It’s official! After a truly historic season of college basketball, the UConn men’s basketball team reigned supreme as the National Champions. Of course, the entire world watched as the Huskies fought valiantly and dominated their opponents to get to the top. But it’s easy to lose track of the actual season of incredible moments that were created by the reigning National Champions. Our team of writers will aim to give their take for which was their favorite non-March Madness game from the team this season in this special edition of the Daily Campus Sports Roundtable.
(Cole Stefan/Senior Columnist): “Foot stays on gas” vs. Georgetown
Winning 21 of 23 contests against Big East opponents this season is extremely impressive, but the marquee moment from conference play occurred in a blowout. Two-time national champion head coach Dan Hurley called a timeout with his team up 25 in the second half against the Georgetown Hoyas in Washington, D.C. His message was stern and succinct: “foot stays on gas.” It was uttered as an observation of his team’s lack of hustle in an already-decided contest. Looking back two months later, those four words entered a pantheon of the most memorable phrases of the Hurley era, alongside “it’s coming.” Not only was it a hit among UConn fans, but it also showed the nation the culture Hurley has instilled in Storrs over the past six years. Complacency was not an option in the Naismith National Coach of the Year’s eyes. His team made sure of that during March Madness, beating all six opponents they faced by an average margin of 23.3 points.
(Stratton Stave/Sports Editor): Villanova at home for College Gameday
This was far from the most exciting game that the Huskies played in–they blew the Wildcats out in the second half as they did to many other teams — but the vibes were incredible. It was UConn’s first game removed from their most recent defeat and ended up starting their 13-game winning streak that still stands. College Gameday came to Storrs, CT for the first time in 10 years and students came in full force. They created an electric atmosphere for the show in the morning and followed it up with an amazing crowd for the actual game. Cam Spencer absolutely exploded with 25 points on 5/8 shooting from distance, while Tristen Newton got his final collegiate triple-double. The storylines throughout the action were great and UConn was once again able to show that they were ready to repeat on the national stage.
(Gavin Friedman/Campus Correspondent): Feb. 17 win over Marquette in Hartford
This was a game that most people thought would be a very close and competitive team. The game featured two of the top five teams in the nation on national television, so there was a lot of anticipation heading into this showdown. However, these expectations couldn’t have been further from the truth of what happened. The Huskies destroyed the Golden Eagles 81-53 and held star guard Tyler Kolek to merely 7 points. The game was close for the first 10 minutes, but after that, it was all UConn the rest of the way. This game put the entire country on notice that this team could beat anyone and win the national championship again. This was much more significant than another conference victory for the Huskies as it gave them a confidence boost that brought them to a Big East and NCAA Championship.
(Ava Inesta/Staff writer): March 3, 2024 – Seton Hall
It was a perfect way to close out the home slate, a revenge game against Seton Hall. Stephon Castle showed his true colors, dropping 21 points in the 91-61 win at Gampel Pavilion. Game after game, Castle showed that he was the real one on the court and a huge weapon for the Huskies. Donovan Clingan also dropped 19 points and 11 rebounds with five blocks. It was the first of the four net cuttings that the Huskies had during March/April and it was gladly celebrated on their home court on campus. The Huskies dominated the Big East conference all season long and they could not have finished off that slate in a better way. It was also the last regular season game at Gampel Pavilion for the year before UConn went on their back-to-back championship run. Since it was a blowout over the Pirates, the game wasn’t necessarily the most competitive, but it sure was a sweet way to send the Huskies into the playoffs.
(Sam Calhoun/Staff Writer): Beating North Carolina at MSG
These were two of the best teams in the country all year long, headlined by a guard battle between UConn’s Tristen Newton and North Carolina’s RJ Davis. However, it was the coming out party for grad transfer Cam Spencer, who led the team with 23 points and six assists as the Huskies bounced back after a heartbreaking loss at Kansas — which ended the team’s winning streak against non-conference opponents. Following a win in Seattle against Gonzaga, Connecticut took down three AP Top 15 teams. However, in front of a nationally televised crowd on ESPN and a sold-out Madison Square Garden, this win was a sight to see. Especially since the Huskies hadn’t fared well against the Tar Heels in the past. Looking back at this game, it was clear this team was a wagon, showing resilience after a loss. Both teams were No. 1 seeds in this year’s NCAA Tournament.
(Evan Rodriguez/Associate Sports Editor): Feb. 3 win over St. John’s in Storrs South
This season was massive for the St. John’s and UConn rivalry this year. After the Huskies took care of business against the Red Storm at the XL Center two days before Christmas, the matchup in New York became extra special. I personally wasn’t able to attend the first matchup between these two programs, so being able to attend the matchup at the Garden ended up being one of my fondest memories of the season. Considering how Connecticut was down a point at the half and still able to convincingly win ended up showing how this team really catches a spark in the final 20 minutes of games. When you insert one of Cam Spencer’s most impressive second half performances, that’s a game that a lot of Husky fans will appreciate when looking back at such a historic season of epic proportions.
(Sean Ahern/Staff Writer): Jaylin Stewart’s Big East Tournament Impact
In a season where the Huskies only lost three regular season games, the pool of highlight moments is significant. This team was led by experienced players from last year’s championship team, but I wanted to shine some light on the future of this program: Jaylin Stewart. The freshman had back-to-back impactful offensive performances in the Big East Tournament against St. John’s and Marquette. His eight points on perfect four-for-four shooting against St. John’s and nine points on three-for-four shooting from downtown was a scary sight for the NCAA Tournament field. It only solidified UConn’s unparalleled depth, and it got me hopeful for when the 2024-2025 season comes around. With the chance of the whole starting five leaving for the NBA draft or running out of eligibility, Stewart will slide right into being a focal point for UConn. He’s full of potential and all fans should be excited to see his growth.