Video of UConn's first NCAA Tournament team

[Jimbo]

Apologies if this has been posted already, but it's pretty rare that I come across footage of any of Geno's pre-1995 teams, so I thought it was worth the risk of possibly creating a duplicate thread. This is an old Channel 8 story showcasing the 1988-89 Huskies on the eve of their first-round matchup against La Salle, UConn's first ever NCAA Tournament game. (Spoiler: we didn't win. )

There are a few really nice game highlights, as well as assorted wise thoughts from Geno, who's pretty sure something special's going on here—they drew 2,000 fans for the Providence game! Also, he hasn't changed a bit!

Hope you all enjoy.

 

[Sonny44]

Which one is Bascom?

 

[Rayvin56]

Awesome find, Jimbo--thoroughly enjoyed the flashback!

 

[Rayvin56]

Which one is Bascom?

Number 24, Sonny.

 

[UC10NN]

Hahaha. They were running the same sets back then!

 

[Ukonnfan]

Hahaha. They were running the same sets back then!

I think Burt Reynolds said something like: "if it worked once, it'll work again"..

 

[UConnNick]

I've never seen a Geno interview from that long ago. What has happened to the wiseguy Philly accent? It was almost like watching a clip from the movie "Jersey Boys" about Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.

 

[UcMiami]

I've never seen a Geno interview from that long ago. What has happened to the wiseguy Philly accent? It was almost like watching a clip from the movie "Jersey Boys" about Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.

He has been corrupted by gentile New England and mongrelized! CT especially is a very corrupted linguistic state with influence from NY and Boston, plus everywhere else in the world and every college campus is even more transient.

 

[UConnNick]

He has been corrupted by gentile New England and mongrelized! CT especially is a very corrupted linguistic state with influence from NY and Boston, plus everywhere else in the world and every college campus is even more transient.

He may have lost his accent, but he's never going to lose the wiseguy. That's what Pat Summitt never got. Many Southerners don't relate well to that brash, cocky, yankee wiseguy personality.

 

[JColes]

"Perhaps the best is yet to come?" Yeah I'd say so.
I liked how there's guys in the background of the field house playing intramural floor hockey while Geno's being interviewed. Times sure have changed.