents. It was a special team to be sure. We lost our first two Big East games that season including a 30 point loss at St. John's.

Musberger was mentioning during the BET final that year that UCONN was either last or 2nd to last in the league in FG%...

A few thoughts while watching this:

Chris Smith was as good a player as we've ever had.
Toraino Walker could have been a star.
I didn't remember Cyrulik being so good. In fact, I only remember yelling at him through the TV.

Cyrulik had a career night on opening night at Gampel v. St. John's that year, hitting fall aways etc...He and Gwynn took over in the 2nd half...

Speaking of big men...I never understood why Marc Suhr didn't get more time.

 

[alexd]

I have to admit it, I didn't recall that play (I don't remember if my family had a VHS recorder then... we probably did but we didn't record the game) but seeing that now... ooooohhh...

Even with Tate tipping the ball like he did...like JC says during one of the interviews on the tape, if the ball had just rolled to the left and stayed in bounds, game over.

UCONN v. UNLV....would have been interesting.

 

[boog204]

Even with Tate tipping the ball like he did...like JC says during one of the interviews on the tape, if the ball had just rolled to the left and stayed in bounds, game over.

UCONN v. UNLV....would have been interesting.

That UNLV team was on another level, imo... What they did to Duke in that championship game was obscene.

 

[Hoophound]

That UNLV team was on another level, imo... What they did to Duke in that championship game was obscene.

For years I thought we'd have gotten whooped by UNLV but I've reconsidered since then. Our team that season was disruptive as hell, just what you needed against UNLV. They could get on cruise control and bury you if you let them but we had guys that could really get under your skin on our team. We also had some good match ups to offset their big horses.

Second, Jim Calhoun had a great shot to beat anyone with a week to prepare. He'd have given us a chance.

 

[TracerBullet]

That was unfreaking believable! Absolutely awesome! Brought back so many memories. I was a freshman in college when Tate hit The Shot. After he hit it I was jumping on my bed and going crazy all over my dorm room.

Thanks for the video!

 

[8893]

I'm pretty sure that loss to Laettner and Dook in the Elite 8 is still the worst feeling I have EVER felt after a sporting event. I really expected the magical season to continue on to its logical conclusion.

That was the worst for me, but the pain finally eased in '99. Now I'd have to say Game 5 of the 2000 World Series, which I attended.

That was pretty bad Alex. But for some reason the one that stuck with me the longest was the Florida game when Donyell missed those FTs. I know it was the sweet sixteen but we had a killer team and thought that would be the year.

That was second worst. And still never felt the same about Donyell.

 

[David 76]

I don't think our defense was ever that good again. That team scored in bunches off multiple stops.

 

[Vuce]

I don't think our defense was ever that good again. That team scored in bunches off multiple stops.

It depends on how you are measuring defense. That team had a lot of steals. But other Uconn teams were tougher in the half court and held opponents to lower shooting percentages.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Great video and agree that all UConn players should watch that video on their first day on campus. Know your history and know your roots.

A few things that really stuck out to me. Smith and Gwnn both had fantastic elevation on their jump shots.

Wish Deandre would watch clips of Burrell and Williams on how to use his athleticism and length.

Team was so unselfish. Always making the extra pass but not overpassing. Players knew where on the floor that they were effective scorers.

Chrissy's shot killed the FF but I don't think there's anyway UConn beats that UNLV team. That was almost NBA level good. LJ, Greg Anthony, Anderson Hunt, Stretch, etc. One of the three best college teams of the past 40 years.

 

[mauconnfan]

We really were helter skelter. It was obviously 20+ years ago and I was young, but I don't remember us being as crazed in the half court trapping all over. Didn't we start out really slow that year too? I remember that Nadav didn't play much in the beginning. Then he became the 3/4 and we were on... Watching that vid reminded me of how deep we were. I had totally forgot that Lyman and Murray Williams were on that team as well. For some reason I had thought they had graduated the previous year.

Went out to a holiday tourney and went 1-2, lost to Texas A & M I believe……..then Henefeld got in the lineup when they came back and things slowly gelled…..with him and Scotty playing center field the other team had no shot completing passes if they didn't throw it crisply……and duck was ours, it was a thing of beauty.

 

[jrazz12]

General Thoughts:

1. Great job early Hartford crowd. I don't think the crowd could ever be louder than some of the most rowdy Gampel crowds, but now I see what you old farts were talking about.

2. How bad is that HCC floor/setting? Were we also housing the Houston Rockets on random occasions? That's pathetic for UConn marketing, even by 1990 standards.

3. Early Clark Kellogg. Still saying the same nonsense.

4. Boeheim. Always a .

5. Okay fine. As someone who was at UConn from 04-08 and was pretty proud of what we brought...damn you guys were loud this year.

6. My favorite UConn teams are the ones that press and fast break. Good Lord, these guys did work on the break. Random steal, quick pass, alley oop out of nowhere. No wonder the whole state was going nuts.

7. How have I never heard the "That's What I Like about UConn" song before? That's now my ringtone and eventual wedding song. I'm all for the Whalers, but how is Brass Bonanza more of an icon hit than that all time legend?

8. Chris Smith had the ugliest shot ever.

9. It's only been 11 months and I already miss the Big East like crazy.

10. Who the hell is John Gwynn? Much respect to your contributions my man. I'll raise a Rolling Rock to your honor.

11. Storm the Garden!!!

12. How did we not finish off that win against Duke? Wow

13. That was fun. Thanks to whoever put that together and a real history lesson for how we got here. Incredible video

 

[alexd]

General Thoughts:

1. Great job early Hartford crowd. I don't think the crowd could ever be louder than some of the most rowdy Gampel crowds, but now I see what you old farts were talking about.

2. How bad is that HCC floor/setting? Were we also housing the Houston Rockets on random occasions? That's pathetic for UConn marketing, even by 1990 standards.

3. Early Clark Kellogg. Still saying the same nonsense.

4. Boeheim. Always a .

5. Okay fine. As someone who was at UConn from 04-08 and was pretty proud of what we brought...damn you guys were loud this year.

6. My favorite UConn teams are the ones that press and fast break. Good Lord, these guys did work on the break. Random steal, quick pass, alley oop out of nowhere. No wonder the whole state was going nuts.

7. How have I never heard the "That's What I Like about UConn" song before? That's now my ringtone and eventual wedding song. I'm all for the Whalers, but how is Brass Bonanza more of an icon hit than that all time legend?

8. Chris Smith had the ugliest shot ever.

9. It's only been 11 months and I already miss the Big East like crazy.

10. Who the hell is John Gwynn? Much respect to your contributions my man. I'll raise a Rolling Rock to your honor.

11. Storm the Garden!!!

12. How did we not finish off that win against Duke? Wow

13. That was fun. Thanks to whoever put that together and a real history lesson for how we got here. Incredible video

Man...it sure is fun reading the comments about 1989/90 written by someone younger than 50.

 

[mauconnfan]

jrazz, it was LOUD back then………real Husky fans most of many years, very few bandwagon types like would follow when business took over. It was real, it was like one big arena celebrating something they had all waited for after burning in the cellar of the Big East for so long while being whipped in the 1st round of the BE tourney annually. This was a real special year and the one that really allowed JC to move his recruiting all over the U.S………I can still remember Mike Gorman being so much a part of so many great broadcasts and buying into Huskymania in a big way as well as Ronnie Perry……..the NIT was fun but this was the beginning of what we are now enjoying………great memories!

 

[David 76]

I don't remember the "fan" critics back then. We were all excited, all loved the kids and knew we were lucky to have our coach. No "Wake me up when we get to a final four"

 

[SL Husky]

Thanks for posting that, so many memories. I was in middle school and spent many hours in the driveway that spring and summer with friends re-enacting Burrell to Tate George and trying to perfect a jump shot like Chris Smith (unfortunately that part never panned out for me).

 

[ecasadoSBU]

My great Head Coach Steve Pikiell on his Uconn days. Hasn't changed a bit. Still the same guy. Great throwback!

 

[Excalibur]

General Thoughts:


10. Who the hell is John Gwynn? Much respect to your contributions my man. I'll raise a Rolling Rock to your honor.

Facepalm . . .

 

[Fairfield_1st]

We lost our first two Big East games that season including a 30 point loss at St. John's.

I was at that road game with a friend from UConn. We were both undergrads at the time and being from Stamford he had knowledge of the area. That game was ugly. Took my hat off on the way out just to reduce the verbal abuse. The only notable thing for me was having Rod Sellers' family a few rows behind us. Apparently his name to them was Ra-Ra.

 

[Marat]

I was at that road game with a friend from UConn. We were both undergrads at the time and being from Stamford he had knowledge of the area. That game was ugly. Took my hat off on the way out just to reduce the verbal abuse. The only notable thing for me was having Rod Sellers' family a few rows behind us. Apparently his name to them was Ra-Ra.

That SJU/MSG game was the only time I ever decided to leave a UConn game early. It was a total humiliation, and just did not want to watch the last 4+ minutes of that game. That was the low, but little did we know that team would achieve the ultimate of highs.

 

[OkaForPrez]

I'm pretty sure that loss to Laettner and Dook in the Elite 8 is still the worst feeling I have EVER felt after a sporting event. I really expected the magical season to continue on to its logical conclusion.

The logical conclusion was in 99 and 04. We had to break our hearts for that first ship to mean that much more.

 

[OkaForPrez]

I was 8. I remember listening to local radio after the Clemson win waiting for the "what I like about uconn" song to come on the radio again so we could blast it and dance around to it.

Also, my 10 year old sister, myself and my dad never saw the shot live because my sister and I were crying on the stairwell assuming we lost. We had to run in and watch it on replay after my mom started screaming.

And that is how you end up with a 4 hour a day boneyard habit.

 

[gtcam]

Does anyone know if this is on DVD-I also used to have it on VCR but damn daughter's cat pissed on it years ago
Thanks