The University of Connecticut Men’s Basketball Squad captured their second consecutive National Championship with Monday nights 75-60 victory over Purdue University. With the win Connecticut became the first college team to win back-to-back titles since the Florida Gators in 2006-2007. Since the tournament’s expansion, Connecticut is one of only three schools to go back-to-back with Duke accomplishing the feat in 1991-1992.
Connecticut was simply dominant during this run to say the least. The Huskies +140 is the highest in the history of the NCAA Tournament. During last season’s tournament run Connecticut boasted a +120. The Huskies impressive run in 2023 came as a number four seed. Not many anticipated Connecticut performing at that level. The fact that they were able to improve their already dominant team speaks volumes to just how good the team was this season.
With the win, Connecticut improves to 6-0 in National Championship games. The Huskies are the only team with at least six championships that has never lost the final. UCLA has captured the most NCAA Championships with 11, followed by Kentucky with eight. Connecticut and North Carolina are now tied with six. However, Connecticut has won it all six times since 1999. The second closest in that time frame are North Carolina and Duke with three championships each since 1999. Duke and North Carolina are considered the cream of the crop in college today. Yet, Connecticut is sitting here having won twice as many championships in the last quarter century. Duke and North Carolina may be a tad bit more consistent than Connecticut over time, but Connecticut’s performances under the games grandest stage are second to none.
UCLA won their last National Championship in 1995. Before that the Bruins hadn’t won since 1975. The bulk of UCLA’s winning came under John Wooden. U.C.L.A has not been able to maintain that level of consistency Wooden set during his tenure. Kentucky is in the same boat. The Wildcats have won eight National Championships, four of which came before 1957. The gaudy numbers exist historically, but to compare these institutions to Connecticut at least in recent memory is blasphemous.
With Monday night’s victory, Connecticut has separated themselves from the pack. The questions of whether or not they’re a blue blood must come to an end. Not only is Connecticut a blue blood, but they also now fly at the head of the pack.
Huskie alums came out in strobes to represent their alma mater. Connecticut has been at the forefront of putting players in the NBA since the early 1990s. Connecticut is one of a few schools known for pumping out NBA talent. The difference is Connecticut’s talent has had a load of success on the NBA level.
Ray Allen, Donyell Marshall, Richard Hamilton, Kemba Walker and Ben Gordon all had extended successful careers in the NBA. Emeka Okafor, Charlie Villanueva and Rudy Gay have also had extended careers in the NBA. The list goes on and on.
The main reason for Connecticut’s success since the turn of the century is coaching. Jim Calhoun started it all for the Huskies. The Hall-of-Fame coach won three National Championships before handing the reigns over to Kevin Ollie. Ollie kept the ball rolling, guiding Connecticut to a National Championship in 2014. Dan Hurley, who took over the reigns in 2018 has hit the ground running winning titles in consecutive years.
Hurley is one of only four coaches to win two titles in his first six seasons. The son of legendary St Anthony’s coach Bob Hurley Sr. and brother of former Duke legend Bobby Hurley has carved out his own piece of basketball lore. The youngest Hurley can now truly sit at the table with his father and older brother. Hurley Sr. won a record 26 New Jersey State Championships. His older brother won back-to-back championships with Duke in 1991-1992. The youngest Hurley can now say he’s accomplished something neither his older brother nor father did in winning back-to-back National Championships.
Connecticut lost three starters following the 2023 title. This season Hurley had to compensate for these losses with a combination of precise recruiting and key transfers. With the present state of college basketball, any school can recruit talent through the transfer portal. But recruiting players that fit is the key. Hurley has done a superb job at blending talent in a not so easy playing field.
Hurley coached one season under his father following his career as a player at Seton Hall. He coached St. Benedicts in New Jersey from 2001-2010. Hurley coached Wagner College from 2010- 2012 and was the lead man for Providence from 2012-2018. He’s slowly moved his way up the ranks and has quietly carved out his own niche coaching the game he’s been engulfed with since adolescence.
Connecticut executed their gameplan to a tee against Purdue. The Boilermakers shot only 14 percent from three. Only one Purdue player managed to score off the bench. Back-to-back Naismith Player of The Year Zach Edey showed why he’s been the best in the nation for two years running. He notched 37 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. Edey was dominant as always, but this just seemed to play into the Huskies favor. Connecticut Sophomore Donovon Clingan used all of his 7’2 frame to try and slow down Edey. The fact that Connecticut had players big enough to check Edey man-to-man while sending the late double seemed to frustrate Edey a tad bit. Connecticut dominated the second half despite Edey’s heroic performance.
History would prove Connecticut has nowhere to go but down from here. The only school to ever win three consecutive NCAA Championships was UCLA. The Bruins won every tournament from 1967-1973. That type of dominance has yet to be duplicated. Connecticut’s run is certainly one of the greatest in tournament history. The Transfer Portal and NIL has seen older players stick around college longer. The days of college players being broke are somewhat over. Connecticut has an outside shot of doing the unthinkable and topping a mark by UCLA that no one ever thought would fall.
