Wednesday night marks the 14th top-5 matchup for the University of Connecticut men’s basketball team, with No. 4 Arizona coming to Gampel Pavilion.
In the past 13 matchups, UConn holds a 7-6 record (hat-tip to Bobby Mullen). For the first time since Feb. 26, 2006 (and the second time ever), Gampel Pavilion will be home to a top-5 men’s college basketball matchup.
With the 14th matchup tonight, this edition of Sam’s Section will go over the past 13 matchups and how UConn fared in them.
Feb. 26, 1996: No. 3 UConn defeats No. 4 Villanova, 70-59
The first-ever top-5 matchup in UConn men’s basketball history came during Ray Allen’s final season in Storrs. Villanova was led by Kerry Kittles, but he did not play due to a three-game suspension. Allen led the Huskies with 26 points as the Huskies secured the top seeding in the Big East Tournament.
March 9, 1996: Allen hits game-winner as No. 3 UConn wins Big East title over No. 4 Georgetown, 75-74
Arguably the greatest Big East championship game in the conference’s history, UConn managed to score the game’s final 12 points to stun Georgetown. All 12 unanswered points came with star center Travis Knight benched after fouling out. Allen hit a game-winning circus shot with 13.6 seconds left and finished with 17 points. The Hoyas were headlined by future Hall of Famer Allen Iverson, but it was Victor Page’s 20-point performance that earned him the Big East Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player honor.
March 21, 1998: No. 1 North Carolina defeats No. 5 UConn in Elite Eight showdown, 75-64
North Carolina had the advantage of playing UConn at the Greensboro Coliseum. The Tar Heels’ roster was loaded, including Antawn Jamison and Vince Carter. Jamison, who was named the national player of the year that season, led the way with 20 points. UConn was led by a 24-point effort from Khalid El-Amin, but that was not enough to punch a ticket to Connecticut’s first Final Four ever.
Feb. 6, 1999: No. 1 UConn downs No. 4 Stanford without Rip Hamilton, 70-59
It was a program-altering non-conference win over No. 4 Stanford for UConn. To accomplish the feat without superstar Richard Hamilton, the impossible was made possible. El-Amin led the Huskies with 23 points, one of three double-figure scorers for UConn. Connecticut never trailed and held the Cardinal to 35% shooting.
March 29, 1999: No. 3 UConn shocks the world, defeating No. 1 Duke, 77-74
UConn was a 10-point underdog to a Duke team that looked unbeatable for 99% of the season. However, with the help of a 27-point effort from Hamilton, Connecticut shocked the world to win the 1999 NCAA title. Trajon Langdon’s travel with 5.4 seconds remaining forced the Blue Devils to foul El-Amin, who sank both free throws to make it a 3-point game. Langdon tripped as he looked to tie the game, and the rest was history.
Feb. 15, 2004: No. 4 Pittsburgh beats No. 5 UConn, 75-68
Pittsburgh got its revenge against UConn from an instant classic a month prior. Emeka Okafor, who wound up being the NABC Co-Player of the Year, had 16 points and six rebounds. Pitt had four players score 10 points or more, and the free-throw differential was key in the Panthers’ massive win.
Feb. 13, 2006: No. 4 Villanova upsets No. 1 UConn, 69-64
Villanova secured its first victory over a top-ranked team in nearly 11 years. The Wildcats shot 7-of-9 from deep in the second half, and Allan Ray knocked down five 3-pointers overall. Rudy Gay led the way for the Huskies with a 19-point, 10-rebound effort. UConn had a chance to tie in the final seconds, but Marcus Williams turned the ball over, and Ray’s two free throws with 2.2 seconds remaining sealed the deal for Villanova.
Feb. 26, 2006: No. 3 UConn gets revenge against No. 2 Villanova, 89-75
As mentioned earlier, this game marks the only other time Gampel Pavilion has hosted a top-5 matchup. UConn had a plethora of players come up big, including a career-high 23 points from Denham Brown. Ray had 19 points but left the game in the final stretch with a left knee injury.
Feb. 16, 2009: No. 4 Pittsburgh stuns No. 1 UConn, 76-68
DeJuan Blair played the game of his life in Pittsburgh’s 76-68 win over top-ranked Connecticut, scoring 22 points and grabbing 23 rebounds. Sam Young also had a high-scoring game with 25 points. A.J. Price led UConn in scoring with 18 points on 6-16 shooting. He also led the team in assists with eight.
March 7, 2009: No. 3 Pittsburgh sweeps No. 1 UConn, 70-60
Death, taxes and Young terrorized UConn in 2009. Young had a 31-point performance to help Pittsburgh secure one of the top seeds in the NCAA Tournament. Price led the Huskies again in scoring with 19 points but only shooting 5-15 from the floor.
Dec. 1, 2023: No. 5 Kansas holds off No. 4 UConn, 69-65
Tristen Newton hit a career-high six 3-pointers and scored 31 points. Despite that, Kansas was able to hold off the Huskies’ comeback with a 21-point effort from Kevin McCullar Jr. Cam Spencer had a chance at a go-ahead 3-pointer, but his shot came up short, and KJ Adams Jr. came up with a massive defensive rebound.
Feb. 17, 2024: No. 1 UConn destroys No. 4 Marquette, 81-53
No one thought a top-5 matchup between the two top Big East teams would be a massive blowout. However, the Huskies overwhelmed Marquette from the opening tip. Donovan Clingan had a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double while Newton flirted with a triple-double with 15 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.
April 8, 2024: No. 1 UConn wins second-consecutive NCAA title, defeating No. 3 Purdue, 75-60
Two of the best teams all season long faced in Monday’s NCAA title game. Newton continued his generational run with a 20-point performance. Connecticut’s defense remained supreme, holding one of the top 3-point shooting teams to just one 3-pointer made. Zach Edey, the national player of the year, had 37 points.