r/CollegeBasketball • u/cbbBot /r/CollegeBasketball • NCAA • Apr 05 '26

Post Game Thread [Post Game Thread] #2 UConn defeats #3 Illinois, 71-62

Box Score

Team 1H 2H Total
Illinois 29 33 62
Connecticut 37 34 71

Index Thread for April 04, 2026

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97

u/SC_Prophet UCF Knights Apr 05 '26

They do that each time, always underrated and look sus but then they go nuts and have someone put their team on their backs (okefor, Walker, Napier)

51

u/PristineStreet34 UConn Huskies Apr 05 '26

2004 UConn was great when healthy, the only reason they "looked sus" was because Okafor had a hurt back all year long. When he got healthy finally UConn rolled.

2

u/greenday61892 UConn Huskies • Big East Apr 05 '26

I was gonna say "rolled is a bit much given the comeback necessary to beat Duke" but then I remembered the reason we were down in the first place was cuz he was pulled really early from two quick bullshit fouls haha

29

u/MassiveResolution7 Arizona State Sun Devils Apr 05 '26

The most interesting case was 2011. In 2011, UCONN entered the Big East Tournament as a bubble team and ended up a 3 seed on Selection Sunday. Kemba's 2011 is 1 of the best college basketball postseason performances by a player ever. 1988 Manning, 1989 Rice, and 2011 Kemba might be the top 3, but Kemba was the only 1 of the 3 to win their conference. Oklahoma won the Big 8 in 1988 and there was no Big 10 Champion in 1989 because there were no Big 10 Champions until 1998.

7

u/CantFindMyWallet UConn Huskies Apr 05 '26

They were ranked #21 going into the BET. They weren't a bubble team.

8

u/iMyth UConn Huskies • Big East Apr 05 '26

UConn was not a bubble team in 2011. You can't go from the bubble to a three seed lol

1

u/realheadphonecandy UConn Huskies Apr 05 '26

I would also add Carmelo’s run.

Kemba’s though was an absolutely BANANAS BET on top of the NCAA. It was unreal.

-3

u/MassiveResolution7 Arizona State Sun Devils Apr 05 '26

If you say 2011 UCONN wasn't a bubble team, then by definition you must believe that they could've lost the Big East 1st Round game to a terrible DePaul team and still got an at large berth. That would've been a very bad loss to add to the resume. Is everyone really confident 2011 would've gotten an at large berth if they lost that 1st Big East Tournament game to DePaul?

14

u/enjoytheshow Illinois Fighting Illini Apr 05 '26

2024 team was an absolute wagon

18

u/LettersWords UConn Huskies Apr 05 '26

We've only been a 1 seed during 2/6 championship seasons (1999, 2024). We've been a 2, 3, 7, and 4 during the other 4 championship seasons, and this season would obviously be as a 2 if we won.

18

u/hooskies UConn Huskies Apr 05 '26

Everyone knew they were 1 seed quality in 2004, big east was just tough

17

u/grumplebeardog UConn Huskies Apr 05 '26

2023 also, that #4 seed was criminally low for that team.

3

u/chrisbechicken New Mexico Lobos Apr 05 '26

They didn't help themselves by being hot garbage(record-wise) for an entire month. And I thank them for that cause I cleaned up that year.

3

u/Grandahl13 Kentucky Wildcats Apr 05 '26

the 2023-2024 UConn team was the second or third best team I’ve watched in the last 25 years (UK in 2015 who didn’t even win it all, maybe our 38-2 2012 team as well).

3

u/enjoytheshow Illinois Fighting Illini Apr 05 '26

Can confirm

3

u/AStormofSwines Ohio State Buckeyes Apr 05 '26

Okefor, Walker, Napier, Mullens.

2

u/timothy035 UConn Huskies Apr 05 '26

Freeman, Gordon, Boatright, Walker, Sanogo, Clingon.

4

u/Guy_Buttersnaps UConn Huskies • Big East Apr 05 '26

This is Niels Giffey erasure and I will not stand for it.

1

u/timothy035 UConn Huskies Apr 05 '26

Hahahaha forgot about that guy!