The day is here!
After a few ‘rough’ years (according to some fans) in the AAC, which included a gifted national title, postseason ban and a large legal battle with a certain ex player-coach, UConn is finally returning to the scene of their past glory.
In honor of the day, I’ll be spending this week putting together some posts which covers UConn sports history. While the majority of this will be focused on Connecticut’s time spent in the Big East (for obvious reasons), there will also be old history and other sports covered. This is because while these posts are largely in part to celebrate the good old days of college basketball, it is also to highlight a critical time in UConn’s history.
Recently, the university chose to cut four Division-I varsity sports (while furloughing workers and increasing the police force by 20 officers). This suspect decision comes at a time when the nation and world at whole is struggling to navigate challenges, both new and old, in the forms of the novel Covid-19 pandemic and Black Lives Matter movement which has resurfaced systemic problems in our country.
While I’ll get to the overall history and problems the university faces tomorrow, I think we are allowed one day for celebration. I’ll be beginning with a look at my choices for UConn basketball’s top 5 Big East moments.
Let’s get this hype train rolling. The Huskies are BACK IN THE BIG EAST!
Day 1: Top 5 UConn Big East Memories
1. Cardiac Kemba
“Kemba Walker. Step back. Walker. CARDIAC KEMBA DOES IT AGAIN! UCONN WINS AT THE BUZZER!”
Jesus. Just typing that gave me chills.
Kemba Walker’s absolutely filthy stepback on Gary Mcghee in the 2011 Big East quarterfinal not only netted them a 76-74 win over long-time rival Pitt, it created one of the most memorable buzzer beaters of all time.
I can’t even count how many times back in college that I looked up during class in Arjona to see someone in front of me watching the replay on their laptop. I’m not exaggerating whatsoever when I say that it happened over 50 times. Not like I wasn’t doing it too.
This game winner did something else. It surged raw energy into a UConn team which finished #9 in the Big East.
The Huskies would go on to beat Syracuse 76-71 in OT and Louisville 69-66 to win their seventh Big East Championship, become the only team to ever win five conference tournament games in five days, earn an automatic bid to the big dance.
Not like they did much with it though. Oh wait, THEY WENT ON TO WIN THEIR THIRD FUCKING NATIONAL TITLE.
2. Allen vs. Allen
Ray Allen hits an off-balance jumper off the back board to put #3 UConn over an Allen Iverson-led #5 Georgetown in the final seconds of the 1996 Big East Championship game, winning 74-73.
Everything here is just legendary. Two Hall of Famers facing off as All-Americans in a heated college rivalry. A prayer shot off the glass to give a 1-point lead in the closing moments. One of the greatest ball handlers of all time driving down the court but missing his fadeaway. Not to mention, UConn scoring the last 14 points of the game to complete the insane comeback, capped by Ray Allen’s only points of the second half.
Hard to watch that ending and not get out of your seat. I know it got Jim Calhoun jumping as we won his second Big East Championship.
Please forget about Roy Hibbert’s revenge in 2008.
3. The Dream Season
Late in the 80s, UConn was beginning to gain real traction as a program. Prior to the 1986-87 season, the Huskies hired Northeastern coach Jim Calhoun to take the reigns.
By 1988, Calhoun had improved the team significantly and was able to take them to an NIT title. A 72-67 championship victory over Ohio State (which coincidentally came at Madison Square Garden) spelled good things to come for UConn. I don’t think anyone could have predicted the magic that came next.
Unranked in the 1990-91 preseason, the Huskies racked up an impressive 25-5 record (12-4 conference) under fourth-year coach Calhoun, tying with Syracuse for the best regular-season conference record. Despite a better regular season record, the Huskies were snubbed for #1 seed in the conference tournament based on tie-breakers.
In the end, UConn proved they were the best team in the conference, defeating the Orange 78-75 in the final to earn their very first Big East Tournament Championship.
UConn’s great season and tournament would earn them a #1 seed in the East region of the NCAA tournament, where they would make a run to their first Elite Eight.
In that game, the Huskies would suffer a heartbreaking loss to Duke (78-79) after a remarkable Sweet Sixteen win over Clemson (see: “The Shot.”).
These two exciting, close tournament games, along with UConn’s extraordinary season and Big East tournament win would catapult the Huskies to the spotlight and earn them national respect for the first time.
4. Bird at the Buzzer
What? You thought this would only be the guys? Hell nah. I love my ladies, especially when it comes to those that hit legendary, revenge-filled, tournament-winning shots over their biggest rivals.
If you’re just tuning in to the absolute madness that has been UConn women’s basketball the past two and half *decades*, I’m talking about Sue Bird’s last second pullback jumper to win the 2001 Big East final over Notre Dame. Let’s set up the moment.
Marching ahead towards what Geno predicted would be a repeat title, UConn suffered a blow which sent them reeling in their first loss of the season to Notre Dame. Not only did the Fighting Irish convincingly win 92-76, the Huskies were tactically outmatched while blowing a 16-point lead. To add insult to injury, Shea Ralph, one of UConn’s best players who was a lockdown defender in the first half of the game, tore her ACL for the third time in her career and left the gate wide open for the Fighting Irish comeback.
Notre Dame won the game despite their two best players playing injured and continued undefeated, taking UConn’s number one ranking and pride.
The year goes on and UConn ranks second in the national standings behind Notre Dame. As they march their way through the Big East, the Huskies are missing Ralph and another star player from the previous year’s championship team. Svetlana Abrosimova, UConn’s leading scorer, suffered a foot injury during UConn’s only other loss on the season, to rival Tennessee, and was unable to play.
As Connecticut and Notre Dame meet in the Big East Tournament Championship, things look doubtful for a Huskies squad without some of its best players and chasing a win over their biggest competition both in conference and overall.
The stage is set. A huge snow storm takes over New England, dropping a foot of snow over Storrs and forcing a travel warning by the governor of CT, then John Rowland. It wasn’t enough to stop the two best teams in the country from facing off at Gampel.
The game begins and it is back and forth the entire way. As the late fourth quarter starts to heat up, star freshman Diana Taurasi fouls out and UConn is left with junior Sue Bird as the key veteran still on the floor. She hits a shot to put the Huskies up three with a minute left, but promptly turns the ball over and allows Notre Dame to tie the game with 13 seconds left.
It’s time for one last shot. Despite suffering from back spasms for most of the conference tournament and the costly turnover, Sue Bird gets tapped to take the final shot and makes the most of it.
UConn’s Morgan Valley turned to Maria Conlon on the bench and says, “Five seconds left and Sue Bird has the ball. I like our chances.” The next few moments would decide.
Bird takes the ball off a screen, drives through the press defense of Notre Dame in seconds and pulls up just inside the foul line. It bounces off the front of the rim, it bounces again off the back, the buzzer sounds….SWISH.
Sue Bird’s clutch shot showed that despite all the challenges the Huskies faced that year, they were able to persevere and come through with a win over their biggest conference rival, a growing superpower in the nation.
Notre Dame would end up winning the third matchup between the two schools that year, in the Final Four, and end up winning it all soon after. However, the Big East title showed just how entertaining the games were in those days of women’s basketball.
Long winded, I know. But the fact is with so many comments about how “UConn is too good, it’s unfair,” and “Women’s basketball is a joke,” people forget insane, should-be unforgettable moments like this which make up the true, beautiful, gritty history of the Big East.
5. Taliek Brown Toss Up
Facing Pitt in the 2002 Big East Tournament Championship game, the game was tied at 52-52 at the end of regulation.
As the first overtime came to an end, Pittsburgh’s Brandin Knight, who had hurt his knee as Pitt had tied to force overtime, checked in to toss up a 40-foot 3-point attempt. With 1.7 seconds left on the clock, the shot would have won the game but bounced off the rim to force a double overtime period.
The second overtime goes underway and both teams are level at 64-64 with two minutes to play. After chugging Mountain Dew and chewing straws all game, tournament MVP Caron Butler hits a turnaround jumper to give his Huskies the lead with 1:59 remaining.
As the game nears ever closer, Ben Gordon gets tied up at the top of the key with 35 seconds left and 2 seconds on the shot clock. Taliek Brown is only able to get open by running to half court, but manages to catch the ball, dribble and pull up for a 30 foot jumper to put the Huskies up 5.
The shot made it a two possession game and forced Pitt to foul, drawing out time and resulting in an awesome ending which gave UConn their fifth Big East championship title.