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To rejoice SLAM’s thirtieth anniversary, we’re spotlighting the 30 most influential males’s faculty groups from our previous 30 years. Stats, data and chips aren’t the principle issue right here, it’s all about their contribution to the sport’s cultural material.
For the subsequent 30 days—Monday by means of Friday— we’ll be unveiling the full list here. We’ve additionally received an unique retro collegiate assortment, out now, that pays homage to every squad’s threads. Shop here.
Headed into the 2011 season, UConn was unranked on each preseason ballot and picked to complete tenth within the Massive East. They’d simply come off a mediocre season wherein they did not make the NCAA event for the second time in 4 years. So individuals had already written them off as a risk within the Massive East, not to mention as a nationwide title contender.
In different phrases, a complete lot of gasoline was being added to the hearth already brewing in these Huskies—a Huskies squad led by a 6-foot, 172-pound star level guard from the Bronx.
All eyes pointed to Kemba Walker, who returned for the 2011 season, a junior with lofty expectations. He’d already grow to be a fan-favorite confirmed to attain in bunches, all the time in a contemporary pair of retro Js, however might he affect successful at a excessive stage? Might you rely on him to guide UConn again to glory?
Don’t get it twisted, although; Kemba had a well-composed squad round him. Amongst them have been two star-studded freshmen–level guard Shabazz Napier and swingman Jeremy Lamb–who would every grow to be first-round NBA Draft picks themselves. However was it sufficient? Would their lack of expertise be a hindrance? UConn was very proficient, however how constant might they be?
A whole lot of questions, however UConn had the cheat sheet.
They made it by means of their non-conference schedule undefeated, successful ten straight earlier than moving into Massive East play, together with wins over No. 2 Michigan State and No. 8 Kentucky. Throughout that stint, UConn ranked as excessive as No. 4 on the AP ballot and appeared primed to make a run on the Massive East crown.
Anybody who is aware of something about faculty hoops of the 2000s and 2010s is aware of each Massive East matchup was a dogfight. On any given night time, UConn might convincingly beat a top-10 crew like Georgetown or lose by 15 to an unranked St. Johns. It was that sort of up-and-down convention slate for them. They completed a disappointing ninth within the Massive East and headed into the Massive East Match, dropping 4 of its final 5 video games.
Properly, the best way March Insanity is ready up, the Huskies have been in good place to take the nation by storm.
They breezed by means of their first two video games of the Massive East Match, incomes a spot within the quarterfinals–a rematch in opposition to Pittsburgh (the Massive East common season champs who blew them out again in December). This time round, in March, the stakes have been totally different.
The sport was tied at 74. Seven seconds left on the clock. UConn’s ball.
Everybody of their proper thoughts knew who was taking the final shot. It didn’t matter. With a mismatch on the prime of the important thing Kemba hit a clean right-to-left hesi, took a tough attack-dribble left, stopped on a dime, stepped again and raised up for his picture-perfect jumper because the helpless defender stumbled to the bottom. The ball splashed by means of the online, Madison Sq. Backyard erupted and a school basketball legend was born.
“It was a particular second in UConn historical past; I turned to my assistants as we have been strolling off the court docket and stated, ‘We received one thing particular happening,’” Jim Calhoun, UConn’s retired hall-of-fame head coach, recalled in a 2016 interview.
Coach Calhoun couldn’t have been extra proper. Kemba and the Huskies sealed the deal two days later and received the Massive East Match. That’s 5 days, 5 video games and 5 wins. A really unprecedented run. However subsequent up was the NCAA Match. They’d must win six extra video games in a row to be the final crew reducing the nets. Absolutely, they couldn’t proceed enjoying with the identical stage of depth after having simply survived that Massive East gauntlet, proper?
Uh-uh, mistaken.
Kemba performed like a person possessed; the crew went as he went. He averaged 23.5 factors, 6 rebounds and 5.6 assists within the NCAA Match en path to main this system to their third nationwide championship in a win over Butler–defeating future corridor of famers like Kawhi Leonard and bluebloods like Kentucky (for a second time) alongside the best way.
The 2011 UConn crew epitomizes every part we love about faculty basketball–the swagger, the tradition, the underdog story, the journey. From unranked to on prime of the ladder, the 2011 UConn Huskies are perpetually immortalized in basketball historical past.
Pictures through Getty Photos.
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