What will you remember the most about this Championship Team?

[Matrim55]

I'll remember the way they played -- the way they ran their sets, the way they hedged & recovered. It was all NBA-level execution from a bunch of 19-to-22-year-old kids.

You don't see that often. It was brilliant, and I'm so happy for these kids.

 

[Pmac923]

The second half against Xavier at Gampel . The crowd, the resolve and the toughness to dig deep out of a hole. Gampel was bumping that night.

 

[asteinindc]

yeah. i think from a technical standpoint, this was the best uconn team of all the ones who won a natty. in 99, the team all knew their roles and played brilliantly. In 04, the talent was just overwhelming. in 11 it was Kemba's magic that carried us. In 14, who the knows why we actually won.

This year, it was evident that we were simply a more sophisticated, smarter team than anyone else out there. Having spent decades (calhoun years too) lamenting that we seemed to never have that level of offensive acumen, this year's team was a total revelation. It never felt like we didn't have an answer. It was just a matter of execution.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

There has not been a UConn team since 2004 that looked this dominant out of the gate.

 

[SL Husky]

So many puzzle pieces that came to fit together perfectly, lots of guys giving up individual stats for the good of the whole.

Also, a super fun weekend in Vegas to win the West Regional (but now regret I couldn't make it to Houston, too).

 

[elmcityboy]

the dismal, dismal feelings in the summer of 2022 after nmsu and the transfers, buoyed slightly by the idea that we had a returning core of jackson, hawkins, and sanogo that could still somehow, someway be one of the best in college basketball.

then watching karaban and clingan for the first time in the fall and being genuinely excited. to be honest, after PK85 and 14-0, the only truly surprising thing that happened was the downswing. it was clear in november and december that we could win it all.

this team was so fun to watch.

 

[Chin Diesel]

The early season dominance.

The adjustments offensively and defensively after the January swoon. Karaban started to be able to guard the 4 spot and that was huge.

The dominance in the tourney.

A three act play.

 

[Tommyboy]

I am so thrilled I got to see the team in person when we rolled the gators. Love this team. They were so easy to pull for. Great kids.

 

[giddyup]

When they would click on all cylinders, they just played so spectacularly it was a thing of beauty. This was a team’s team with everybody just contributing and carrying the next guy. They came together and guys found their strengths and how to use them for the whole.

 

[NCHusky91]

The fact they buried the cock-a-roaches of conference realignment (Swofford, BC, Rutgers lucky sperm club, the AAC) and the fact that none of these parasite football schools ruining college sports came close to winning.

 

[Avon]

The early season dominance.

The adjustments offensively and defensively after the January swoon. Karaban started to be able to guard the 4 spot and that was huge.

The dominance in the tourney.

A three act play.

Great point re Karaban and his improved D

 

[Scoe]

Bill Walton comes to mind, nerds and Miller lights.

 

[hayman522]

Probably more than anything, Adama and AJax. And I think Hurley's roster construction was the best of any team this program has seen. So many complimentary parts while also having redundancies.

What Hurley did after losing all those transfers and graduating seniors was an amazing roster construction job. He brought in high level transfers that were better than the guys he lost.

 

[hayman522]

Just how much they've grown during the course of the season. This is all Hurley. I don't want to revisit all the drama about Ollie's championship (while it's really Uconn's, as is this one) - it wasn't his recruits (ad nauseum).

And, for the record, I'm an enormous KO fan - UConn born and bred, as a player and a coach - just to clear up.

But WHAT THE HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NC#5

Hurley's player development this year was off the charts.

 

[DMIL]

I would say their focus and togetherness specifically at tournament time both in the early part of the season the NCAAs. Hurley had this team absolutely dialed in for this tournament. You could see the switch turning on after the BET loss to Marquette. The timing was absolutely perfect. This was a team of answers, balance on both sides of the ball and depth. What an absolutely beautiful night in Houston and around UCONN nation. We are here! We are back!

 

[gsmooth]

How tight this team is, they truly are a family.

Which is why I am happier for them than me

 

[uconnfan68]

All the shooters on the team, the two headed monsters in the middle, Sanogo and Clingan and the tears on the cuse board

Adama and DC were the backbone of this team. How demoralizing must it have been to try to compete! 25-30 points, 20 rebounds, handful of blocks… almost every game, against all comers.

 

[huskyfever34]

Keep flashing back to the demolition of Oregon at PK when I realized "oh my God, every player on this team looks exactly how we hoped they'd be" and started telling doubting friends and family we were the best team in the nation. Just such amazing complimentary, selfless players, and Danny figured out all the buttons to push

 

[BlueMAB]

The second half against Xavier at Gampel . The crowd, the resolve and the toughness to dig deep out of a hole. Gampel was bumping that night.

You’re gonna remember a game we lost at home that completed the season sweep?

 

[Palatine]

They did it. They took their opportunity for greatness and achieved it.

 

[Waquoit]

Adama's smile. Just a kid that loves to play ball.

Speaking of smiles, I loved how Newton couldn't help letting a little smile out after a nice three.

 

[EricCantona]

Hawkins improving leaps and bounds from his freshman year. I admit, I never understood the hype after he was shaky with the ball in his hands last year. He turned into the best high volume 3 point shooter since Rashad Anderson and the best in college basketball. I'll never forget Newton playing tonight, how we wanted him to play all year. They took away a lot of our 3 pt shots tonight and he recognized that and took the ball to the rim against a smaller defender all night. MVP of the game.

In general, I'll never forgot how EASY and stress free this run was. Besides the first half of Iona and almost fainting when SD St cut it to 5, it was fairly stress free. Absolute wagon.

 

[UCfor3]

Just read that while the players were cutting down the net, Hurley walked around the court and thanked all the past Huskies that were there on the floor for all that they have done to build the program and for all they do to continue to support the program. That's awesome that Hurley did that. So many ex uconn greats at the game. That's family. A united Husky family.

 

[UCHuskies08]

One small odd thing I'll remember in Bobby Hurley sitting in UConn blue in the stands rooting for us. All my life he was "That Duke Guy." Good to have you aboard, Bobby!

 

[Waquoit]

I'll remember the way they played -- the way they ran their sets, the way they hedged & recovered. It was all NBA-level execution from a bunch of 19-to-22-year-old kids.

You don't see that often. It was brilliant, and I'm so happy for these kids.

That's it, Matrim. It was team ball from start to finish.