Repeat that again: UConn in rare company with back-to-back national championships (2024)

  • Repeat that again: UConn in rare company with back-to-back national championships (1)

    Pete Thamel, ESPNApr 9, 2024, 02:58 AM ET

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- UConn's national title game blowout of Purdue on Monday night didn't unfold with a thunderclap run, a singular herculean effort or a defining moment.

It unfolded as a fitting tribute to the historic team that executed it -- a suffocating defense that gradually cut off the oxygen from the Boilermakers' backcourt, a balanced offense with four double-digit scorers and a defensive game plan executed with precision.

A flurry of bright lights led coach Dan Hurley and the Huskies to their shining moment, as UConn won back-to-back national championships and delivered the school's sixth title, all since 1999.

And as No. 1 overall seed UConn tidily dispatched fellow 1-seed Purdue 75-60, the Huskies completed another dramaless NCAA tournament game, securing a record 12th consecutive double-digit win in the Big Dance.

The tensionless second half left the greater college basketball world with only one remaining drama to ponder: Where does this two-year UConn run rank among the all-time repeat performers in the sport? And should this UConn team be considered among the all-time greats?

UConn finished this tournament winning its six games by an average of 23.3 points. The 140 combined points they won those six games by blows away the next most dominant title winner, which was North Carolina winning by a total of 125 in 2009.

"I just think it's the best two-year run, I think, in a very, very long time just because of everything we lost from last year's team," Hurley said. "To lose that much and, again, to do what we did again, it's got to be as impressive a two-year run as a program's had since prior to whoever did it before Duke."

UConn's title team in 2023 won by an average of 20 points per game or 120 total points. UConn lost five of its top eight scorers from that team. And perhaps the most compelling argument for the singular dominance of this run is that the teams UConn did it with were completely different, indicative of the distinctly different era they achieved it in. The previous two teams to go back-to-back before UConn were Billy Donovan's Florida squads in 2006 and 2007 and Mike Krzyzewski's Duke teams in 1991 and 1992.

"To me, it is more impressive than what Florida and Duke did because they brought back their entire teams," Hurley said. "We lost some major players."

Despite different personnel and different eras, UConn displayed unprecedented dominance. No other team in NCAA history has won all six NCAA tournament games by 13 or more. UConn did it back-to-back.

Repeat that again: UConn in rare company with back-to-back national championships (2)play

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So, where should we consider this UConn run in the history of the NCAA tournament? Comparing teams and eras is tricky, as the paradigms of player retention and the length of time players stay in school have changed significantly.

It's certain UConn is at least among the generational greats, as the scope of its dominance within its era is unmatched.

Would UConn beat the Florida teams with Joakim Noah, Al Horford and Corey Brewer? Those debates are for Final Four barstools in perpetuity, but it's impossible to argue that these Huskies proved consistently better in the NCAA tournament than those Gators teams did in their era.

Is UConn better than the Duke teams led by Bobby Hurley -- the brother of the Huskies' coach -- and Krzyzewski? That debate is for the Hurley family Thanksgiving table, but that comparison is difficult because the Blue Devils had eight players on the 1992 roster who eventually were drafted.

"I can't say anything about Duke because I'm going to piss my brother off," Dan Hurley said. "But I guess I can say stuff about Florida. But I love Billy Donovan. So, I'm in a bad spot."

What has separated UConn and will catapult this run among the greats is that it hasn't been defined by a star player or a rigid system.

Instead, it has played with a steady fire, a relentlessness that matches how its coach pleads with the referees and a crispness that doesn't fluctuate with the ebbs of the scoreboard.

"Not everyone can do what they just did," Boilermakers coach Matt Painter said, referencing the canceling of Purdue's guard play.

This UConn team won with Tristen Newton's creativity, Cam Spencer's verve, Stephon Castle's defensive mettle, Alex Karaban's versatility and Donovan Clingan's looming presence. It won with backup center Samson Johnson converting lobs and backup guard Hassan Diarra scoring nine points on Monday night, critical contributions when the game was still a game.

Clingan and Castle are projected in the top 20 of this year's NBA draft as UConn's only surefire first-round picks and maybe the only draft picks on this roster. Perhaps what will define this UConn team when history reflects on it is that the sum ended up better than the collection of high-end parts.

Collectively, the Huskies were a hammer that just kept pounding opponents into submission. They eliminated Purdue's perimeter offense, pulled away thanks to 14 offensive rebounds and shared the ball enough for 18 assists on their 30 baskets. They scored out of timeouts with consistency, didn't flinch when teams made runs and never wavered when the stakes got higher and higher.

Much of that unflappability can go back to Hurley, who now has his name alongside some of the greats in the sport. Along with Donovan and Krzyzewski, the only other coaches to win back-to-back NCAA titles are John Wooden (UCLA), Ed Jucker (Cincinnati), Phil Woolpert (San Francisco), Adolph Rupp (Kentucky) and Henry Iba (Oklahoma State).

And UConn has a strong claim that the program has been the best in college basketball over the last generation, with its six titles coming in the past 25 years. While other programs have been more consistent over that quarter century, none has won at that high of a level.

UConn athletic director David Benedict called it a "historic program" and said there's an appreciation for how UConn endured through three straight NCAA tournament misses from 2017 to 2019.

"To bring it back in the fashion that we did and be in a situation where you went from winning four national championships, having a long hiatus, which I think there were a lot of people that might've written us off for good," Benedict said. "And so for us, for our coaches, for our fans, I think this is a very proud day."

A day that pushes UConn into a debate with some of the greatest runs in the history of the sport.

Repeat that again: UConn in rare company with back-to-back national championships (2024)

FAQs

Can UConn win back-to-back? ›

The first back-to-back champion since Florida in 2006 and 2007 and only the third since 1973, UConn earned its titles in emphatic fashion, winning all six 2024 March Madness games by 13+ points for a second straight year.

How many teams have won back-to-back national championships college basketball? ›

Seven different college basketball programs have won back-to-back national championships: Oklahoma State, Kentucky, San Francisco, Cincinnati, UCLA, Duke, Florida, and UConn.

What school was the last to win back-to-back men's basketball titles? ›

The UConn men's basketball team has won back-to-back NCAA championships : NPR. The UConn men's basketball team has won back-to-back NCAA championships The men's Huskies team is the first to win the NCAA basketball tournament back-to-back since the University of Florida in 2006 and 2007.

Who was the last college men's basketball team to repeat? ›

Florida's Corey Brewer was named the Most Outstanding Player. Florida became the first team to repeat since Duke in 1992, and were the seventh school to repeat overall. The 2007 Gators were the last team to repeat as national champions until the UConn Huskies repeated as national champions in 2024.

What is the 8 year rule at UConn? ›

All students wishing to apply toward a degree the credits earned more than eight years before graduation must have permission from the dean of the school or college concerned. The permission, if granted, applies only to the current school or college.

Has UConn won 6 championships in a row? ›

Since 1999, the Huskies have won six national championships in a span of 25 years, a run only rivaled by UCLA under John Wooden. In 2024, UConn became the eighth school in NCAA Division I history to win back-to-back national championships, and the first to do so in 17 years.

Can UConn repeat basketball? ›

The Huskies became the first men's team since Florida in 2006 and 2007 to win back-to-back national titles. After that 70-63 defeat to New Mexico State on March 17, 2022, some questioned whether Hurley would ever live up to the high expectations that come with coaching at UConn.

How many schools have won back-to-back national championships? ›

Since the men's NCAA Tournament debuted in 1939, only eight programs have won consecutive national championships. Oklahoma State was the first to accomplish the feat, winning the Big Dance in 1945 and 1946 when the university was named Oklahoma A&M College.

Has there ever been a 3 peat in college basketball? ›

The most iconic example of a 3-peat in men's college basketball belongs to the UCLA Bruins under the leadership of the legendary coach John Wooden. The Bruins achieved an unprecedented seven consecutive NCAA championships from 1967 to 1973, including an incredible 3-peat from 1967 to 1973.

Which college team has the most national championships? ›

Yale football has one of the most impressive resumes in the sport, with two of the first three Heisman winners, 100 All-Americans, 28 Hall of Fame inductees, and 18 national championships recognized by the NCAA — the most all time.

How many times has UConn won the national championship? ›

Published April 8, 2024 • Updated on April 10, 2024 at 2:39 pm. The UConn men's basketball team has won a sixth national title. The team defeated Purdue, 75-60, on Monday night to become back-to-back national champions.

Who has the most wins in men's college basketball history? ›

Mike Krzyzewski has the most total victories for men's basketball with 1,202.

Who is the all time leading scorer in men's college basketball history? ›

1. Pete Maravich, LSU: 3,667 points (1967-68 to 1969-70) "Pistol Pete" stands alone.

Has a men's college basketball team ever gone undefeated? ›

Who was the last undefeated NCAA men's basketball team? It's been nearly 50 years since the last unbeaten men's champ, which was the 1975-76 Hoosiers. Gonzaga was on the brink of ending the drought in 2020-21, but the Bulldogs fell to Baylor in the national title game.

What are the odds UConn wins the tournament? ›

2025 NCAA Tournament championship odds
UConn+1000
Auburn+3000
Baylor+3000
Michigan State+3000
Gonzaga+3000
190 more rows
Apr 9, 2024

What are the odds of getting into UConn? ›

The acceptance rate at UConn is 55.6%.

In other words, of 100 students who apply, 56 are admitted. This means the school is somewhat selective.

Has there been a 3 peat in college basketball? ›

UCLA Bruins (1967-1973)

The most iconic example of a 3-peat in men's college basketball belongs to the UCLA Bruins under the leadership of the legendary coach John Wooden. The Bruins achieved an unprecedented seven consecutive NCAA championships from 1967 to 1973, including an incredible 3-peat from 1967 to 1973.

Does UConn have legacy? ›

Individually and collectively, they represent a rich diversity of leadership experiences, personal accomplishments, and academic excellence. Through their actions, these Legacy Students have personified character, integrity, maturity, and the potential that lies in every University of Connecticut student.

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