UConn Huskies men's basketball

Connecticut Agricultural College played its first organized men's basketball game on February 8, 1901, a 17–12 win against Willimantic High School.{{cite news |editor1-last=Downing |editor1-first=T.F. |date=February 1901 |title=Athletic Notes |newspaper=Connecticut Agricultural College Lookout |volume=5 |issue=8 |pages=10–12 |hdl=11134/20002:860182772 |hdl-access=free }} The victory led the school to add men's basketball as a varsity sport the following year.{{Cite web |last=Best |first=Kenneth |date=2010-10-15 |title=A 'Time Capsule' of Husky Hoops |url=https://today.uconn.edu/2010/10/a-time-capsule-of-husky-hoops/ |access-date=2024-04-22 |website=UConn Today |language=en-US}} The program's first intercollegiate game came in the 1904–05 season, a 66–22 loss to UMass. Connecticut did not have a home court during these early years and eventually ceased competition in 1908 as a result. An independent team was given permission to compete under the school's name from 1910 to 1914. Connecticut resumed sponsorship of men's basketball as a varsity sport in the 1914–15 season following the construction of Hawley Armory, the school's first on-campus basketball court. The Aggies, as they were called at the time, had no coach from 1901 to 1915 and posted a 1–4 record on the 1914–15 season.

Looking to improve on its performance in the previous seasons, Connecticut named John F. Donahue as the program's first head coach in 1915. However, he led the team to four losing seasons and an 11–23 overall record during his tenure as head coach. Connecticut named M. Ross Swartz as Donahue's replacement in 1919. He posted a 7–5 record in his first year—the school's first winning season since returning basketball as a varsity sport—but finished 7–9 in his second.

File:J. Wilder Tasker.jpg in 1924]]

With losing records in five out of the previous six years, Connecticut finally turned the corner when it named J. Wilder Tasker as head coach for the 1921–22 season. The Aggies played their most aggressive schedule to date, and opened the season with a 38–33 win against Harvard in Cambridge.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlHYb-SoSOg |title=This Is UConn: The Story of College Basketball's New Kings |language=en |access-date=2024-04-22 |via=youtube.com}} In its second game, the team notched the program's first major upset, a 33–31 win over Army at West Point on December 21, 1921. Army was ranked No. 3 in the nation that season by the retrospective Premo-Porretta Power Poll. Connecticut finished the year 15–4 overall, the program's best season to date. Tasker returned for the 1922–23 season but abruptly resigned after the team's first game, a 52–19 loss to Army. He left Connecticut with a 15–5 overall record. Roy J. Guyer coached the remainder of the season, finishing 8–6 as interim head coach.

Connecticut named Sumner Dole as head coach ahead of the 1923–24 season. After posting a losing record in his first season, Dole led Connecticut to back-to-back New England Conference championships in 1925 and 1926. Hugh Greer was captain of the 1925–26 team. That season included a 30–26 win over UMass, a team ranked No. 25 in the country that season by the retrospective Premo-Porretta Power Poll. After the 1926–27 season, Dole stepped down as men's basketball head coach, but continued to coach the school's football team. He finished with a 34–22 record over four seasons as head coach.

With Dole shifting his focus to the school's football team, Louis A. Alexander was named Connecticut's first men's basketball-only head coach in 1927. In his first season, Alexander won the school's third New England Conference championship. That season included a 39–36 win over Springfield College, a team ranked No. 11 in the nation that year by the retrospective Premo-Porretta Power Poll. Alexander led the team to winning records again in the next two seasons before stepping down halfway through the 1930–31 season. He left Connecticut with a 35–19 overall record. Dole, who was still head coach of Connecticut's football team, coached the remainder of the men's basketball season, posting a 5–3 record as interim head coach and bringing his overall record to 39–25.

Connecticut named John Heldman Jr. head coach ahead of the 1931–32 season. Harrison "Honey" Fitch, the program's first African American player, joined the team in the 1932–33 season. Heldman made the controversial decision to bench Fitch in a game against the US Coast Guard Academy in 1934 after Coast Guard refused to play if Fitch was on the floor.{{Cite web|last=Amore|first=Dom|date=2021-02-14|title='Honey' Fitch, UConn's first Black basketball player, endured racism in 1930s to blaze the trail for future Huskies|url=https://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-mens-basketball/hc-sp-uconn-men-black-history-month-honey-fitch-20210214-20210214-jn4x7qrnind7lfrepthm367axi-story.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210214184112/https://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-mens-basketball/hc-sp-uconn-men-black-history-month-honey-fitch-20210214-20210214-jn4x7qrnind7lfrepthm367axi-story.html|archive-date=2021-02-14|access-date=2021-02-15|website=The Hartford Courant}} Heldman coached the following year, but resigned after the first game of the 1935–36 season, a loss to the school's alumni. Heldman finished with a 19–42 overall record. J. O. Christian coached the remainder of the 1935–36 season, finishing with a 3–10 record as interim head coach.

After five straight losing seasons, Don White was named head coach of the Huskies for the 1936–37 season. Prior to arriving at UConn, White spent 12 seasons as the head coach at Washington University. He led Connecticut to an 11–7 record in his first year.{{Cite web |last=Porter |first=Andrew |date=2013-03-11 |title=The sublime joy of an NCAA tournament ban |url=https://www.theuconnblog.com/2013/3/11/4089594/uconn-basketball-ncaa-big-east-tournament-postseason-ban |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=The UConn Blog |language=en}} In the 1940–41 season, the team went 14–2 and won the school's fourth New England Conference championship. One of the first true stars from Connecticut was Hartford's Bernie Fisher, who played under White. He was captain of the 1944–45 team, which was the first Huskies team to play a game in Madison Square Garden.{{Cite web |last=By |date=2008-01-01 |title=SIX DECADES LATER, FISHER'S GOT GAME |url=https://www.courant.com/2008/01/01/six-decades-later-fishers-got-game/ |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=Hartford Courant |language=en-US}} That season also included a 67–59 win over Rhode Island, a team ranked No. 19 in the country that year by the retrospective Premo-Porretta Power Poll. White left the Huskies after eight seasons to become the head coach at Rutgers. He compiled an overall record of 94–59 during his time with Connecticut.{{Cite web |title=Donald White Coaching Record |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/coaches/donald-white-1.html |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}

Connecticut hired Blair Gullion as White's replacement for the 1945–46 season. Gullion spent three seasons as head coach at Tennessee prior to World War II and took over as Connecticut's head coach after returning from his service in the war. He coached the Huskies to an 12–6 record in his first season. At the start of the 1946–47 season, Connecticut joined the newly formed Yankee Conference. Gullion left the team six games into the season to accept a position as Washington University's athletic director, finishing with a 15–8 overall record as head coach.{{Cite web |title=Dec 24, 1946, page 8 - The Star Press at Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/249518836/ |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en}}

File:Hugh Greer Ellsworth Memorial High School The Ellsworthian Yearbook 1946.png in 1946 ]]

The modern era of UConn basketball began in 1946, when Hugh Greer became head coach after Gullion's midseason departure. Greer, a former player at the school in the 1920s, was in his second season as UConn's freshman team coach when Gullion resigned. Prior to that, Greer had coached at South Windsor's Ellsworth High School, winning five state championships between 1939 and 1945.{{Cite web |date=2013-02-20 |title=Hugh Greer and Katie Woods Inducted Into Inaugural South Windsor High Hall of Fame |url=https://uconnhuskies.com/news/2013/2/20/Hugh_Greer_and_Katie_Woods_Inducted_Into_Inaugural_South_Windsor_High_Hall_of_Fame |access-date=2024-04-21 |website=University of Connecticut Athletics |language=en}}

Led by senior Walt Dropo, a three-sport star at the school, the Huskies started the 1946–47 season 4–2 under Gullion, with road losses to rival Rhode Island and an NYU team that appeared in the NCAA tournament the previous year.{{Cite news |last=Litsky |first=Frank |date=2010-12-19 |title=Walt Dropo, Star at UConn and 1950 Rookie of the Year, Dies at 87 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/19/sports/baseball/19dropo.html |access-date=2024-04-21 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} Gullion resigned after the loss to NYU. The school then asked Greer to helm the team. He led UConn to a perfect 12–0 mark to finish the year, giving the team an overall record of 16–2 on the season. This was the best single season finish in school history to that point.{{Cite web |title=2023-24 MBB Media Guide (PDF) |url=https://uconnhuskies.com/documents/2023/10/28/Media_Guide.pdf |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=University of Connecticut Athletics |language=en}}

In the 1947–48 season, UConn moved into a new home arena, the Storrs Cage, replacing Hawley Armory. The structure was built by salvaging parts from a World War II airplane hangar, leading to the nickname "the Hangar." This facility had a capacity of 4,000 seats, allowing general admission attendance for the first time. The team's first game in the Storrs Cage was a 63–29 win over Maine in January 1948.{{cite news |last1=Newman |first1=Jules |title=Uconn Trounces Bears 63-29 In Slow Cage Inaugural |newspaper=Connecticut Campus |volume=34 |issue=25 |date=13 January 1948 |page=4 |hdl=11134/20002:860243652 }} The Huskies won their first Yankee Conference title at the end of that season.

UConn made its first NCAA tournament appearance in the 1950–51 season, where they lost to St. John's 63–52 at Madison Square Garden. The Huskies finished the season with a 22–4 overall record.{{Cite web |last=Trutor |first=Clayton |date=2023-09-19 |title=The 1951 UConn team was Hugh Greer's breakthrough squad |url=https://theuconnfastbreak.substack.com/p/the-1951-uconn-team-was-hugh-greers |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=The UConn Fast Break}} In 1953–54 season, Greer famously led UConn to a 78–77 victory against undefeated Holy Cross, breaking the Crusaders' 47-game home winning streak and keeping them out of the NCAA tournament. Holy Cross won the NIT title a few weeks later. UConn made its second NCAA tournament appearance and finished the year with a 23–3 overall record.{{Cite web |title=2023-24 MBB Media Guide (PDF) |url=https://uconnhuskies.com/documents/2023/10/28/Media_Guide.pdf |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=University of Connecticut Athletics |language=en}}

The UConn Field House replaced the Cage as the team's home court at the start of the 1954–55 season. UConn defeated rival Rhode Island in resounding fashion, 116–77, in the field house's inaugural game on December 1, 1954.{{Cite web |title=Dec 02, 1954, page 34 - Hartford Courant at Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/235938774/ |access-date=2024-04-21 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en}} The Huskies ended the season with their first National Invitation Tournament appearance and a 20–5 overall record.{{Cite web |title=2023-24 MBB Media Guide (PDF) |url=https://uconnhuskies.com/documents/2023/10/28/Media_Guide.pdf |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=University of Connecticut Athletics |language=en}}

File:UConn Hugh S. Greer Field House 2.jpg, originally known as the UConn Field House, was the on-campus home of UConn men's basketball from 1954 to 1990]]

In the 1955–56 season, Greer led UConn to its third NCAA tournament appearance and its first trip to the Sweet Sixteen following an 84–75 win over Manhattan in the first round. The Huskies narrowly lost to Temple 65–59 in the East Regional semifinal game played at Madison Square Garden. UConn made five consecutive trips to the NCAA tournament between 1956 and 1960.

In 1960–61, UConn unexpectedly posted the program's first losing season in 17 years. It was the only losing season of Greer's tenure. The reason for the Huskies' struggles became apparent in March 1961, when two players were questioned as part of the 1961 NCAA men's basketball gambling scandal that resulted in the arrest of 37 players from 22 schools.{{Cite web |title=ESPN Classic - Explosion II: The Molinas period |url=https://www.espn.com/classic/s/basketball_scandals_molinas.html |access-date=2024-04-27 |website=ESPN}}{{Cite web |last=Tax |first=Jeremiah |title=THE FACTS ABOUT THE FIXES |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1961/03/27/the-facts-about-the-fixes |access-date=2024-04-27 |website=Sports Illustrated Vault {{!}} SI.com |language=en-us}} Team captain Pete Kelly and center Glenn Cross were ultimately found to have accepted bribes to shave points throughout the season. Greer was devastated and never recovered from the scandal.{{Cite web |last=By |date=1999-01-23 |title=GREER'S PRESENCE WILL BE FELT |url=https://www.courant.com/1999/01/23/greers-presence-will-be-felt/ |access-date=2024-04-27 |website=Hartford Courant |language=en-US}}

The Huskies improved to winning form in the 1961–62 season, but finished one game behind UMass in the race for the Yankee Conference title. Greer died of a heart attack 10 games into the 1962–63 season. His final game was a 92–64 win over Maine, played at the UConn Field House on January 12, 1963. He died two days after and was replaced by assistant coach George Wigton.{{Cite web |last=Break |first=UConn Fast |title=The story of UConn's first Elite Eight appearance |url=https://uconnfastbreak.beehiiv.com/p/story-uconns-first-elite-eight-appearance |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=UConn Fast Break |language=en}} Wigton and the Huskies posted an 11–3 record through their final 14 regular season games to win the Yankee Conference title and advance to the NCAA tournament for the eighth time in program history.

Under Greer, UConn won 12 Yankee Conference titles in 16 seasons, including 10 consecutive titles from 1951 to 1960. Greer also led UConn to its first seven NCAA berths and one NIT appearance while compiling an overall head coaching record of 286–112.

File:Fred Shabel portrait, Chanticleer 1962.jpg in 1962]]

UConn named Fred Shabel as Greer's permanent replacement at head coach on April 1, 1963.{{cite news |id={{ProQuest|548057885}} |last1=Newell |first1=Bill |title=Shabel UConn Hoop Coach |newspaper=The Hartford Courant |date=2 April 1963 |page=17 }} Shabel previously spent six seasons as an assistant coach at Duke, four of which were under College Basketball Hall of Fame coach Vic Bubas.{{Cite web |title=Fred Shabel (Former UConn Head Coach) |url=https://www.coachesdatabase.com/fred-shabel/ |access-date=2024-04-28 |website=Coaches Database |language=en-US}} He played a role in Duke's first Final Four run in 1963 and initially accepted an offer to coach at Rutgers the following season, but withdrew after feeling unprepared to lead their program to success. Instead, he chose to accept an offer from Connecticut, which he believed had a clear path to the NCAA tournament in the Yankee Conference.{{Cite web |last=By |date=2003-12-04 |title=SHABEL WAS ABLE |url=https://www.courant.com/2003/12/04/shabel-was-able/ |access-date=2024-04-28 |website=Hartford Courant |language=en-US}}

Shabel implemented a number of changes that had a significant impact on UConn's program and its culture. He introduced multiple defensive schemes for the first time, began calling offensive sets from the bench and pushed for the creation of the UConn pep band. Unlike Greer, who remained seated during most games, Shabel often stood and walked along the sideline.

Shabel's first year at the helm was an uneven one, with an 6–8 record in non-conference play in the 1963–64 season. However, the Huskies went 8–2 in Yankee Conference regular season play, tying with Rhode Island atop the conference standings to claim the program's 14th Yankee Conference title. In a one-game playoff, UConn defeated Rhode Island 61–60 on the road to break the tie, clinching the program's ninth appearance in the NCAA tournament.{{Cite news |date=1964-03-05 |title=UConn Gains N.C.A.A. Berth |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/03/05/archives/uconn-gains-ncaa-berth.html |access-date=2024-04-28 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} In the first round, UConn avenged a regular season loss to Temple, beating the heavily favored Owls 53–48 in the Philadelphia.{{Cite news |date=1964-03-10 |title=Princeton, Connecticut and Villanova Advance in N.C.A.A. Tournament; BRADLEY IS STAR OF TIGER VICTORY; Scores 34 Points in Triumph Over V.M.I.—Temple and Providence Also Lose |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/03/10/archives/princeton-connecticut-and-villanova-advance-in-ncaa-tournament.html |access-date=2024-04-28 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} They faced even more difficult matchup with Princeton in the Sweet Sixteen. Before the game, Princeton coach Butch van Breda Kolff said he was so confident in his team's ability to win that he did not watch the Huskies' game against Temple.{{Cite web |last=Landrigan |first=Leslie |date=2014-04-06 |title=Huskies Upset Princeton in 1964, And Huskymania Is Born |url=https://newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/huskies-upset-princeton-huskymania-born/ |access-date=2024-04-28 |website=New England Historical Society |language=en-us}} A tightly contested game throughout, UConn's Dom Perno stole the ball from future Hall of Famer Bill Bradley in the final seconds to seal a 52–50 win, sending the Huskies to the Elite Eight for the first time ever. The run ended there, however, as UConn lost to Shabel's former team, Duke, by a score of 101–55 in Raleigh, North Carolina.{{Cite news |title=TimesMachine: Sunday March 15, 1964 - NYTimes.com |url=http://timesmachine.nytimes.comhttp//timesmachine.content-tagging.us-east-1-01.prd.dvsp.nyt.net/timesmachine/1964/03/15/issue.html |access-date=2024-04-28 |work=The New York Times |language=en}}

Under Shabel, the Huskies won four Yankee Conference championships in four years, leading to three NCAA tournament berths. By the mid-1960s, UConn had appeared in the NCAA tournament 11 times, second most in the country.{{Cite web |last=Constable |first=Kyle |date=April 1, 2024 |title=Most NCAA Tournament Appearances in the Classic Era |url=https://twitter.com/KyleConstable/status/1774811427259175136 |access-date=April 17, 2024 |website=Twitter}} After the 1966–67 season, Shabel stepped down as head coach to become the athletic director at Penn.{{Cite web |last=Jr |first=John Mason |date=2023-02-24 |title=Opinion: Fred Shabel should be in UConn's Hall of Fame |url=http://ctmirror.org/2023/02/24/ct-uconn-fred-shabel-hall-of-fame/ |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=CT Mirror |language=en-US}} He later attributed the move to the school's ambivalence about committing greater financial resources to athletics, including the administration's decision to decline an invitation to the NIT in 1966 without consulting him.

After Shabel's departure, UConn offered the head coaching job to Larry Brown, then a young assistant coach at North Carolina. Brown declined, saying he felt he was too "young" to take a head coaching position.

The job ultimately went to Burr Carlson, a former player and an assistant under Shabel. Carlson led UConn to back-to-back losing seasons for the first time in over 30 years and was fired.{{Cite news |date=January 4, 2014 |title=UConn coach Larry Brown? It nearly happened |url=https://www.nhregister.com/uconn/article/UConn-coach-Larry-Brown-It-nearly-happened-11377012.php |access-date=March 27, 2024 |work=New Haven Register}}

File:Dee Rowe.jpg in 2013]]

UConn named Dee Rowe head coach ahead of the 1969–70 season. Under Rowe, the Huskies returned to form, winning the Yankee Conference title in his first year. Rowe posted six winning seasons in eight years, with two NCAA berths and two NIT appearances. On Feb. 19, 1974, UConn became the first school in New England and one of the first in the country to start five black players in an intercollegiate basketball game.{{Cite web |date=2021-07-06 |title=UConn was first college in New England with five African-American starters; one of Dee Rowe's coaching legacies |url=https://roundballdaily.com/2021/07/06/uconn-was-first-college-in-new-england-with-five-african-american-starters-one-of-dee-rowes-coaching-legacies-2/ |access-date=2024-06-23 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Pioneers: Who Broke Color Barrier at Predominantly White Universities? {{!}} College Hoopedia |url=https://collegehoopedia.com/players/pioneers-who-broke-color-barrier |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=collegehoopedia.com}} In 1976, UConn won the ECAC New England regional championship to earn an NCAA berth and then beat Hofstra in the first round of the 1976 NCAA tournament to reach the Sweet Sixteen for the fourth time ever.

At the end of the 1975–76 season, the Yankee Conference dropped basketball, which left UConn as an independent. Rowe coached the Huskies' first season as an independent before retiring from coaching at 48 years old, citing heath issues at the time. He later would cite "burn out" as the reason for his decision.{{Cite web |last=By |date=2004-02-11 |title=ROWE'S PASSION FOR LIFE GOING STRONG |url=https://www.courant.com/2004/02/11/rowes-passion-for-life-going-strong/ |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=Hartford Courant |language=en-US}}

Former UConn star Dom Perno was tapped as Rowe's successor for the 1977–78 season. Perno oversaw UConn's transition from an independent program to a member of the newly formed Big East Conference in 1979, where UConn was one of the seven founding schools.{{Cite web |last=McNamara |first=Kevin |title=Big East born 40 years ago today |url=https://www.providencejournal.com/story/sports/college/2019/05/29/big-east-born-40-years-ago-today/5032051007/ |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=The Providence Journal |language=en-US}} Under Perno, the Huskies had some early success, winning an ECAC New England regional championship in 1979 and earning one NCAA berth and three NIT appearances over his first five years. However, after four consecutive losing seasons, Perno resigned on April 14, 1986.{{Cite news |title=TimesMachine: Tuesday April 15, 1986 - NYTimes.com |url=http://timesmachine.nytimes.comhttp//timesmachine.content-tagging.us-east-1-01.prd.dvsp.nyt.net/timesmachine/1986/04/15/issue.html |access-date=2024-03-28 |work=The New York Times |language=en}}

File:Jim Calhoun.jpg in 2003]]

UConn hired Northeastern head coach Jim Calhoun to take over the program in the 1986–87 season.{{Cite web |last=By |date=2005-03-16 |title=THE MISSING PIECE |url=https://www.courant.com/2005/03/16/the-missing-piece-3/ |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=Hartford Courant |language=en-US}} Before coming to Connecticut, Calhoun spent 14 seasons at Northeastern, leading the team to the NCAA tournament five times in his last six years with the school.{{Cite web |title=James A. Calhoun (1985) - Varsity Club Hall of Fame |url=https://nuhuskies.com/honors/varsity-club-hall-of-fame/james-a-calhoun/69 |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=Northeastern University Athletics |language=en}} In his final season, Calhoun's Northeastern team defeated UConn 90–73 in a game at the Hartford Civic Center.{{Cite web |last=Eaton-Robb |first=Pat |date=2016-11-15 |title=UConn Falls to Other Huskies from Northeastern |url=https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/uconn-falls-to-other-huskies-from-northeastern/85635/ |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=NBC Connecticut |language=en-US}}

Calhoun inherited a team that included future NBA player Clifford Robinson. However, Robinson and fellow starter Phil Gamble were declared academically ineligible halfway through the year.{{Cite web |title=Nothing came easy for Uncle Cliffy, but he did enjoy the last laugh |url=https://kendavisfiles.com/2020/08/30/nothing-came-easy-for-uncle-cliffy-but-he-did-enjoy-the-last-laugh/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=kendavisfiles.com}} Calhoun finished his first year with a record of 9–19, his only losing season as UConn's head coach.{{Cite web |title=2023-24 MBB Media Guide (PDF) |url=https://uconnhuskies.com/documents/2023/10/28/Media_Guide.pdf |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=University of Connecticut Athletics |language=en}}

Heading into the 1987–88 season, Robinson and Gamble regained their academic eligibility and the team showed significant improvement. The Huskies won a game in the Big East tournament for the first time since 1980 and gained a berth in the National Invitation Tournament. UConn went on a run in the tournament and defeated Ohio State 72–67 at Madison Square Garden to win the NIT, the school's first national basketball title.{{Cite web |last=Archives |first=L. A. Times |date=1988-03-31 |title=NIT Final : Connecticut Overcomes Ohio State |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-03-31-sp-955-story.html |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}} UConn finished the season with a 20–14 record, its first winning season since 1982. The Huskies would ultimately achieve winning records in every season from 1988 through 2016.

File:UConn Gampel Pavilion November 2021.png, the current on-campus home of the UConn men's basketball team, opened in 1990]]

The 1990 "Dream Season" brought UConn basketball back to the national stage. Led by Chris Smith, Nadav Henefeld, Scott Burrell, Tate George, and Rod Sellers, UConn went from unranked in the preseason to winning the Big East regular season and tournament championships, both for the first time.{{Cite news |title=TimesMachine: Monday March 12, 1990 - NYTimes.com |url=http://timesmachine.nytimes.comhttp//timesmachine.content-tagging.us-east-1-01.prd.dvsp.nyt.net/timesmachine/1990/03/12/issue.html |access-date=2024-03-26 |work=The New York Times |language=en}} January 1990 in particular marked several major milestones for the team. After an already historic 13–3 start to the season, the Huskies were able to defeat No. 5 Syracuse and No. 2 Georgetown in back-to-back games played at the Hartford Civic Center. After their 70–65 victory over the Hoyas on January 20th, the Huskies entered the AP ranking for the first time ever at No. 20. 1990 also marked the opening of Gampel Pavilion, the program's new on-campus home, which opened on January 21st.{{Cite news |title=COLLEGE BASKETBALL; UConn Gains Tie At Top in Big East |url=http://timesmachine.nytimes.comhttp//timesmachine.content-tagging.us-east-1-01.prd.dvsp.nyt.net/timesmachine/1990/01/28/469890.html |access-date=2024-03-26 |work=The New York Times |language=en}}

UConn entered the Big East tournament ranked No. 8 in the nation and with a 12–4 record in conference play. As the No. 2 seed in the tournament, the Huskies handily defeated Seton Hall in the quarterfinals before capturing a 65–60 victory over No. 5 Georgetown the following day. On March 11, UConn defeated No. 4 Syracuse 78–75 in the championship game to capture their first ever Big East title, thus assuring their place in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1979.

In the NCAA tournament, the Huskies garnered a No. 1 seed in the East Region for the first time ever. They easily won their first two matches, winning both games by 20 points or more. In the Sweet Sixteen, UConn trailed No. 17 Clemson 70–69 with 1 second remaining. Scott Burrell's full-court pass found Tate George on the far baseline. George spun, fired, and hit a buzzer-beater that is known in Connecticut simply as "The Shot".{{Cite web |last=Courant |first=Hartford |date=2010-06-29 |title=March 24, 1990: It's Late, It's Tate, It's Great |url=https://www.courant.com/2010/06/29/march-24-1990-its-late-its-tate-its-great/ |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=Hartford Courant |language=en-US}} However, they would be eliminated on a buzzer-beater two days later by No. 15 Duke in the Elite Eight, losing in overtime 79–78.{{Cite news |last=Holmes |first=C. J. |title=This Day in Madness: Two years before Kentucky, Christian Laettner stunned UConn |url=https://theathletic.com/1693426/2020/03/24/this-day-in-madness-christian-laettners-buzzer-beater-lifts-duke-over-uconn/ |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=The Athletic |language=en}} UConn finished the season with a 31–6 overall record.{{Cite web |title=2023-24 MBB Media Guide (PDF) |url=https://uconnhuskies.com/documents/2023/10/28/Media_Guide.pdf |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=University of Connecticut Athletics |language=en}} The 1989–90 season ultimately marked the beginning of UConn's' sustained success in men's basketball on the national level, and the program began making regular appearances in the NCAA tournament going forward.

During the 1994–95 season, the Huskies hosted Syracuse on ESPN. During an exciting stretch of the second half of that game, ESPN color commentator Dick Vitale declared that Storrs was the "basketball capital of the world" as both the men's and women's teams were having undefeated seasons so far.{{Cite news |last=Anthony |first=Mike |date=November 3, 2023 |title=UConn won dual NCAA titles in 2004 and 2014. Can Huskies make basketball history again in 2024? |url=https://www.ctinsider.com/sports/uconn/article/uconn-basketball-dual-championship-hopes-2024-18422169.php |access-date=March 27, 2024 |work=CT Insider}} The Huskies beat Syracuse but later lost to Kansas to end their undefeated season. UConn ultimately continued to rise as a national program throughout the 1990s, winning five more Big East regular season and three more Big East tournament championships, as well as making the Elite Eight twice (1995, 1998), prior to their 1998–99 national championship season.

One of the most notable players of the era was future NBA legend Ray Allen, who played for the Huskies from 1993 until he was selected as the No. 5 overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft. In his junior season, Allen averaged 23.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.7 steals in 34.7 minutes per game. In the 1996 Big East Championship against Georgetown, Allen made the winning shot with only 14 seconds remaining to achieve a 75–74 victory over the Hoyas. This game is widely considered one of the greatest in Big East tournament history, as UConn was able to end the game with a 12–0 run with under 5 minutes to play. Following the championship, Allen was named the Big East Player of the Year and earned first-team All-Big East for the second year in a row.

UConn entered the 1998–99 season ranked No. 2 in the AP Top 25 poll, returning its entire starting five from the previous year's Elite Eight team. Calhoun convinced leading scorer Richard "Rip" Hamilton to return for his junior season instead of departing for the NBA, putting the Huskies in position to make a historic run.{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Laura |date=2019-03-29 |title=A Great Moment in UConn Athletics History: The Men's Basketball Team's 1999 NCAA Championship |url=https://blogs.lib.uconn.edu/archives/2019/03/29/a-great-moment-in-uconn-athletics-history-the-mens-basketball-teams-1999-ncaa-championship/ |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=Archives and Special Collections Blog |language=en-US}} UConn started the season 19–0, with wins over five ranked teams. By early December, the Huskies were ranked No. 1 in the AP poll, where they stayed for a program-record 10 weeks.{{Cite web |last=SKRETTA |first=DAVE |date=2024-02-19 |title=UConn is unanimous No. 1 in AP Top 25 poll |url=https://starherald.com/sports/college/basketball/men/college-basketball-uconn-connecticut-men-ap-poll-top-25/article_45fcabd4-0dd1-540a-85a1-3ecb7719da99.html |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=Star-Herald |language=en}} The team's first loss came to No. 16 Syracuse on February 1, 1999, a 59–42 defeat in front of a sold-out crowd at the Hartford Civic Center. Both Hamilton and starting center Jake Voskuhl were out with injuries.{{Cite web |last=Curry |first=Jack |date=February 3, 1999 |title=BASKETBALL; UConn Is Injured, Disheveled and Bowed |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/02/03/sports/basketball-uconn-is-injured-disheveled-and-bowed.html |access-date=April 17, 2024 |website=The New York Times}} UConn quickly rebounded, however, beating No. 4 Stanford 70–59 on the road.{{Cite web |last=CBS News staff |date=1999-02-06 |title=UConn Wins At Stanford |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/uconn-wins-at-stanford/ |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=CBS News |language=en-US}} The Huskies finished the year ranked 1st in the Big East, winning their fifth conference regular season title in six years.{{Cite web |title=1999 Dedication |url=https://portal.ct.gov/sots/register-manual/register-manual/1999-dedication |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=CT.gov - Connecticut's Official State Website |language=en}} On March 3, 1999, UConn defeated No. 3 seed St. John's 82–63 to win their fourth Big East tournament championship. Kevin Freeman was named the tournament's MVP.{{Cite web |last=TOMMELLEO |first=DONNA |title=UConn's Freeman is the power in the post |url=https://www.theledger.com/story/news/1999/03/23/uconns-freeman-is-the-power-in-the-post/26694483007/ |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=The Ledger |language=en-US}}

The Huskies received a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament for the third time in program history. On March 20, 1999, UConn defeated No. 10 seed Gonzaga 67–62 in the Elite Eight to advance to the program's first-ever Final Four. In the National Semifinals, the Huskies defeated No. 4 seed Ohio State 64–58 to advance to the championship game.{{Cite web |title=UConn 64, Ohio State 58 // PLAYING FAVORITES |url=https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1999/03/28/uconn-64-ohio-state-58-playing-favorites/ |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=Tampa Bay Times |language=en}} Facing the No. 1 overall seed Duke, UConn was a 9.5-point underdog heading into the matchup. However, the Huskies prevailed by a score of 77–74 to claim the program's first-ever national championship.{{Cite web |date=2019-04-04 |title=Twenty years later, UConn's upset of Duke still reverberates |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/26415034/twenty-years-later-uconn-upset-duke-reverberates |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}} As time expired, Khalid El-Amin ran over to a television camera on the court and shouted, "We shocked the world!"{{Cite web |author=Aaron Beard|agency=Associated Press |title=Top title games: UConn's '99 win vs. Duke a program changer |url=https://www.telegram.com/story/sports/2020/04/05/top-title-games-uconns-99-win-vs-duke-program-changer/1399498007/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=The Worcester Telegram & Gazette |language=en-US}} Richard Hamilton was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, contributing 27 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists in the championship game. UConn finished with a 34–2 overall record to achieve its best seasonal winning percentage in the program's history (as of 2024).{{Cite web |title=2023-24 MBB Media Guide (PDF) |url=https://uconnhuskies.com/documents/2023/10/28/Media_Guide.pdf |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=University of Connecticut Athletics |language=en}} After the season, Hamilton was selected in the 1999 NBA draft as the No. 7 overall pick.{{Cite web |date=2024-01-30 |title=UConn to retire Richard 'Rip' Hamilton's No. 32 |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/uconn-retire-richard-rip-hamilton-170408867.html |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=Yahoo Sports |language=en-US}}

File:Emeka Okafor UConn 2004.jpg, 2004 NABC National Player of the Year]]

Expectations were high at UConn heading into the 2003–04 season. Returning their entire starting lineup from the previous year's Sweet Sixteen team, the Huskies were selected as the preseason No. 1 team in the AP Top 25 poll.{{Cite web |last=Davis |first=Seth |title=1 UConn The Huskies, led by a newly assertive Ben Gordon, have everything needed to win it all |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/2003/11/24/1-uconn-the-huskies-led-by-a-newly-assertive-ben-gordon-have-everything-needed-to-win-it-all |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=Sports Illustrated Vault {{!}} SI.com |language=en-us}}{{Cite web |date=2024-01-16 |title=UConn earns No. 1 spot in AP preseason poll |url=https://www.deseret.com/2003/11/11/19795202/uconn-earns-no-1-spot-in-ap-preseason-poll/ |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=Deseret News |language=en}} UConn faced its first setback in the fourth game of the season, losing to Georgia Tech 77–61 in the Preseason NIT semifinals.{{Cite web |date=2024-01-15 |title=Georgia Tech stuns UConn |url=https://www.deseret.com/2003/11/27/19798240/georgia-tech-stuns-uconn/ |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=Deseret News |language=en}} However, the team responded with 11 consecutive wins, including an 86–59 victory over No. 7 Oklahoma at Gampel Pavilion on January 11, 2004.{{Cite web |date=2004-01-11 |title=Huskies Overpower No. 6 Oklahoma, 86-59 |url=https://uconnhuskies.com/news/2004/1/11/Huskies_Overpower_No_6_Oklahoma_86_59 |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=University of Connecticut Athletics |language=en}} The streak ended with an 86–83 loss at No. 11 North Carolina on January 17, 2004.{{Cite web |last=By |date=2004-01-18 |title=NO. 9 NORTH CAROLINA 86, NO. 1 UCONN 83 |url=https://www.courant.com/2004/01/18/no-9-north-carolina-86-no-1-uconn-83/ |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=Hartford Courant |language=en-US}} UConn ultimately finished the year second in the Big East, obtaining a 12–4 record in conference play during the regular season. In the Big East tournament, the team defeated No. 7 seed Notre Dame in the quarterfinals and No. 11 seed Villanova in the semifinals with relative ease. On March 13, 2004, the Huskies defeated No. 1 seed Pittsburgh 61–58 in the championship game to win the program's sixth Big East tournament championship. Ben Gordon scored a tournament-record 84 points over three games and was named the tournament's MVP.{{Cite web |last=By |date=2004-03-14 |title=BIG EAST FINAL: NO. 9 UCONN 61, NO. 6 PITT 58 |url=https://www.courant.com/2004/03/14/big-east-final-no-9-uconn-61-no-6-pitt-58/ |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=Hartford Courant |language=en-US}}

The Huskies were awarded a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament and advanced to the program's second Final Four with an 87–71 win over No. 8 seed Alabama in the Elite Eight on March 27, 2004.{{Cite web |title=UConn 87-71 Alabama (Mar 27, 2004) Game Recap |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=244000046 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180320105855/http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=244000046 |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 20, 2018 |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=ESPN |language=en}} In the National Semifinals, UConn came back from an 8-point deficit with three minutes remaining to defeat No. 1 seed Duke 79–78 on April 3, 2004.{{Cite web |date=2014-10-16 |title=Throwback Thursday: UConn's comeback against Duke in the 2004 Final Four (VIDEO) |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/college-basketball/news/throwback-thursday-uconns-comeback-against-duke-in-the-2004-final-four-video |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=NBC Sports |language=en-US}} The Huskies won their second NCAA championship on April 5, 2004, defeating No. 3 seed Georgia Tech 82–73 in a rematch of their regular season contest.{{Cite web |last=Wolff |first=Alexander |title=Emeka Okafor led mercurial UConn team to 2004 national title |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/2004/04/12/the-conn-game-behind-a-full-throttle-performance-from-emeka-okafor-connecticut-cruised-past-georgia-tech-to-win-the-ncaa-title |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=Sports Illustrated Vault {{!}} SI.com |language=en-us}} Emeka Okafor was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, and UConn finished the season with a 33–6 overall record.{{Cite web |title=2023-24 MBB Media Guide (PDF) |url=https://uconnhuskies.com/documents/2023/10/28/Media_Guide.pdf |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=University of Connecticut Athletics |language=en}} After the season, Okafor and Gordon were selected in the 2004 NBA draft as the No. 2 and No. 3 overall picks, respectively.{{Cite web |date=2004-06-24 |title=Okafor and Gordon Headed to the NBA; Okafor Selected No. 2, Gordon Goes at No. 3 |url=https://uconnhuskies.com/news/2004/6/24/Okafor_and_Gordon_Headed_to_the_NBA_Okafor_Selected_No_2_Gordon_Goes_at_No_3.aspx |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=University of Connecticut Athletics |language=en}} Calhoun said he considers the 2003–04 team to be the best he ever coached.{{Cite web |date=2020-04-07 |title=Jim Calhoun: 2004 UConn Huskies Best Team I Ever Coached |url=https://www.audacy.com/cbssportsradio/articles/jim-calhoun-2004-uconn-huskies-best-team-i-ever-coached |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=audacy.com |language=en}}

Calhoun was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2005.{{Cite web |title=UConn's Calhoun feels at home in Hall of Fame |url=https://www.capecodtimes.com/story/sports/2005/09/10/uconn-s-calhoun-feels-at/50907196007/ |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=Cape Cod Times |language=en-US}}

After steadily rebuilding over the prior two years, UConn entered the 2008–09 season ranked No. 2 in the preseason AP Top 25 poll.{{Cite web |author=Staff Writer |title=UConn Men's Basketball: Huskies No. 2 in AP poll |url=https://www.norwichbulletin.com/story/sports/college/2008/11/01/uconn-men-s-basketball-huskies/64942548007/ |access-date=2024-04-21 |website=Norwich Bulletin |language=en-US}} The Huskies returned their entire starting lineup from the previous season and added 2008 McDonald's All-American Kemba Walker to the roster.{{Cite web |last=Meacham |first=Kevin |date=2008-11-14 |title=Your comprehensive 2008 UConn men's basketball preview: The search for Calhoun's gold |url=https://www.theuconnblog.com/2008/11/14/your-comprehensive-2008-uconn-mens-basketball-preview-the-search-for-calhouns-gold |access-date=2024-04-21 |website=The UConn Blog |language=en}} The team started the year 11–0, including double-digit wins over No. 17 Miami and No. 25 Wisconsin en route to the US Virgin Islands Paradise Jam championship. With an 88–83 win over No. 8 Gonzaga in Seattle on December 20, 2008, UConn earned its third ranked victory of the year ahead of conference play. The Huskies' first stumble came in their Big East opener, a 74–63 loss at home to No. 11 Georgetown. The team responded with 12 straight conference wins that propelled UConn to a No. 1 ranking in the AP poll by February. In mid-February, the team lost key starter Jerome Dyson to a season-ending knee injury in a 63–49 win against No. 23 Syracuse.{{Cite web |last=By |date=2009-11-13 |title=UConn's 2008-09 Season: A Wild Ride To The Final Four |url=https://www.courant.com/2009/11/13/uconns-2008-09-season-a-wild-ride-to-the-final-four/ |access-date=2024-04-21 |website=Hartford Courant |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Dinunzio |first=Daniel |title=Remembering the 2008-09 UConn Huskies |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/152890-what-will-the-2008-2009-uconn-huskies-be-remembered-as |access-date=2024-04-21 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en}} UConn finished the regular season 4–2 without Dyson—with the two losses coming against Pittsburgh, ranked top-five in both matchups.

The Huskies finished the year tied for second in the Big East and received the No. 3 seed in the conference tournament. In the Big East tournament quarterfinals, UConn lost to No. 6 seed Syracuse in a six-overtime game remembered as one of the greatest college basketball games of all time.{{Cite web |title=Collegeinsider {{!}} The Top 10 College Basketball Games Of All Time |url=https://collegeinsider.com/the-top-10-college-basketball-games-of-all-time |access-date=2024-04-21 |website=collegeinsider.com}}{{Cite web |title=The Endless Game: Oral history of the Syracuse-Connecticut 6-OT epic |url=https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/the-endless-game-oral-history-of-the-syracuse-connecticut-6-ot-epic |access-date=2024-04-21 |website=FOX Sports |language=en-US}} The Orange appeared to a hit a game-winning shot at the end of regulation, but the basket was waived off after review. Syracuse never led in the first five overtimes, but UConn was unable to put the game away. The Huskies went scoreless in the first two and a half minutes of the sixth overtime and fell to the Orange 127–117.{{Cite news |last=Thamel |first=Pete |date=2009-03-13 |title=Syracuse Left Standing After Marathon Game |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/13/sports/ncaabasketball/13uconn.html |access-date=2024-04-21 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} Despite the loss, UConn was awarded a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament and advanced to the program's third Final Four with a 82–75 win over No. 3 seed Missouri. The Huskies' run ended in the Final Four with an 82–73 loss to No. 2 seed Michigan State.{{Cite web |last=Friend |first=Phil |title=On This Day in NCAA History, April 4: MSU upsets Connecticut to reach 2009 title game |url=https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/sports/college/msu/mens-basketball/2020/04/04/michigan-state-connecticut-2009-final-four/2942476001/ |access-date=2024-04-21 |website=Lansing State Journal |language=en-US}} UConn finished the season with a 31–5 overall record. After the season, Hasheem Thabeet and A. J. Price were selected in the 2009 NBA draft as the No. 2 and No. 52 overall picks, respectively.{{Cite web |date=2009-06-25 |title=Thabeet and Price Selected in 2009 NBA Draft |url=https://uconnhuskies.com/news/2009/6/25/Thabeet_and_Price_Selected_in_2009_NBA_Draft.aspx |access-date=2024-04-21 |website=University of Connecticut Athletics |language=en}}

UConn entered the 2010–11 season unranked and picked to finish tenth in the Big East. But after a 10–0 start that included wins over No. 2 Michigan State and No. 8 Kentucky en route to the Maui Invitational Tournament championship, the Huskies catapulted to No. 7 in the AP Top 25 poll.{{Cite web |last=Gonzalez |first=Pedro |title=NCAA Basketball: Kemba Walker, UConn Defeat Kentucky to Win Maui Invitational |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/527158-ncaa-basketball-uconn-defeats-kentucky-to-win-the-maui-invitational |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en}} The team reached No. 4 in the poll by the start of conference play.{{Cite web |agency=Associated Press |date=2010-12-28 |title=Pitt hits UConn with first loss |url=https://nypost.com/2010/12/28/pitt-hits-uconn-with-first-loss/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |language=en-US}} However, the Huskies struggled against their Big East opponents, finishing the regular season in a tie for ninth place after losing four of their last five games.{{Cite web |date=2011-03-07 |title=UConn stumbles into Big East tournament |url=https://nypost.com/2011/03/07/uconn-stumbles-into-big-east-tournament/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |language=en-US}} The team finished the regular season with a 9–9 record in conference play and ranked No. 21 in the AP Poll.

In the first two rounds of the Big East tournament, UConn defeated No. 16 seed DePaul and No. 8 seed Georgetown. In the quarterfinals, Kemba Walker hit a step-back, game-winning shot as time expired to defeat No. 1 seed Pittsburgh, 76–74. Dave Pasch immortalized the shot with his call on the ESPN broadcast: "Cardiac Kemba does it again!"{{Cite web |last=Harris |first=Jarrel |date=2014-03-21 |title=We Reminisce: Kemba Walker's 2011 NCAA Tournament Run |url=https://uproxx.com/dimemag/reminisce-kemba-walkers-2011-ncaa-tournament-run/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=UPROXX |language=en-US}} The Huskies defeated No. 4 seed Syracuse in overtime in the semifinals and then defeated No. 3 seed Louisville in the championship game to claim the program's seventh Big East tournament title. UConn became the first school to win five conference tournament games in five days, and Kemba Walker scored a tournament-record 130 points.{{Cite web |date=2011-03-12 |title=UConn Wins The 2011 Big East Championship - CBS New York |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/uconn-wins-the-2011-big-east-championship/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}

The Huskies were awarded a No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament and ultimately advanced to their fourth Final Four after a 65–63 victory over No. 5 seed Arizona in the Elite Eight. They defeated No. 4 seed Kentucky 56–55 in the Final Four and No. 8 seed Butler 53–41 in the national championship game to capture the schools third NCAA title. Walker was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, averaging 23.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game throughout the season. UConn finished the season with a 32–9 overall record, becoming the first and (as of 2024) only men's or women's basketball team to play 41 games in one season.{{Cite web |title=2023-24 MBB Media Guide (PDF) |url=https://uconnhuskies.com/documents/2023/10/28/Media_Guide.pdf |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=University of Connecticut Athletics |language=en}} After the season, Walker was selected in the 2011 NBA draft as the No. 9 overall pick.

Calhoun officially announced his retirement on September 13, 2012.{{Cite web |date=2012-09-12 |title=UConn's Jim Calhoun announces retirement |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/8371331/connecticut-huskies-jim-calhoun-announces-retirement |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}

File:Kevin Ollie 2013.jpg in 2013]]

Kevin Ollie was named UConn's next head coach at Jim Calhoun's retirement press conference in Gampel Pavilion.{{Cite web |last=Best |first=Kenneth |date=2012-09-13 |title=Calhoun Exits Sidelines, Ollie Takes Over as Head Coach |url=https://today.uconn.edu/2012/09/calhoun-exits-sidelines-ollie-takes-over-as-head-coach/ |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=UConn Today |language=en-US}} Ollie played for Calhoun from 1991 to 1995 before spending 13 seasons as a journeyman in the NBA. He returned to UConn in 2010 to serve as one of Calhoun's assistant coaches during the 2010–11 and 2011–12 seasons.

UConn came into the 2012–13 season facing a ban from postseason play by the NCAA because of a low APR score in 2010.{{cite web |author=AP Staff |date=2012-04-20 |title=NCAA defends Connecticut Huskies postseason ban stemming from APR |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/7834136/ncaa-defends-connecticut-huskies-postseason-ban-stemming-apr |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160413184054/http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/7834136/ncaa-defends-connecticut-huskies-postseason-ban-stemming-apr |archive-date=2016-04-13 |access-date=8 May 2016 |work=ESPN.com |format=online news report |agency=Associated Press}} In Ollie's first game, UConn upset No. 14 Michigan State 66–62 at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.{{Cite web |date=2012-11-09 |title=New coach Kevin Ollie, UConn shock No. 14 Michigan State in Germany |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/college-basketball/news/kevin-ollie-uconn-shock-no-14-michigan-state-in-germany |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=NBC Sports |language=en-US}} The Huskies entered the AP Top 25 at No. 23 and reached No. 21 the following week.{{Cite web |last1=Eaton-Robb |first1=Pat |last2=Press |first2=Associated |date=2012-11-12 |title=UConn moves into first regular-season AP poll |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-uconn-moves-into-first-regular-season-ap-poll-2012nov12-story.html |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=San Diego Union-Tribune |language=en-US}} After a 4–0 start, they fell out of the poll for the remainder of the year following a 66–60 loss to New Mexico in the Paradise Jam championship game.{{Cite web |title=New Mexico takes down No. 21 UConn |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2012/11/20/new-mexico-holds-off-no-21-uconn-66-60/1716307/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}} The season featured wins at No. 17 Notre Dame and against No. 6 Syracuse at the XL Center, as well as a double-overtime loss to No. 7 Georgetown at Gampel Pavilion.{{Cite news |last=Borges |first=David |title=UCONN MEN: UConn defeats No. 17 Notre Dame |url=https://www.nhregister.com/connecticut/article/UCONN-MEN-UConn-defeats-No-17-Notre-Dame-11406057.php |access-date=2024-04-17 |work=New Haven Register |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Ditota |first=Donna |date=2013-02-14 |title=Connecticut's trio of guards sinks Syracuse basketball in final Big East game of long-time rivalry |url=https://www.syracuse.com/orangebasketball/2013/02/connecticuts_trio_of_guards_si.html |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=syracuse |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=No. 8 Georgetown Hoyas beat Connecticut Huskies in 2 OTs |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/bigeast/2013/02/27/georgetown-hoyas-connecticut-uconn-huskies-overtime-otto-porter/1952843/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}} UConn finished the season with a 20–10 overall record. Due to their postseason ban, the Huskies were unable to participate in the Big East Tournament, nor were they able to qualify for the NCAA Tournament.

Conference realignment resulted in the breakup of the old Big East at the end of the 2012–13 season. Instead of leaving with the so-called Catholic 7 schools, UConn chose to remain a member of the original Big East's legal successor, later named the American Athletic Conference.{{Cite web |date=2013-04-04 |title=Old Big East To Become 'American Athletic Conference' - CBS Boston |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/old-big-east-to-become-american-athletic-conference/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=cbsnews.com |language=en-US}} Until leaving the American in 2020 to join the new Big East, UConn was the only charter member of the original Big East still playing in the conference.{{Cite web |title=AP sources: UConn in talks to leave American Athletic Conference, move back into Big East |url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/2019/06/23/american-athletic-conference-uconn-talks-leave-big-east/1542792001/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=The Enquirer |language=en-US}}

The Huskies came into Ollie's second season ranked No. 18 in the AP Top 25 poll.{{Cite web |last=NBC Connecticut |date=2013-11-01 |title=Huskies Ranked 18th in AP Poll |url=https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/huskies-ranked-18th-in-ap-poll/1938706/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=NBC Connecticut |language=en-US}} They started the year 9–0, which included a 59–58 win over Indiana in the 2K Sports Classic championship game and a 65–64 win over No. 15 Florida on a buzzer-beater from Shabazz Napier.{{Cite magazine |last=Johnson |first=Chris |date=2013-11-23 |title=UConn edges Indiana in 2K Sports Classic Championship |url=https://www.si.com/college/2013/11/23/uconn-edges-indiana-2k-sports-classic-championship |access-date=2024-04-17 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |language=en-us}}{{Cite web |last=Pennington |first=James |date=2013-12-02 |title=Napier's buzzer-beater lifts UConn over Florida |url=https://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2013/12/2/5168742/florida-uconn-final-score-2013 |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=SBNation.com |language=en}} UConn climbed to No. 10 in the AP poll before losing its first game to Stanford on December 18, 2013.{{Cite web |last=Doyle |first=Paul |date=2013-12-18 |title=College basketball: Stanford upsets No. 10 UConn |url=https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2013/12/18/college-basketball-stanford-upsets-no-10-uconn/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=East Bay Times |language=en-US}} The team finished the year tied for third in the inaugural season of the American Athletic Conference and advanced to the AAC tournament championship game, where they lost by 10 points to No. 5 Louisville. UConn was selected to the NCAA tournament as a No. 7 seed and then defeated No. 10 seed St Joseph's in overtime, No. 2 seed Villanova, and No. 3 seed Iowa State in the Sweet 16 to advance to the regional final. On March 30, 2014, Kevin Ollie became the first UConn coach other than Jim Calhoun to lead the Huskies to a Final Four after defeating #4 seed Michigan State 60–54 in the Elite Eight.{{Cite web |title=UConn upsets Michigan St 60-54, back to Final Four |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2014/03/31/uconn-upsets-michigan-st-60-54-back-to-final-four/7104095/ |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}} The Huskies beat the No. 1 overall seed Florida 63–53 in the Final Four and then won the national championship on April 7, 2014, defeating No. 8 seed Kentucky, 60–54.{{Cite news |last=Felt |first=Hunter |date=2014-04-08 |title=UConn defeats Kentucky to win NCAA Championship |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/apr/08/uconn-defeats-kentucky-to-win-ncaa-championship |access-date=2024-03-26 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}

Shabazz Napier was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player and in his postgame remarks called out the NCAA for the previous year's postseason ban: "You're looking at the hungry Huskies. This is what happens when you ban us."{{Cite news |last=McDonald |first=Soraya Nadia |date=April 8, 2014 |title=National champ U-Conn.'s Napier says he goes to bed starving |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/04/08/national-champ-uconns-napier-says-he-goes-to-bed-starving/ |access-date=April 17, 2024 |newspaper=The Washington Post}} Other major contributions to the team's unexpected tournament run came from point guard Ryan Boatright, who averaged over 12 points and 3.5 rebounds per game throughout the season, and small forward DeAndre Daniels. Ollie's team was the first No. 7 seed to ever win the NCAA tournament. UConn finished the season with a 32–8 overall record. After the season, Napier and Daniels were selected in the 2014 NBA draft as the No. 24 and No. 37 overall picks, respectively.{{Cite web |last=Reports |first=Combined |date=2014-06-27 |title=Napier, Daniels Drafted to NBA |url=https://today.uconn.edu/2014/06/napier-daniels-drafted-to-nba/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=UConn Today |language=en-US}}

Despite losing four of its top five scorers from the previous year, UConn entered the 2014–15 season ranked No. 17 in the AP Top 25 poll.{{Cite web |last=Sports |first=Athlon |date=2014-11-05 |title=College Basketball 2014-15: UConn Huskies Team Preview |url=https://athlonsports.com/college-basketball/college-basketball-2014-15-uconn-huskies-team-preview |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=Athlon Sports {{!}} News, Expert Predictions, and Betting Previews |language=en}} The Huskies started the year 3–0, but fell out of the top 25 amid a three-game losing streak to West Virginia, No. 7 Texas and Yale—the last two of which were 1-point losses on last-second shots by the opponent.{{Cite web |last=DeCarlo |first=Elan-Paolo |date=2014-11-23 |title=West Virginia Knocks Off UConn, 78-68 |url=https://www.theuconnblog.com/2014/11/23/7273505/west-virginia-beats-uconn-78-68 |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=The UConn Blog |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Yale 45-44 UConn (Dec 5, 2014) Game Recap |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=400586712 |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=ESPN |language=en}} UConn was eventually able to gain some momentum near the end of conference play, defeating No. 21 SMU at the XL Center on March 1, 2015. However, the team then went on to lose their final two games of the regular season.

UConn finished the regular season tied for fifth in the American. In the AAC tournament quarterfinals, Ryan Boatright hit a game-winning 3-point shot against No. 3 seed Cincinnati as time expired. The team advanced to the conference championship game for the second straight year after a win over No. 2 seed Tulsa in the semifinals. However, UConn lost to No. 1 seed SMU 62–54 in the championship and missed the NCAA tournament as a result.{{Cite web |last=Boylan-Pett |first=Liam |date=2015-03-15 |title=SMU keeps UConn out of NCAA Tournament |url=https://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2015/3/15/8219601/2015-aac-champions-smu-ncaa-tournament-berth |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=SBNation.com |language=en}} The season ended with a first-round exit in the NIT, losing to Arizona State 68–61 in a game played at Gampel Pavilion.{{Cite web |date=2015-03-19 |title=UConn Season Ends With NIT Loss To Arizona State, 68-61 |url=https://www.courant.com/2015/03/18/uconn-season-ends-with-nit-loss-to-arizona-state-68-61/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=Hartford Courant |language=en-US}} UConn ultimately finished the season with a 20–15 overall record.

File:UConn Houston Gampel Pavilion Feb 28, 2016.jpg during a UConn men's basketball game against Houston on February 28, 2016]]

UConn entered the 2015–16 season ranked No. 20 in the AP Top 25 poll.{{Cite web |date=2015-11-03 |title=On The Fly: UConn Men Get Respect At No. 20 In AP College Basketball Poll |url=https://www.courant.com/2015/11/02/on-the-fly-uconn-men-get-respect-at-no-20-in-ap-college-basketball-poll/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=Hartford Courant |language=en-US}} The Huskies started 4–0 and climbed to No. 18 in the poll. However, they dropped three of their next four, losing to Syracuse, No. 10 Gonzaga and No. 6 Maryland, and fell out the top 25.{{Cite web |author=Staff report |title=Syracuse defeats old foe UConn in Battle 4 Atlantis |url=https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/sports/college/2015/11/26/syracuse-uconn-battle-4-atlantis/76415448/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=Democrat and Chronicle |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=No. 11 Gonzaga holds off No. 21 UConn 73-70 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2015/11/27/no-10-gonzaga-holds-off-no-18-uconn-73-70-in-bahamas/76457878/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Auerbach |first=Nicole |title=No. 9 Maryland staves off UConn in Jimmy V Classic |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2015/12/08/maryand-diamond-stone-melo-trimble-uconn-jimmy-v-classic/77021146/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}} The team bounced back and briefly re-entered the top 25 in mid-December. They would again re-enter the top 25 in January before falling out for the remainder of the year.{{Cite web |title=Connecticut 2016 AP Men's Basketball Rankings {{!}} College Poll Archive |url=https://collegepollarchive.com/mbasketball/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?teamid=94&seasonid=2016 |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=collegepollarchive.com}} UConn posted an 11–7 record in conference play, narrowly missing a three-way tie for third place at 12–6 in the American. Instead, the Huskies finished sixth, but received the No. 5 seed in the tournament because SMU was ineligible for postseason play.{{Cite web |date=2016-03-01 |title=UConn's Chances To Reach NCAA Tournament Took Huge Blow Sunday |url=https://www.courant.com/2016/02/29/uconns-chances-to-reach-ncaa-tournament-took-huge-blow-sunday/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=Hartford Courant |language=en-US}}

In one of the program's most memorable postseason games, UConn defeated No. 4 seed Cincinnati 104–97 in quadruple overtime the AAC tournament quarterfinals. Down by 3 with 0.6 seconds left on the clock in the third overtime, Jalen Adams hit a three-quarter court shot to force the fourth and final overtime.{{Cite web |last=O'Donnell |first=Ricky |date=2016-03-11 |title=UConn-Cincy is the craziest game this year |url=https://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2016/3/11/11208726/uconn-cincinnati-half-court-buzzer-beater-american-tournament |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=SBNation.com |language=en}} UConn then defeated No. 1 seed Temple in the semifinals and No. 6 seed Memphis in the championship game to win the American Athletic Conference tournament championship.{{Cite web |title=UConn 72-58 Memphis (Mar 13, 2016) Game Recap |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap/_/gameId/400871118 |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=ESPN |language=en}} Daniel Hamilton was named the conference tournament's MVP. UConn returned to the NCAA tournament at a No. 9 seed and defeated No. 8 seed Colorado 74–67 in the Round of 64. However, the Huskies were eliminated by the No. 1 overall seed Kansas Jayhawks 73–61 in the Round of 32.{{Cite web |last=Birch |first=Tommy |title=Kansas powers past UConn in Des Moines |url=https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/college/2016/03/19/kansas-jayhawks-uconn-connecticut-huskies-ncaa-tournament-des-moines-wells-fargo-arena/82035998/ |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=The Des Moines Register |language=en-US}} UConn finished their season with a 25–11 overall record. After the season, Hamilton was selected as the No. 56 overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft.{{Cite web |last=McGrath |first=Shawn |date=2016-06-24 |title=Daniel Hamilton Picked 56th Overall By Nuggets |url=https://www.theuconnblog.com/2016/6/24/12017030/daniel-hamilton-selected-in-nba-draft |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=The UConn Blog |language=en}}

Despite losing their MVP in Daniel Hamilton, UConn entered the 2016–17 season ranked No. 18 in the AP Top 25 poll. However, they fell out of the rankings after opening the year with upset losses at home to Wagner and Northeastern.{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Torrance |date=2016-11-15 |title=Northeastern hands UConn second consecutive loss |url=https://www.midmajormadness.com/2016/11/15/13633376/northeastern-huskies-uconn-final-score-upset |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=Mid-Major Madness |language=en}} On December 5, 2016, the Huskies defeated Syracuse 52–50 in the Tire Pro Classic at Madison Square Garden.{{Cite web |title=UConn nips Syracuse in Tire Pro Classic at Madison Square Garden |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2016/12/05/uconn-nips-syracuse-at-madison-square-garden/95025206/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}} This win gave the team some confidence after a disappointing 3–4 start to the season. However, without their previous season's MVP in Daniel Hamilton, UConn would continue to struggle against their AAC opponents going forward, losing four out of their last five games in AAC play.

The team finished the regular season tied for fifth place in the American with a 9–9 record in conference play, and were given the No. 6 seed in the conference tournament. The Huskies managed to pull off an upset win over No. 3 seed Houston in the AAC tournament quarterfinals, but lost in the semifinals to No. 2 seed Cincinnati the following day.{{Cite web |title=Adams has 23, UConn knocks off Houston 74-63 in AAC quarters |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2017/03/10/adams-has-23-uconn-knocks-off-houston-74-63-in-aac-quarters/99044868/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2017-03-11 |title=No. 15 Cincinnati beats UConn 81-71 in AAC semifinals {{!}} Chattanooga Times Free Press |url=https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2017/mar/11/no-15-cincinnati-beats-uconn-81-71-aac-semifi/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=timesfreepress.com |language=en}} UConn finished with a 16–17 overall record, the program's first losing season in 30 years.{{Cite web |date=2018-03-23 |title=Hurley: 'Dream come true' to coach at UConn |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/22887811/dan-hurley-calls-coaching-uconn-dream-job |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}

The Huskies were unranked for the entire 2017–18 season and had 11 double-digit losses. On January 26, 2018, the school announced the NCAA was investigating UConn for possible recruiting violations related to three players.{{Cite web |date=2018-01-27 |title=NCAA Investigating UConn Men's Basketball Program; Inquiry Includes Recruitment Of At Least Three Players |url=https://www.courant.com/2018/01/26/ncaa-investigating-uconn-mens-basketball-program-inquiry-includes-recruitment-of-at-least-three-players/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=Hartford Courant |language=en-US}} The team finished the regular season tied for eighth place in the American (7–11 record in AAC play) and lost to No. 9 seed SMU 80–73 in the first round of the conference tournament on March 8, 2018.{{Cite web |last=Warner |first=Tucker |date=2018-03-08 |title=AAC Tournament: UConn season ends in first round loss to SMU |url=https://www.theuconnblog.com/2018/3/8/17096644/uconn-connecticut-huskies-fall-mens-basketball-first-round-aac-tournament-kevin-ollie-jalen-adams |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=The UConn Blog |language=en}} UConn finished with a 14–18 overall record in what is widely considered to be the teams worst-performing season since the Jim Calhoun era began in 1986. Two days after the loss to SMU, Kevin Ollie was fired for just cause related to the NCAA investigation.{{Cite web|url=https://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-mens-basketball/hc-sp-uconn-ollie-fired-20180310-story.html|title=Kevin Ollie Fired After UConn Claims 'Just Cause'; Coach Says He Will Fight|first=Dom|last=Amore|website=courant.com|date=10 March 2018 |access-date=2020-08-11|archive-date=2020-10-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201024130801/https://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-mens-basketball/hc-sp-uconn-ollie-fired-20180310-story.html|url-status=live}}

In Ollie's final season, UConn men's basketball game attendance reached its lowest level in nearly 30 years, illustrating the severe decline in its prominence and performance since the program's 2014 National Championship.

On July 2, 2019, the NCAA announced UConn's wins for the 2017–18 season would be vacated because of the school's recruiting violations, giving the school a 0–18 official record for the year.{{Cite web |date=2019-07-02 |title=UConn gets 2 years' probation for Ollie violations |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/27104017/uconn-gets-2-years-probation-ollie-violations |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}

File:Dan Hurley portrait.jpg during a 2023 departure ceremony for the NCAA Final Four]]

UConn hired Rhode Island head coach Dan Hurley as Ollie's replacement for the 2018–19 season. He was introduced on March 23, 2018.{{Cite web |last=Koch |first=Bill |title=Hurley introduced as next UConn coach {{!}} VIDEOS |url=https://www.providencejournal.com/story/sports/college/2018/03/23/hurley-introduced-as-next-uconn-coach-videos/12923160007/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=The Providence Journal |language=en-US}} Prior to his six seasons at Rhode Island, Hurley spent nine years coaching at St. Benedict's Preparatory School in New Jersey and two years at Wagner College. His father is Bob Hurley Sr., a longtime New Jersey high school basketball coach and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, and his brother is Bobby Hurley, two-time national champion as a player and current head coach at Arizona State.{{Cite web |date=2024-03-29 |title=Is Dan Hurley related to Bobby Hurley? Get to know college basketball's famous coaching brothers {{!}} Sporting News |url=https://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-basketball/news/dan-hurley-bobby-hurley-brothers-basketball-coach/dtdliupdihsww4utcnsbfibv |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=sportingnews.com |language=en-us}}

Hurley's first season at UConn was an up-and-down affair. The first marquee win under Hurley came in his third game when the Huskies defeated No. 15 Syracuse 83–76 in the 2K Sports Classic semifinals at Madison Square Garden.{{Cite web |last=The Associated Press |date=2018-11-16 |title=College basketball: UConn upsets No. 15 Syracuse; Iowa upends No. 13 Oregon at 2K |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/more/la-sp-college-basketball-20181115-story.html |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}} This win was the programs first top 15 victory since the 2014 NCAA tournament. However, UConn lost to Iowa the following day in the tournament championship game and continued to struggle heavily throughout the season against quality opponents.{{Cite web |title=The Latest: Iowa beats UConn for 2K Classic title |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2018/11/16/the-latest-iowa-beats-uconn-for-2k-classic-title/38548215/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}} The team ultimately garnered a 6–12 record in the American Athletic Conference, its worst record in conference play in over three decades.{{Cite web |title=2023-24 MBB Media Guide (PDF) |url=https://uconnhuskies.com/documents/2023/10/28/Media_Guide.pdf |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=University of Connecticut Athletics |language=en}} The Huskies were given a No. 9 seed in the AAC tournament, and their season ended with an 84–45 loss to No. 1 seed Houston in the quarterfinals.{{Cite web |date=2019-03-15 |title=Davis scores 22 to lead No. 11 Houston past UConn 84-45 |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/college-basketball/news/davis-scores-22-to-lead-no-11-houston-past-uconn-84-45 |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=NBC Sports |language=en-US}} While UConn's 16–17 record was an improvement from the previous year, it marked the third-straight losing season for the program.

On June 27, 2019, UConn and the Big East announced that the school would return to the conference for the 2020–21 season.{{Cite web |last1=Putterman |first1=Alex |last2=Courant |first2=Hartford |date=2019-06-27 |title='Welcome back:' UConn, Big East make partnership official with joint press conference |url=https://www.courant.com/2019/06/27/welcome-back-uconn-big-east-make-partnership-official-with-joint-press-conference/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=Hartford Courant |language=en-US}}

With UConn's return to the Big East imminent, the Huskies had one season left to play in the American Athletic Conference. The team gained a 4-star recruiting class that included future First-team All-Big East guard James Bouknight, as well as transfer point guard R. J. Cole. UConn started the year 9–3, including an upset win over No. 15 Florida at Gampel Pavilion on November 17, 2019.{{Cite magazine |agency=Associated Press |date=2019-11-17 |title=UConn Upsets No. 15 Florida |url=https://www.si.com/college/2019/11/17/florida-loses-to-uconn-upset |access-date=2024-04-17 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |language=en-us}} In one of the most memorable games of the year, the Huskies lost 75–74 in double overtime to No. 18 Xavier in the Charleston Classic tournament semifinals on November 22, 2019. The team ultimately went on to finish in 3rd place in the tournament after defeating Miami 80–55 the next day. Despite the loss, it became clear that UConn was becoming a more competitive team after suffering three losing seasons in a row. On January 18, 2020, after a 61–55 loss at No. 14 Villanova—a non-conference game that would become a conference game the next year—Hurley remarked that other teams "better get us now. That's all, you better get us now. Because it's coming," foreshadowing the program's return to national relevance in the years ahead.{{Cite web |last=Shipley |first=Reice |date=2024-04-09 |title=Dan Hurley spoke all of UConn's success into existence in a 2020 postgame press conference |url=https://awfulannouncing.com/college-basketball/dan-hurley-uconn-2020-postgame-press-conference.html |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=Awful Announcing |language=en-US}} In the penultimate game of the regular season, UConn defeated No. 21 Houston 77–71 at Gampel Pavilion on senior night and finished the year tied for fifth place in the American with a 10–8 record in conference play.{{Cite web |last=Keefe |first=Gavin |title=UConn celebrates Senior Night by upsetting No. 21 Houston |url=https://www.theday.com/uconn-mens-basketball/20200304/uconn-celebrates-senior-night-by-upsetting-no-21-houston/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=theday.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=UConn tops Tulane, will square off in AAC opening round |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2020/03/08/uconn-tops-tulane-will-square-off-in-aac-opening-round/111408566/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}

UConn was set to face Tulane in the first round of the AAC tournament on March 12, 2020. However, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the AAC tournament being canceled mere hours before it was set to tip off.{{Cite web |date=2020-03-12 |title=2020 AAC Tournament canceled Thursday amid coronavirus pandemic concerns |url=https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/2020-aac-tournament-canceled-thursday-amid-coronavirus-pandemic-concerns/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=CBSSports.com |language=en}} The team finished the season with a 19–12 overall record, its first winning season since 2016.

UConn's return to the Big East was overshadowed by the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Huskies played all of their home games in Gampel Pavilion with no fans in attendance.{{Cite web |last=Courant |first=Hartford |date=2020-11-02 |title=UConn not permitted to have fans at basketball games this season; attendance limited to four tickets per coach and player |url=https://www.courant.com/2020/11/02/uconn-not-permitted-to-have-fans-at-basketball-games-this-season-attendance-limited-to-four-tickets-per-coach-and-player/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=Hartford Courant |language=en-US}} Five games were cancelled, and four others were rescheduled as players, coaches and staff tested positive for the virus. The team gained several players this season that would play key roles in the years ahead, including future NCAA tournament MOP Adama Sanogo. Other recruits of note were future NBA draftees Andre Jackson Jr. and junior Tyrese Martin, who transferred from Rhode Island. UConn finished third in the conference and lost in the Big East tournament semifinals to No. 2 seed Creighton.{{Cite magazine |last=Swinton |first=Elizabeth |date=2021-04-23 |title=Men's College Basketball Season in Review: Big East |url=https://www.si.com/college/2021/04/23/big-east-review-uconn-georgetown-villanova |access-date=2024-04-17 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |language=en-us}}

The Huskies returned to the NCAA tournament for the first time in five years and were awarded a No. 7 seed. The season ended with a first-round loss to No. 10 seed Maryland, 64–53.{{Cite web |last=Schuster |first=Blake |title=James Bouknight, No. 7 UConn Upset by No. 10 Maryland in 2021 NCAA Tournament |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2937278-james-bouknight-no-7-uconn-upset-by-no-10-maryland-in-2021-ncaa-tournament |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en}} UConn finished the season with a 15–8 overall record, playing its least number of games since the pre-Calhoun era. After the season, James Bouknight was selected as the No. 11 overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft.{{Cite web |title=Hornets select Bouknight at No. 11, acquire Plumlee in trade |url=https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/news/2021/07/30/hornets-select-bouknight-at-no--11--acquire-plumlee-in-trade |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=spectrumlocalnews.com |language=en}} During Bouknight's sophomore season at UConn, he was considered to be the team's top scorer, averaging 18.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game throughout the season.

File:UConn Villanova XL Center Hartford CT 2022-02-22.jpg during a sold-out UConn men's basketball game against No. 8 Villanova on February 22, 2022|400x400px]]

Despite losing its leading scorer in Bouknight, UConn returned four out of five starters and came into the year ranked No. 24 in the preseason AP Top 25 poll.{{Cite web |last=Courant |first=Hartford |date=2021-11-09 |title=The ultimate guide to the UConn men's basketball team's 2021-22 season |url=https://www.courant.com/2021/11/09/the-ultimate-guide-to-the-uconn-mens-basketball-teams-2021-22-season/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=Hartford Courant |language=en-US}} The team also gained another 4-star recruiting class that included several key players in the following championship season, such as Jordan Hawkins, Samson Johnson, and redshirt Alex Karaban. The Huskies started off 5–0, including a 115–109 double-overtime win against No. 19 Auburn in the Battle 4 Atlantis quarterfinals.{{Cite web |agency=Associated Press |date=2021-11-25 |title=UConn survives, beats Auburn in 2OT at Battle 4 Atlantis |url=https://nypost.com/2021/11/24/uconn-survives-beats-auburn-in-2ot-at-battle-4-atlantis/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |language=en-US}} The team lost to Michigan State in the semifinals the following day.{{Cite web |last=Solari |first=Chris |title=Michigan State basketball digs deep to rally past UConn, 64-60, in Battle 4 Atlantis |url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/michigan-state/spartans/2021/11/25/michigan-state-basketball-uconn-score-recap-battle-4-atlantis-bahamas/8758694002/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=Detroit Free Press |language=en-US}} On February 22, 2022, UConn defeated No. 8 Villanova 71–69 at the XL Center—securing the program's first 20-win season in six years and its first top 10 win in eight years.{{Cite web |title=Cole's drive, defense lift No. 21 UConn over No. 8 Villanova |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2022/02/22/coles-layup-defense-lifts-no-21-uconn-over-no-8-nova/49849109/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}

UConn again finished third in the Big East, entering the postseason with a 22–8 record (13–6 in conference play), its highest regular-season win total since 2013–14. However, the Huskies lost in the Big East tournament semifinals for the second year in a row, this time narrowly to No. 2 seed Villanova, 63–60.{{Cite web |last=Report |first=Huskies |date=2022-03-12 |title=MBB: Huskies' Big East Tourney Run Ends in Semifinals against Villanova |url=https://www.si.com/college/uconn/basketball/2022betourneysemifinalrecap |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=Huskies Report |language=en}}

UConn was awarded a No. 5 seed in the NCAA tournament, but the season ended with another first-round exit—an upset loss to 12-seed New Mexico State, with a final score of 70–63.{{Cite magazine |last=Jackson |first=Wilton |date=2022-03-17 |title=No. 5 Seed UConn Suffers Major Upset in First Round of NCAA Tournament |url=https://www.si.com/college/2022/03/18/march-madness-new-mexico-state-upsets-uconn-teddy-allen-ncaa-tournament |access-date=2024-04-17 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |language=en-us}} The team finished the season with a 23–10 overall record. Major contributions to the team's success came from shooting guard Tyrese Martin and point guard R. J. Cole, who averaged 15.8 points, 4.1 assists, and 3.4 rebounds per game throughout the season. Martin was a major rebounder for the team, averaging 7.5 rebounds and 13.6 points per game throughout the season. After the season, Martin was selected as the No. 51 overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft.{{Cite web |last=Benson |first=Pat |date=2022-07-16 |title=Atlanta Hawks Sign Tyrese Martin to Full NBA Contract |url=https://www.si.com/nba/hawks/news/atlanta-hawks-sign-tyrese-martin-to-multi-year-contract |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=Sports Illustrated Atlanta Hawks News, Analysis and More |language=en}}

The Huskies entered the 2022–23 season unranked after losing eight scholarship players to transfer, graduation, and the draft.{{Cite web |last=Harkins |first=Lukas |date=2022-12-16 |title=College Basketball: 10 takeaways from 2022-23 nonconference play |url=https://heatcheckcbb.com/college-basketball-10-takeaways-from-2022-23-nonconference-play/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=Heat Check CBB |language=en-US}} Despite this, UConn jumped out to a 14–0 start, winning the Phil Knight Invitational championship and climbing to No. 2 in the AP Top 25 poll by mid-December.{{Cite web |date=2022-12-19 |title=UConn moves up to No. 2 in AP men's basketball poll |url=https://www.courant.com/2022/12/19/uconn-moves-up-to-no-2-in-ap-mens-basketball-poll/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=Hartford Courant |language=en-US}} The team cooled off in January, losing six of their next eight games, but returned to form and went 8–1 to close out the regular season.{{Cite magazine |last=Sweeney |first=Kevin |date=2023-03-30 |title=How UConn Went From a Rock Bottom Loss in January to a Trip to the Final Four |url=https://www.si.com/college/2023/03/30/uconn-final-four-losing-stretch-ultimate-potential |access-date=2024-04-17 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |language=en-us}} The Huskies finished fourth in the Big East and, for the third straight year, lost in the Big East tournament semifinals with a 70–68 loss to No. 1 seed Marquette.{{Cite web |date=2023-03-11 |title=No. 6 Marquette holds off No. 11 UConn in Big East semifinal |url=https://apnews.com/article/uconn-marquette-big-east-tournament-semifinals-dd96c89fda21ccb3ca199f75f3bdfbf0 |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=AP News |language=en}}

UConn was awarded a No. 4 seed in the NCAA tournament and then won six straight games by an average of 20.0 points to claim the program's fifth national championship, with a 76–59 victory over San Diego State in the title game.{{Cite web |last=Dotson |first=Kevin |date=2023-04-03 |title=Connecticut routs San Diego State to win its fifth NCAA men's basketball title after dominating tournament |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/03/sport/march-madness-championship-game-final-preview-spt-intl/index.html |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=CNN |language=en}} Adama Sanogo was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, averaging over 20 points and 9.8 rebounds per game in the tournament. Shooting guard Jordan Hawkins was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament's West Regional after averaging 22 points and four rebounds in the Huskies' Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight games. He also scored 16 points against San Diego State in the 2023 national championship game. Other major contributions to the team's success came from shooting guard Andre Jackson Jr., as well as transfers Tristen Newton, Joey Calcaterra, and Hassan Diarra. Two freshmen, forward Alex Karaban and backup center Donovan Clingan, also made their mark on one of the most dominant teams in the history of March Madness.

The Huskies were the first team since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985 to win every game by at least 13 points. Their smallest margin of victory was against Miami (FL) in the Final Four, 72–59.{{Cite news |last=Giambalvo |first=Emily |date=2023-04-05 |title=Analysis {{!}} National champions usually have to break a sweat. U-Conn. barely did. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/04/04/most-dominant-ncaa-tournament-champions/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}} UConn finished the season with a 31–8 overall record. After the season, Hawkins and Jackson Jr. were selected in the 2023 NBA draft as the No. 14 and No. 36 overall picks, respectively.{{Cite web |last=Keefe |first=Gavin |title=UConn's Hawkins achieves lottery pick status; Jackson also taken in NBA Draft |url=https://www.theday.com/sports/20230622/hawkins-achieves-lottery-pick-status-in-nba-draft/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=theday.com |language=en-US}} Sanogo signed as an undrafted free agent with the Chicago Bulls.{{Cite web |last=Glassbrook |first=Harvey |date=2023-06-26 |title=Chicago Bulls sign big man Adama Sanogo to two-way contract |url=https://www.si.com/nba/bulls/news/chicago-bulls-sign-big-man-adama-sanogo-to-two-way-contract |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=Sports Illustrated Chicago Bulls News, Analysis and More |language=en}} Following the NCAA tournament, numerous analysts and commentators declared that UConn had earned "blue blood" status in college basketball—placing the Huskies among the highest performing programs in the history of the sport.{{Cite web |title=UConn's 2023 title run has cemented its status as a blue blood — if it wasn't already {{!}} NCAA.com |url=https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2023-04-04/uconns-2023-title-run-has-cemented-its-status-blue-blood-if-it-wasnt-already |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=ncaa.com |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=O'Neil |first=Dana |title=High five: UConn's latest title places the Huskies among the sport's blue bloods |url=https://theathletic.com/4379422/2023/04/04/uconn-ncaa-championship-college-basketball-blue-blood/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=The Athletic |language=en}}

Despite losing two of its top scorers in Hawkins and Sanogo to the NBA, UConn entered the 2023–24 season ranked No. 6 in the preseason AP Top 25 poll. The team gained a 5-star recruit in point guard Stephon Castle as well as future First-Team All-Big East transfer Cam Spencer. Donovan Clingan became the starting center for the team and averaged 13 points per game throughout the season. The Huskies reached No. 4 in the AP after starting 7–0 and winning the Empire Classic championship at Madison Square Garden.{{Cite web |last=Fitzpatrick |first=Mike |date=2023-11-21 |title=Karaban leads UConn past Texas 81-71 to win Empire Classic at Madison Square Garden |url=https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/sports/dog-house/karaban-leads-uconn-past-texas-81-71-to-win-empire-classic-at-msg/3154359/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=NBC Connecticut |language=en-US}} On November 28, 2023, UConn won its 24th straight non-conference game by double digits, setting a new NCAA record.{{Cite web |date=2023-11-28 |title=UConn beats UNH by 20 to claim NCAA record |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/38994927/uconn-wins-record-24th-nonconference-game-row-double-digits |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}} The team lost its first non-conference game in 624 days at No. 5 Kansas on December 1, 2023, falling 65–69.{{Cite web |date=2023-12-02 |title=Takeaways from UConn's loss at Kansas, a top five matchup that lived up to the hype |url=https://www.courant.com/2023/12/02/takeaways-from-uconns-loss-at-kansas-a-top-five-matchup-that-lived-up-to-the-hype/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=Hartford Courant |language=en-US}} The Huskies rebounded from the loss four days later with an 87–76 win over No. 9 North Carolina in the Jimmy V Classic.{{Cite web |date=2023-12-06 |title=Spencer scores 23 to lead No. 5 UConn past No. 9 North Carolina 87-76 in Jimmy V Classic at MSG |url=https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-uconn-basketball-score-jimmy-v-f30fe95ae1fccdfcd3e85e2c774024d7 |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=AP News |language=en}} Coach Dan Hurley led UConn to a program-best 18 wins in Big East conference play, earning the Huskies their first Big East regular season title since 2006 and their 11th overall, a conference record.{{Cite web |title=No. 3 UConn wins first outright Big East regular-season title in 25 years |url=https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/no-3-uconn-wins-first-outright-big-east-regular-season-title-in-25-years |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=FOX Sports |language=en-US}} As the No. 1 seed in the Big East tournament, UConn defeated No. 9 seed Xavier in the quarterfinals and then defeated No. 5 seed St. Johns in the semifinals to advance to their first Big East championship game since 2011. The following day, the Huskies defeated No. 3 seed Marquette 73–57 in the championship game to win their first Big East championship since 2011 and eighth overall (tied for most in conference history).{{Cite web |date=2024-03-17 |title=With its first Big East Tournament title in 13 years, UConn will arrive at Big Dance as beast of the bracket |url=https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/with-its-first-big-east-tournament-title-in-13-years-uconn-will-arrive-at-big-dance-as-beast-of-the-bracket/ |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=CBSSports.com |language=en}}

UConn received the No. 1 overall seed for the first time ever in the 2024 NCAA tournament and ultimately won its second consecutive NCAA title, with a 75–60 win over Purdue in the national championship game.{{Cite web |last=Athletic |first=The |date=2024-03-18 |title=UConn No. 1 overall seed |url=https://theathletic.com/live-blogs/ncaa-tournament-selection-sunday-live-updates-bracket-show/tqdmX5QENKiE/zjXoHKSlEGgQ/ |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=The Athletic |language=en}}{{cite web |date=9 April 2024 |title=NCAA title game score, result: UConn wins back-to-back championships with dominant win over Purdue |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/live/ncaa-title-game-score-result-uconn-wins-back-to-back-championships-with-dominant-win-over-purdue-001144623.html}} The Huskies' scoring margin of +140 for their six games (23.3 points per game) is an NCAA Division I record. The team also set a record by winning every NCAA tournament game by at least 14 points, beating their own record from the previous season by 1 point. Their smallest margin of victory was against Alabama in the Final Four, 86–72.{{cite web |title=UConn vs. Purdue highlights: How Huskies beat Purdue to repeat as national champions |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2024/04/08/uconn-purdue-national-championship-score-live-updates-highlights/73241674007/ |website=USA Today}} Tristen Newton was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, and Dan Hurley was named Naismith College Coach of the Year as well as Sporting News Men's College Basketball Coach of the Year.{{Cite web |date=2024-04-08 |title=Hurley becomes first UConn men's coach to earn Naismith honor |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/hurley-becomes-first-uconn-mens-003800341.html |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=Yahoo Sports |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2024-03-14 |title=Sporting News' College Basketball Coach of the Year: UConn's Dan Hurley living up to his own standard {{!}} Sporting News |url=https://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-basketball/news/uconns-dan-hurley-sporting-news-college-basketball-coach-year/70b7b93feca81557596bb79a |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=sportingnews.com |language=en-us}} UConn finished the season with a 37–3 overall record, setting a program record with the most wins in a single season.

With a sixth NCAA championship, UConn moved into a tie for third most all time.{{cite web |title=Connecticut joins elite group of best men's NCAA national champs. Who else is on the list? |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2024/04/08/uconn-best-ncaa-champions-duke-kentucky-ku/73252366007/ |website=USA Today}} ESPN's Jay Bilas said UConn's six national championships in 25 tournaments is the best run college basketball has seen since the John Wooden-era at UCLA in the 1960s and 1970s.{{Cite book |url=https://www.audible.com/podcast/Jay-Bilas-UConn-is-the-best-program-weve-seen-since-UCLA-in-the-60s-and-70s/B0D157DMCW |title=Jay Bilas: UConn is the best program we've seen since UCLA in the '60s and '70s |language=en-US}} After the season, Clingan, Castle, Karaban, Newton and Spencer declared for the 2024 NBA draft and were all invited to the NBA draft combine. Karaban, projected as an early second-round pick, opted to return to UConn for a third season.{{Cite web |date=2024-05-29 |title='Let's run it back': Karaban returns to UConn |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/40240815/alex-karaban-withdraw-nba-draft-return-uconn |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}} Castle and Clingan were selected in the first round of the draft as the No. 4 and No. 7 picks, respectively. Newton and Spencer were selected in the second round with picks No. 49 and No. 53.{{Cite web |date=2024-06-27 |title=Former UConn star Tristen Newton selected 49th overall by the Indiana Pacers in 2024 NBA Draft |url=https://www.courant.com/2024/06/27/former-uconn-star-tristen-newton-selected-49th-overall-by-the-indiana-pacers-in-2024-nba-draft/ |access-date=2024-06-27 |website=Hartford Courant |language=en-US}}

• Hawley Armory (1915–1947)
• Storrs Cage (1948–1954)
• Hugh S. Greer Field House (1954–1990)
• PeoplesBank Arena (formerly known as the Hartford Civic Center and XL Center) (1975–present)
• Harry A. Gampel Pavilion (1990–present)
• Werth Family Champions Center (2014–present)

{{main|List of UConn Huskies men's basketball seasons}}

Source{{Cite web |title=2023-24 MBB Media Guide (PDF) |url=https://uconnhuskies.com/documents/2023/10/28/Media_Guide.pdf |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=University of Connecticut Athletics |language=en}}

UConn has won 34 conference regular season championships over the past century. The program currently holds the record for the most Big East regular season titles (11) and Yankee Conference regular season titles (18).{{Cite web |title=No. 3 UConn wins first outright Big East regular-season title in 25 years |url=https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/no-3-uconn-wins-first-outright-big-east-regular-season-title-in-25-years |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=FOX Sports |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Men's Big East Conference Index |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/big-east/men/ |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Men's Yankee Conference Index |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/yankee/men/ |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Breen |first=Tom |date=2021-06-22 |title=Tom's Trivia |url=https://magazine.uconn.edu/2021/06/22/toms-trivia-summer21/ |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=UConn Magazine |language=en-US}}

New England Conference (5)

• 1925, 1926, 1928, 1941, 1944

Yankee Conference (18)

• 1948, 1949, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1970

Big East Conference (11)

• 1990, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2024

For much of the 20th century, UConn was a member of conferences that did not hold a postseason tournament (New England and Yankee). The advent of the ECAC men's basketball tournaments in the 1974–75 season provided UConn with its first opportunity to win a postseason conference championship. Over the past half century, UConn has won 11 conference tournament titles. The program is currently tied with Georgetown for the most Big East tournament championships (8) all time.{{Cite web |date=2024-03-17 |title=Best of the Beast: UConn men check next box, beat Marquette, 73-57, for eighth tournament title |url=https://www.courant.com/2024/03/16/uconn-men-beat-marquette-73-57-to-claim-eighth-big-east-tournament-title/ |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=Hartford Courant |language=en-US}}

ECAC New England Tournament (2)

• 1976, 1979

Big East Conference Tournament (8)

• 1990, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2011, 2024

American Athletic Conference Tournament (1)

• 2016

The NCAA began seeding the tournament with the 1979 edition.

Indicates NCAA championship

* Indicates overall number one seed

† Indicates vacated by the NCAA

• 1999 – Champion
• 2004 – Champion
• 2009 – Semifinalist
• 2011 – Champion
• 2014 – Champion
• 2023 – Champion
• 2024 – Champion

The Huskies were the top seed in the West region, and a win over Gonzaga in the regional final sent UConn to Tropicana Field for the program's first Final Four appearance. They defeated Ohio State 64–58 in the National Semifinals to advance to play against Duke in the National Championship. Despite having been ranked No. 1 for half of the year, the Huskies entered the national championship game as 9-point underdogs.

UConn won their first national title with a 77–74 victory. Richard Hamilton was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

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File:President George W. Bush stands with Emeka Okafor of the University of Connecticut's men basketball team.jpg

In 2004, the Huskies returned to the Final Four. Once again they faced Duke, this time in the National Semifinal, and used a late run to beat the Blue Devils 79–78. Two nights later, led by Emeka Okafor and Ben Gordon, Connecticut won their second national title with an 82–73 victory over Georgia Tech. Okafor was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

One day later the UConn women's basketball team also won a national title, making UConn the first and only school in NCAA Division I history to have its men's and women's basketball programs win a national championship in the same season.

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File:2011 UConn Men's Basketball White House.pngThe 2011 Huskies won 11 straight games in postseason play, the final six of which resulted in the program's third national championship. On April 4, 2011, they defeated the Butler Bulldogs, 53–41. UConn junior Kemba Walker was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

Many consider UConn's win in the Championship Game to be a great defensive performance, as the Huskies held Butler to only 18.8% shooting from the field (a record for field goal percentage defense in a championship game) and tied a title game record with ten blocked shots.{{cite web | author=ESPN Staff | date=2011-04-04 | url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=310940041 | title=Butler vs. Connecticut—Game Recap | work=ESPN.com | format=online news report | access-date=8 May 2016 | archive-date=2016-01-16 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160116165742/http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=310940041 | url-status=dead }} An analysis by Sports Illustrated columnist Luke Winn credited the Huskies' defense by demonstrating, for instance, that they blocked or altered a staggering 26.6% of Butler's shots – compared to just 3.8% by Pittsburgh and 12.1% by VCU in earlier rounds.{{cite magazine | last=Winn | first=Luke | title=The last word on defense: A comprehensive title-game study | url=https://www.si.com/more-sports/2011/04/13/title-gamedefense | magazine=Sports Illustrated | format=online news report | date=2011-04-13 | access-date=8 May 2016 | archive-date=2016-08-07 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160807200827/http://www.si.com/more-sports/2011/04/13/title-gamedefense | url-status=live }} The 53 points scored by Connecticut were, in turn, the lowest point total by a winning team in a championship game since 1949.

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File:2014 UConn National Championship teams at the White House.JPG

In 2014, led by American Athletic Conference Player of the Year Shabazz Napier, UConn became the first #7 seed to win the NCAA Championship, getting past No. 1 seed Florida, No. 2 seed Villanova, No. 3 seed Iowa State, and No. 4 seed Michigan State, before defeating the Kentucky Wildcats 60–54 in the championship game in Arlington, Texas. UConn is undefeated in the state of Texas in the Final Four (6–0).

As in 2004, the UConn women's basketball team also won a national title, making UConn the first and only school in NCAA Division I history to have its men's and women's basketball programs win a national championship in the same season twice.

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File:President Joe Biden and the University of Connecticut Huskies men’s basketball team celebrate their 2022-23 NCAA championship on May 26, 2023 at the White House - P20230526CS-0279.jpg

In 2023, the UConn Huskies won all of their tournament games by more than 10 points. Their path to the championship began against No. 13 seed Iona in the first round, in which they would trail at the half but eventually pull away in the end. The Huskies would then beat No. 5 Saint Mary's, No. 8 Arkansas, and No. 3 Gonzaga. The national semifinal would be a 13-point defeat of No. 5 Miami, their smallest margin of victory in the tournament.

The national championship would be a 17-point defeat of No. 5 San Diego State University as UConn won their fifth national title, moving the program into a tie for fourth-most NCAA championships all time.

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File:P20240910AS-1457 (53998666232).jpg

In 2024, the UConn Huskies became the first team to repeat as NCAA tournament champions since the Florida Gators in 2007. They won their sixth title, putting them at a tie with North Carolina for the third-most championships of all time. Once again, they won every tournament game by double digits; their smallest margin of victory in the entire tournament was 14 points against Alabama in the Final Four. The Huskies also set the record for the largest combined margin of victory in all their games with 140 points; and largest-average margin of victory of 23.3 points per game.{{Cite web |last=Irving |first=Kyle |date=2024-04-09 |title=UConn's dominant NCAA Tournament stats: How Huskies set March Madness margin of victory record {{!}} Sporting News |url=https://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-basketball/news/uconn-ncaa-tournament-record-margin-victory-march-madness/ffbdf24c89ba3008151618db |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=www.sportingnews.com |language=en-us}} Because of that, the 2024 Huskies are considered one of the most dominant teams in the history of March Madness, following up 2023's strong performance.

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The Huskies have appeared in the NCAA tournament 37 times. Their combined record is 70–32. They have been to seven Final Fours and are six-time National Champions (1999, 2004, 2011, 2014, 2023, 2024).

{{small|*NCAA vacated all of UConn's games in 1996 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. Totals above do not include vacated games.}}

The Huskies have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) 13 times. Their combined record is 15–12. They were NIT champions in 1988.

{{main|List of UConn Huskies men's basketball head coaches}}

The following is a list of Connecticut Huskies men's basketball head coaches. The team is currently coached by Dan Hurley, alongside associate head coach Kimani Young and assistant coaches Luke Murray and Mike Nardi.

Note: Records updated through end of 2024-25 season.

{{main|List of NCAA men's basketball retired numbers}}

File:UConn Basketball Retired Numbers.jpg

Two men's basketball players have had their numbers retired at UConn. For more than a century, UConn's basketball programs did not have any retired numbers. On December 7, 2018, UConn announced that the No. 34 worn by Ray Allen—along with the No. 50 worn by UConn women's basketball star Rebecca Lobo—would be the first-ever to be permanently retired for each respective team.{{Cite web |date=2019-03-03 |title=UConn retires Ray Allen's No. 34 jersey |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/26129300/uconn-retires-ray-allen-no-34-jersey |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}} Allen and Lobo were the first players in school history inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Allen's number retirement ceremony was held at Gampel Pavilion on March 3, 2019.{{cite press release |url=https://uconnhuskies.com/news/2018/12/7/mens-basketball-allen-and-lobo-to-have-numbers-retired.aspx |title=Allen and Lobo to Have Numbers Retired |publisher=Connecticut Huskies |date=December 7, 2018 |access-date=December 13, 2018 |archive-date=December 15, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181215225204/https://uconnhuskies.com/news/2018/12/7/mens-basketball-allen-and-lobo-to-have-numbers-retired.aspx |url-status=live }}

On January 30, 2024, UConn announced that the No. 32 worn by Richard Hamilton would be the second number retired by the program. Hamilton's number retirement ceremony was held at Gampel Pavilion on February 24, 2024.{{Cite web |last=JeremyTrottier |date=2024-01-31 |title=Rip Hamilton's number to be retired by UConn men's basketball |url=https://www.theuconnblog.com/2024/1/31/24056412/rip-hamiltons-number-to-be-retired-by-uconn-mens-basketball |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=The UConn Blog |language=en}}

{{main article|Huskies of Honor}}

The Huskies of Honor program recognizes the top players, coaches and administrators in the history of UConn men's and women's basketball. On December 26, 2006, the university announced the inaugural class, which included 13 players and 3 coaches from the men's basketball program. The men's basketball inaugural class was formally inducted in a ceremony on February 5, 2007.{{cite web | author = UConn Staff | date = 2006-12-26 | title = Men's Basketball Huskies of Honor Announced | url = http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/122606aaa.html | format = university news release | work = uconnhuskies.com | location = Storrs, Connecticut | publisher = University of Connecticut | access-date = 8 May 2016 | archive-date = 2011-09-27 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110927211844/http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/122606aaa.html | url-status = dead }} Former athletic director John Toner was inducted on February 28, 2009.{{cite web | author = UConn Staff | date = 2009-02-28 | title = John Toner inducted into [school's "Huskies of Honor" program] | url = http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/022809aab.html | format = university news release | work = uconnhuskies.com | location = Storrs, Connecticut | publisher = University of Connecticut | access-date = 8 May 2016 | archive-date = 2016-04-11 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160411073839/http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/022809aab.html | url-status = live }} On April 5, 2011, Kemba Walker was the first men's basketball player to be added to the program since the inaugural inductees, an honor he was bestowed after leading the team to a national championship.{{Cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/655918-husky-of-honor-kemba-walker-surprised-with-uconns-highest-honor|website=bleacherreport.com|date=2011 |title=Kemba Walker Surprised with UConn's Highest Honor }}

The Huskies of Honor are each recognized by a four by five foot panel which displays his name, jersey number and years of service, and a plaque which summarizes each's career accomplishments; Both the panels and the plaques are on permanent display at Gampel Pavilion on the main campus of the University of Connecticut in Storrs.{{Cite web|url=https://s3.amazonaws.com/uconnhuskies.com/documents/2019/10/9/2019_20_MEN_S_BKB_MEDIA_GUIDE.pdf|title=UConn Men's Basketball 2019-20 Media Guide|website=uconnhuskies.com|date=2019|page=154|access-date=March 5, 2020|archive-date=March 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200309115026/https://s3.amazonaws.com/uconnhuskies.com/documents/2019/10/9/2019_20_MEN_S_BKB_MEDIA_GUIDE.pdf|url-status=live}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

• Harrison Fitch, 1932–1934
• Walt Dropo, 1942–1947
• Vincent Yokabaskas, 1948–1952
• Worthy Patterson, 1951–1954
• Art Quimby, 1951–1955
• Toby Kimball, 1961–1965
• Wes Bialosuknia, 1964–1967
• Bill Corley, 1965–1968
• Tony Hanson, 1973–1977
• Corny Thompson, 1978–1982
• Clifford Robinson, 1985–1989
• Chris Smith, 1988–1992

{{col-2}}

• Scott Burrell, 1989–1993
• Donyell Marshall, 1991–1994
• Ray Allen, 1993–1996
• Richard Hamilton, 1996–1999
• Khalid El-Amin, 1997–2000
• Caron Butler, 2000–2002
• Emeka Okafor, 2001–2004
• Ben Gordon, 2001–2004
• Rudy Gay, 2004–2006
• Kemba Walker, 2008–2011
• Shabazz Napier, 2010–2014
• Tristen Newton, 2022–2024

{{col-end}}

• Hugh Greer, head coach, 1946–1963
• Dee Rowe, head coach, 1969–1977
• John Toner, athletic director, 1969–1987
• Jim Calhoun, head coach, 1986–2012

• 1999 National Championship Team
• 2004 National Championship Team

File:Ray Allen dribble.jpg

Since the creation of the National Basketball Association in 1946, more than 40 former UConn stars have played in the league. Thirteen of them have received NBA honors and awards, and five have won an NBA championship. While the league has shown an interest in UConn's top players since the first NBA draft in 1947, the Huskies emerged as a consistent talent pipeline to the professional level in the 1990s.{{Cite web |date=2024-03-31 |title=Ranking: The colleges with the most NBA All-Stars |url=https://hoopshype.com/lists/ncaa-college-most-nba-all-stars/ |access-date=2024-06-21 |website=HoopsHype |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Rutherford |first=Mike |date=2021-07-29 |title=Ranking college basketball's best programs for NBA Draft production |url=https://www.cardchronicle.com/2021/7/29/22600169/ranking-college-basketballs-best-programs-for-nba-draft-production |access-date=2024-06-21 |website=Card Chronicle |language=en}}

UConn has produced some of the greatest players in NBA history, nearly all in the past three decades.{{Cite web |date=2011 |title=SLAM 500 Greatest NBA Players of All Time |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/slam_500_greatest.html |access-date=2024-04-05 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=NBA 75th Anniversary Team announced |url=https://www.nba.com/news/nba-75th-anniversary-team-announced |access-date=2024-06-21 |website=NBA.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2024-04-06 |title=Best NBA players from UConn: Ray Allen, Kemba Walker headline full list of famous Huskies {{!}} Sporting News |url=https://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-basketball/news/best-nba-players-uconn-ray-allen-kemba-walker/701e80b37a1917d699d51bed |access-date=2024-06-21 |website=sportingnews.com |language=en-us}} The list of former UConn players in the NBA includes:

• Ray Allen, a 10-time NBA All-Star who won two NBA championships and retired as the NBA's all-time leader in 3-point field goals made.{{Cite web |date=2011-02-11 |title=Celts' Allen drains 3, breaks Miller's NBA record |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=6110819 |access-date=2024-06-21 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}} He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018.{{Cite web |last=Fenton |first=Jim |title=Ray Allen takes his place in the Hall of Fame on Friday night |url=https://www.enterprisenews.com/story/sports/nba/2018/09/05/ray-allen-takes-his-place/10839436007/ |access-date=2024-06-21 |website=Enterprise News |language=en-US}} In 2021, Allen was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, which honored the 75 greatest players in NBA history. ESPN ranked him as the 47th greatest NBA player all time in 2021.{{Cite web |date=2022-07-31 |title=The NBA's 75th Anniversary Team, ranked |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33297498/the-nba-75th-anniversary-team-ranked-where-76-basketball-legends-check-our-list |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}
• Richard Hamilton, a three-time NBA All-Star and leading scorer on the Detroit Pistons for eight consecutive seasons—including during the team's run to the NBA championship in 2004.{{Cite web |title=Case for the Hall: 7 with Detroit Pistons ties who bear watching |url=https://www.nba.com/pistons/features/case-hall-7-detroit-pistons-ties-who-bear-watching |access-date=2024-06-21 |website=nba.com |language=en}} The Pistons retired his number in 2017.{{Cite web |date=2017-02-27 |title=Hamilton back at Palace as Pistons retire No. 32 |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/18775376/emotional-richard-hamilton-back-palace-detroit-pistons-retire-no-32 |access-date=2024-06-21 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}
• Kemba Walker, a four-time NBA All-Star and the all-time leading scorer for the Charlotte Hornets.{{Cite web |last=Eudy |first=Will |date=2023-09-05 |title=Where Are They Now? Every Former Charlotte Hornets Lottery Pick |url=https://www.si.com/nba/hornets/news/where-are-they-now-every-former-charlotte-hornets-lottery-pick |access-date=2024-04-05 |website=Sports Illustrated Charlotte Hornets News, Analysis and More |language=en}} Walker is widely regarded as the greatest player in the history of the Hornets franchise.{{Cite news |last=Bonnell |first=Rick |date=December 19, 2019 |title=Hornets All-Decade team: No-brainer Kemba Walker, but then it gets kind of dicey |url=https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/charlotte-hornets/article238545738.html |access-date=April 5, 2024 |work=The Charlotte Observer}}{{Cite news |last=Boone |first=Roderick |title=Glen Rice: Kemba is Hornets' greatest; playing against Jordan and lining up next to 'Grandmama' |url=https://theathletic.com/662821/2018/11/19/glen-rice-kemba-is-hornets-greatest-on-playing-against-jordan-and-lining-up-next-to-grandmama/ |access-date=2024-04-05 |website=The Athletic |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Pagaduan |first=Jedd |date=2023-08-01 |title=Hornets: 10 greatest players in franchise history, ranked |url=https://clutchpoints.com/hornets-10-greatest-players-in-franchise-history-ranked |access-date=2024-04-05 |website=ClutchPoints {{!}} Charlotte Hornets News |language=en}}
• Andre Drummond, a two-time NBA All-Star and four-time winner of the NBA rebounding title. He has the highest rebounding percentage of any player in NBA history.{{Cite web |date=2023-09-02 |title=Bulls center Andre Drummond says he has 'great chance' at Hall of Fame: 'I'm the best [rebounder] ever' |url=https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/bulls-center-andre-drummond-says-he-has-great-chance-at-hall-of-fame-im-the-best-rebounder-ever/ |access-date=2024-06-21 |website=CBSSports.com |language=en}}
• Clifford Robinson, an NBA All-Star and 1994 NBA Sixth Man of the Year who was one of the first 3-point shooting big men in NBA history.{{Cite web |title=Clifford Robinson, A Player Before His Time, Passes Away Too Soon |url=https://www.nba.com/blazers/forwardcenter/clifford-robinson-player-his-time-passes-away-too-soon |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=nba.com |language=en}} A two-time NBA All-Defensive Team selection, Robinson is one of only seven players in NBA/ABA history to record 1,300 blocks and 1,300 steals.{{Cite web |last=Post |first=Mike Singer {{!}} The Denver |date=2019-09-01 |title="Secretary of Defense" Bobby Jones reflects on colorful career as Hall of Fame enshrinement nears |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2019/09/01/bobby-jones-hall-of-fame-enshrinement-near/ |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=The Denver Post |language=en-US}} He played in 1,380 career games, 14th most in NBA history.{{Cite web |title=NBA & ABA Career Leaders and Records for Games |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/leaders/g_career.html |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}} His teams appeared in the playoffs in all but one of his 18 seasons in the league.{{Cite web |title=Clifford Robinson Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/r/robincl02.html |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}
• Caron Butler, a two-time NBA All-Star who averaged double figures in scoring 11 out of 14 seasons in the league and retired with the seventh-most steals in Washington Wizards franchise history.{{Cite web |last=Whitacre |first=Jake |date=2018-02-06 |title=Caron Butler officially announces retirement from basketball |url=https://www.bulletsforever.com/2018/2/6/16979122/caron-butler-retirement-washington-wizards-nba |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=Bullets Forever |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Washington Wizards Career Leaders |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/WAS/leaders_career.html |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}} He won an NBA championship in 2011 with the Dallas Mavericks.{{Cite web |title=Caron Butler Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/butleca01.html |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}
• Ben Gordon, the 2005 NBA Sixth Man of the Year and the only player in NBA history to win the award as a rookie.{{Cite web |title=Gordon Wins NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award |url=https://www.nba.com/bulls/news/sixthman_0405.html |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=nba.com |language=en}} He retired with the Chicago Bulls franchise record for most 3-point field goals made in a single season (166) and the NBA record for most consecutive 3-point field goals without a miss (9), which he accomplished twice in his career.{{Cite web |title=The Art of the 3-Pointer (Ben Gordon-style) |url=https://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/February-2007/The-Art-of-the-3-Pointer-Ben-Gordon-style/ |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=Chicago Magazine |language=en-US}}
• Emeka Okafor, the 2005 NBA Rookie of the Year who became the first star of the NBA's expansion franchise in Charlotte, then known as the Bobcats.{{Cite web |date=2005-05-04 |title=College try: Okafor is Rookie of the Year |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=2053181 |access-date=2024-06-21 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2020-05-25 |title=Charlotte Hornets Rewind: A look back at Emeka Okafor |url=https://swarmandsting.com/2020/05/25/charlotte-hornets-rewind-emeka-okafor/ |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=Swarm and Sting |language=en-US}} He is the all-time leading rebounder in Charlotte Hornets franchise history.{{Cite web |title=Charlotte Hornets Career Leaders |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CHA/leaders_career.html |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}
• Rudy Gay, a 17-year NBA veteran who is considered one of the greatest players in league history to never receive an NBA All-Star selection.{{Cite web |last=Stinar |first=Ben |date=2023-09-07 |title=Why Is This 17-Year NBA Veteran Still A Free Agent? |url=https://www.si.com/fannation/nba/fastbreak/news/17-year-nba-veteran-is-still-a-free-agent-rudy-gay-utah-jazz |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=Fastbreak on FanNation |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2023-09-30 |title=Former Utah Jazz forward Rudy Gay gets one last shot at NBA success |url=https://thejnotes.com/2023/09/29/former-utah-jazz-forward-rudy-gay-gets-one-last-shot-nba-success/ |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=The J-Notes |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Letourneau |first=Connor |date=2023-10-06 |title=Will Warriors be Rudy Gay's last chance to show he can help a team win? |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/warriors/article/warriors-rudy-gay-s-last-chance-show-help-team-18409913.php |access-date=June 23, 2024 |work=San Francisco Chronicle}} He ranks as one of the top players in the history of the Memphis Grizzlies franchise,[https://www.2kratings.com/rudy-gay-all-time-memphis-grizzlies Rudy Gay NBA 2K24 (All-Time Memphis Grizzlies)]{{Cite web |date=2018-08-28 |title=Greatest Memphis Grizzlies Of All-Time: Rudy Gay |url=https://bealestreetbears.com/2018/08/28/greatest-memphis-grizzlies-rudy-gay/ |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=Beale Street Bears |language=en-US}} and was the league's most clutch shooter in late-game situations during the first 10 years of his career.{{Cite web |title=Rudy Statistically Most Clutch Player in Decade |url=https://www.nba.com/kings/blog/trending/rudy-gay-most-clutch |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=nba.com |language=en}}

In 2011, SLAM Magazine included Allen, Hamilton, Robinson, Butler, Gordon and Okafor on its list of the 500 Greatest NBA Players of All Time.

There have been 56 former UConn players selected in the NBA draft, including 24 first-round picks and 17 lottery picks.{{Cite web |title=UConn Players Drafted in the NBA - RealGM |url=https://basketball.realgm.com/ncaa/conferences/Big-East-Conference/59/UConn/64/nba-draft |access-date=2024-06-21 |website=basketball.realgm.com}} Walt Dropo was the first UConn player to be drafted—selected with the fourth overall pick in the inaugural draft in 1947—but ultimately chose to play professional baseball instead.{{Cite magazine |last=Montville |first=Leigh |date=1993-07-19 |title=WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO...: WALT DROPO |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1993/07/19/what-ever-happened-to-walt-dropo |access-date=June 22, 2024 |magazine=Sports Illustrated}} In the 2006 NBA draft, the Huskies tied the record for most first-round picks from one school (4) and tied the second-highest number of picks from one school in a single NBA draft (5).{{cite web |author=AP Staff |date=2006-06-29 |title=UConn ties draft record with four first-round picks |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/draft2006/news/story?id=2503859 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100525144640/http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2006/news/story?id=2503859 |archive-date=2010-05-25 |access-date=8 May 2016 |work=ESPN.com |format=online news report |agency=Associated Press}}

{{small|# NBA Lottery Pick}}

There are 41 former UConn players who have played in the NBA.{{cite web | url=https://basketball.realgm.com/ncaa/conferences/Big-East-Conference/59/Connecticut/64/nba-players | title=Connecticut Players in the NBA - RealGM }}{{cite web | url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/friv/colleges.cgi?college=uconn | title=Players Who Played for UConn }} The program's first NBA player was Worthy Patterson, who played for the St. Louis Hawks for three months during the 1957–58 NBA season.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.pbs.org/show/pushing-boundaries-uconns-first-nba-player/ |title=Pushing Boundaries: UConn's First NBA Player {{!}} PBS |language=en |access-date=2024-06-27 |via=pbs.org}} Nine Huskies were considered active during the 2023–24 season.{{Cite web |title=All Time Leaders {{!}} Stats {{!}} NBA.com |url=https://www.nba.com/stats/alltime-leaders?ActiveFlag=Yes |access-date=2024-06-21 |website=nba.com}}

File:Rip Hamilton pregame.jpg

File:Caron Butler.JPG

File:Ben Gordon1.jpg

File:Rudy Gay Kings.jpg

File:Kemba Walker 2019.jpg

File:Andre Drummond vs Wizards 2014.jpg

{{NBA Draft legend|y|y|y|y|6=y}}{{small|Bold indicates players considered active in the 2023–24 NBA season. All stats updated through end of 2023–24 season.}}

Two former UConn players—Wes Bialosuknia and Jimmy Foster—were drafted in the NBA but elected to play in the American Basketball Association instead. Bialosuknia was selected by the Oakland Oaks in the first round of the inaugural ABA draft in 1967.{{Cite web |last=says |first=Larry Wayne Scofield |date=2022-02-28 |title=American Basketball Association - 1966-67 ABA Season Overview |url=https://www.retroseasons.com/leagues/aba/1967/draft-picks/ |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=RetroSeasons |language=en-US}} While he only played one season in the ABA, he finished with the league's second-highest 3-point field goal percentage and the league record for most consecutive 3-point field goals (9).{{Cite web |date=2013-10-25 |title=UConn Great Wes Bialosuknia Passes Away |url=https://uconnhuskies.com/news/2013/10/25/UConn_Great_Wes_Bialosuknia_Passes_Away |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=University of Connecticut Athletics |language=en}} Foster was selected by the Carolina Cougars in the seventh round of the ABA draft in 1974.{{Cite web |last=says |first=Larry Wayne Scofield |date=2022-02-28 |title=American Basketball Association - 1973-74 ABA Draft Picks |url=https://www.retroseasons.com/leagues/aba/1974/draft-picks/ |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=RetroSeasons |language=en-US}} He spent two seasons in the ABA and played in the ABA All-Star game as a member of the Denver Nuggets in 1976.{{Cite web |title=1976 ABA All-Star Game Box Score |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/allstar/ABA_1976.html |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}} After the 1975–76 season concluded, the ABA merged with the NBA. Foster then faced a contract dispute with Nuggets and left the team. He briefly played in Europe before retiring from professional basketball.

File:20140814 World Basketball Festival Team USA almost final roster (2).JPG

Since 1980, USA Basketball has selected 23 players and three coaches with UConn ties to represent the United States in international competition. UConn players and coaches have combined to win 18 gold medals at various levels of competition, including at the 2000 Summer Olympic Games and the 2010 and 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cups.{{Cite web |title=Competitive History and Stats |url=https://www.usab.com/ |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=USA Basketball |language=en}}

Three Huskies have represented the United States in men's basketball during the Olympics Games:

• Ray Allen, a starter on the gold medal-winning team in 2000
• Emeka Okafor, a reserve on the bronze medal-winning team in 2004
• Dee Rowe, an assistant coach on the team in 1980 when the United States boycotted the Summer Olympics{{Cite news |last=Sandomir |first=Richard |date=2021-01-12 |title=Dee Rowe, UConn Basketball Coach and Fund-Raiser, Dies at 91 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/12/sports/ncaabasketball/dee-rowe-dead.html |access-date=2024-06-22 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}

In addition, four Huskies have represented the United States in the FIBA Basketball World Cup:

• Rudy Gay, a reserve who averaged double-digit minutes on the gold medal-winning teams in 2010 and 2014{{Cite web |title=2010 Stats - United States |url=https://www.basketball-reference.cominternational/teams/united-states/2010.html |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=2014 Stats - United States |url=https://www.basketball-reference.cominternational/teams/united-states/2014.html |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}
• Andre Drummond, a reserve on the gold medal-winning team in 2014
• Chris Smith, a starter on the bronze-medal winning team in 1990
• Kemba Walker, a starter and leading scorer on the seventh-place team in 2019{{Cite web |title=2019 Stats - United States |url=https://www.basketball-reference.cominternational/teams/united-states/2019.html |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}

Gay is one of only three players in USA Basketball history to win two FIBA Basketball World Cups. UConn players have also won gold medals at the FIBA AmeriCup (1999, 2003), the Goodwill Games (1998) and the World University Games (1995, 1999).

Source

Source

• December 10, 1921 – UConn upsets Army at West Point, 33–31. Phil Dean hits a game-winning shot with under 30 seconds left to secure the win over an Army squad ranked No. 3 in the nation that season by the Premo-Porretta Power Poll.{{Cite book |last=Espn |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g42TyP-V5C8C |title=ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia: The Complete History of the Men's Game |date=2009 |publisher=Ballantine Books |isbn=978-0-345-51392-2 |language=en}}{{Cite journal |last=Mathewson |first=R. |date=1921-12-15 |title=Connecticut Campus, Volume 8, Number 12, December 15, 1921 |url=https://digitalcommons.lib.uconn.edu/dcamp/294 |journal=Daily Campus Archives}}
• February 27, 1954 – Worthy Patterson's buzzer-beater at No. 7 Holy Cross gives UConn an upset of the then-powerhouse Crusaders, 78–77.{{Cite news |title=CONNECTICUT NIPS HOLY CROSS, 78-77; Patterson's 2-Pointer Stops Crusader Five's Streak of Home Victories at 47 |url=http://timesmachine.nytimes.comhttp//timesmachine.content-tagging.us-east-1-01.prd.dvsp.nyt.net/timesmachine/1954/02/28/92547196.html |access-date=2024-03-26 |work=The New York Times |language=en}}
• March 13, 1956 – UConn defeats Manhattan 84–75 to win an NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament game for the first time.{{Cite web |date=2021-03-11 |title=UConn men's top 10 most memorable Big East (and other) moments at Madison Square Garden |url=https://www.courant.com/2021/03/10/uconn-mens-top-10-most-memorable-big-east-and-other-moments-at-madison-square-garden/ |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=Hartford Courant |language=en-US}}
• March 14, 1964 – UConn upsets Princeton and star forward Bill Bradley 52–50 in the Sweet Sixteen. The victory is sealed when Dom Perno steals the ball from Bradley with 19 seconds to play. Perno would later become UConn's coach.{{Cite news |last=Columnist |first=Chip Malafronte, Register Sports |title=NEW HAVEN 200: Dom Perno, UConn stole victory from Bill Bradley, Princeton in NCAA tournament |url=https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/NEW-HAVEN-200-Dom-Perno-UConn-stole-victory-11445252.php |access-date=2024-03-26 |work=New Haven Register |language=en}}
• February 28, 1970 ("The Slowdown Game") – With four players unavailable and a share of the Yankee Conference Regular-Season Championship on the line, UConn beats Rhode Island 35–32 at the Field House. Played before the shot clock-era, UConn dribbles endlessly for 38 minutes to make up for their limited roster.{{Cite web |last=By |date=1997-02-23 |title=THE MIRACLE GAME |url=https://www.courant.com/1997/02/23/the-miracle-game/ |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=Hartford Courant |language=en-US}}
• March 30, 1988 – UConn defeats Ohio State 72–67 at Madison Square Garden to win the 1988 National Invitation Tournament.
• January 27, 1990 – UConn beats No. 15 St. John's 72–58 in the first game played at Gampel Pavilion.
• March 11, 1990 – UConn beats Syracuse 78–75 at Madison Square Garden to win its first Big East men's tournament championship.{{Cite news |title=TimesMachine: Monday March 12, 1990 - NYTimes.com |url=http://timesmachine.nytimes.comhttp//timesmachine.content-tagging.us-east-1-01.prd.dvsp.nyt.net/timesmachine/1990/03/12/issue.html |access-date=2024-03-26 |work=The New York Times |language=en}}
• March 22, 1990 ("The Shot") – Tate George makes a shot at the buzzer to beat Clemson 71–70 in the 1990 Sweet Sixteen at Brendan Byrne Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
• March 9, 1996 – With 4 minutes remaining, UConn trails Georgetown 74–63. The Huskies close the game with a 12–0 run and win the Big East Championship 75–74 on an off-balance floater from All-American Ray Allen at Madison Square Garden.{{Cite web |last=Dugandzic |first=Matthew |date=2023-03-12 |title=The time Ray Allen hit a game-winning jumper that gave UConn the Big East championship |url=https://www.si.com/nba/bucks/old-school/the-time-ray-allen-hit-a-game-winning-jumper-that-gave-uconn-the-big-east-championship |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=Sports Illustrated Milwaukee Bucks News, Analysis and More |language=en}}
• March 20, 1998 (Hamilton "Rips" Washington's heart out) – Down 74–73 in the Sweet Sixteen to the eleven seed Washington Huskies, two seed UConn gets three shot attempts off in the final 15 seconds with Rip Hamilton's buzzer beating jumper winning it 75–74.{{Cite web |last=Video |first=B/R |title=Take Your Shot: How a Magical Sweet 16 Buzzer-Beater Changed Rip Hamilton's Life |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2699275-take-your-shot-how-a-magical-sweet-16-buzzer-beater-changed-rip-hamiltons-life |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en}}
• March 20, 1999 – UConn defeats Gonzaga 67–62 to win the West Regional Final and advance to the Final Four for the first time.{{Cite web |date=2008-12-18 |title=Katz: Revisiting the game that changed it all for UConn and Gonzaga |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/columns/story?columnist=katz_andy&id=3776778 |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}
• March 29, 1999 – UConn wins its first NCAA Championship, defeating Duke 77–74 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.{{Cite web |date=2019-04-04 |title=Twenty years later, UConn's upset of Duke still reverberates |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/26415034/twenty-years-later-uconn-upset-duke-reverberates |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}
• March 27, 2004 – UConn defeats Alabama 87–71 to win the West Regional Final and advance to the Final Four for the second time.{{Cite news |last=Finley |first=Bill |date=March 28, 2004 |title=Unchallenged, UConn Reaches The Final Four |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/28/sports/ncaa-men-s-round-of-8-unchallenged-uconn-reaches-the-final-four.html |access-date=March 26, 2024 |work=The New York Times |pages=Section 8, Page 1}}
• April 5, 2004 – UConn wins its second NCAA Championship, defeating Georgia Tech 82–73 at the Alamodome in San Antonio.{{Cite web |last=Writer |first=EDDIE PELLS-AP Sports |date=2004-04-06 |title=UConn easily wins title, 82-73 over Georgia Tech |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-uconn-easily-wins-title-82-73-over-georgia-tech-2004apr06-story.html |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=San Diego Union-Tribune |language=en-US}}
• March 28, 2009 – UConn defeats Missouri 82–75 to win the Arizona Regional Final and advance to the Final Four for the third time.{{Cite web |last1=Bagnato |first1=Andrew |last2=Press |first2=The Associated |date=2009-03-29 |title=UConn outlasts Missouri 82-75 for Final Four berth |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-bkc-ncaa-missouri-connecticut-032809-2009mar28-story.html |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=San Diego Union-Tribune |language=en-US}}
• March 12, 2011 ("Five Games in Five Days") – In the final of the Big East tournament, UConn defeats Louisville by a score of 69–66 to claim their seventh Big East Championship. The victory capped an unprecedented run wherein the Huskies won five tournament games in five consecutive days. Four of those wins came against top-25 opponents. Junior All-American guard Kemba Walker scored a tournament-record 130 points in the five-game run, and was named tournament MVP.{{Cite news |last=Thamel |first=Pete |date=March 13, 2011 |title=For a Fifth and Final Day, Walker Carries UConn |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/13/sports/ncaabasketball/13bigeast.html |access-date=March 25, 2024 |work=The New York Times |pages=Section SP, Page 1}}
• March 26, 2011 – UConn defeats Arizona 65–63 to win the West Regional Final and advance to the Final Four for the fourth time.{{Cite news |last=Bishop |first=Greg |date=March 27, 2011 |title=Huskies Pull Together |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/27/sports/ncaabasketball/27west.html |access-date=March 25, 2024 |work=The New York Times |pages=Section SP, Page 1}}
• April 4, 2011 – UConn wins its third NCAA Championship, defeating Butler 53–41 at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas.{{Cite web |last=Simpson |first=Jake |date=2011-04-05 |title=UConn Beats Butler: 5 Thoughts on the Ugly 2011 NCAA Title Game |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2011/04/uconn-beats-butler-5-thoughts-on-the-ugly-2011-ncaa-title-game/236821/ |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=The Atlantic |language=en}}
• November 9, 2012 – In Kevin Ollie's first game as Connecticut head coach, UConn beats the No. 14 Michigan State Spartans 66–62 at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.{{Cite news |title=UConn men upset Michigan State |url=https://www.ctpost.com/uconn/article/uconn-men-upset-michigan-state-4024820.php |access-date=2024-03-26 |work=Connecticut Post |language=en}}
• March 30, 2014 – UConn defeats Michigan State 60–54 at Madison Square Garden to win the East Regional Final and advance to the Final Four for the fifth time.
• April 7, 2014 – UConn wins its fourth NCAA Championship, defeating Kentucky 60–54 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
• March 11, 2016 – With 0.8 seconds remaining and UConn down by 3, freshman point guard Jalen Adams hits a 70-foot 3 pointer to tie an American Athletic Conference men's basketball tournament quarterfinal game against Cincinnati and force a fourth overtime. UConn wins the game 104–97, and then wins the final against Memphis two days later to advance to the 2016 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.{{Cite web |last=O'Donnell |first=Ricky |date=2016-03-11 |title=UConn-Cincy is the craziest game this year |url=https://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2016/3/11/11208726/uconn-cincinnati-half-court-buzzer-beater-american-tournament |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=SBNation.com |language=en}}
• March 25, 2023 – UConn defeats Gonzaga 82–54 to win the West Regional Final and advance to the Final Four for the sixth time.{{Cite web |date=2023-03-26 |title=March Madness 2023: UConn destroys Gonzaga, returns to Final Four for first time since 2014 |url=https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/march-madness-2023-uconn-destroys-gonzaga-returns-to-final-four-for-first-time-since-2014/live/ |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=CBSSports.com |language=en}}
• April 3, 2023 – UConn wins its fifth NCAA Championship, defeating San Diego State 76–59 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.
• November 27, 2023 – UConn defeats New Hampshire 84–64 to set an NCAA record with its 24th straight non-conference victory by double digits.
• March 30, 2024 – In a game that notably included a 30–0 run, UConn defeats Illinois 77–52 to win the East Regional Final and advance to their seventh Final Four.{{Cite web |date=2024-03-30 |title=UConn romps back into Final Four with 25-point blowout of Illinois |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/39842442/uconn-romps-back-final-four-blowout-illinois-ncaa-tournament |access-date=2024-04-01 |website=ESPN |language=en}}
• April 8, 2024 – UConn wins back-to-back titles with its sixth NCAA Championship, defeating Purdue 75–60 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.{{Cite web |date=2024-04-08 |title=UConn wins first back-to-back men's NCAA basketball titles since 2007 |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/08/sport/mens-march-madness-national-championship-spt-intl/index.html |access-date=2024-04-09 |website=CNN |language=en}}

Source

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}AAC Defensive Player of the Year

• Amida Brimah – 2015

AAC Most Improved Player

• Josh Carlton – 2019

AAC Player of the Year

• Shabazz Napier – 2014

AAC Rookie of the Year

• Daniel Hamilton – 2015

AAC Tournament MVP

• Daniel Hamilton – 2016

All-AAC First Team

• Shabazz Napier – 2014
• Ryan Boatright – 2015
• Jalen Adams – 2017

All-AAC Second Team

• Daniel Hamilton – 2016
• Jalen Adams – 2018

All-AAC Third Team

• Jalen Adams – 2019
• James Bouknight – 2020

All-Big East Conference First Team

• Corny Thompson – 1982
• Chris Smith – 1992
• Donyell Marshall – 1993, 1994
• Ray Allen – 1995, 1996
• Richard Hamilton – 1998, 1999
• Khalid El-Amin – 2000
• Caron Butler – 2002
• Emeka Okafor – 2003, 2004
• Ben Gordon – 2004
• Rudy Gay – 2006
• Jeff Adrien – 2008
• A.J. Price – 2008
• Hasheem Thabeet – 2009
• Kemba Walker – 2011
• Jeremy Lamb – 2012
• Shabazz Napier – 2013
• James Bouknight – 2021
• R. J. Cole – 2022
• Adama Sanogo – 2022, 2023
• Jordan Hawkins – 2023
• Tristen Newton – 2024
• Cam Spencer – 2024

All-Big East Conference Second Team

• Corny Thompson – 1980
• Chuck Aleksinas – 1981
• Mike McKay – 1982
• Earl Kelley – 1985, 1986
• Clifford Robinson – 1989
• Chris Smith – 1990, 1991
• Scott Burrell – 1992
• Doron Sheffer – 1995, 1996
• Khalid El-Amin – 1999
• Ben Gordon – 2003
• Josh Boone – 2005
• Charlie Villanueva – 2005
• Hilton Armstrong – 2006
• Marcus Williams – 2006
• Jeff Adrien – 2007
• Hasheem Thabeet – 2008
• A.J. Price – 2009
• Solo Ball – 2025
• Alex Karaban – 2025

'''[[List of All-Big East Conference men's basketball teams|All-Big East

Conference Third Team]]'''

• Mike McKay – 1980, 1981
• Karl Hobbs – 1984
• Clifford Robinson – 1988
• Tate George – 1990
• Nadav Henefeld – 1990
• Scott Burrell – 1991, 1993
• Rod Sellers – 1992
• Donny Marshall – 1994, 1995
• Doron Sheffer – 1994
• Kevin Ollie – 1995
• Khalid El-Amin – 1999
• Caron Butler – 2001
• Emeka Okafor – 2002
• Marcus Williams – 2005
• Jeff Adrien – 2009
• Jerome Dyson – 2010
• Kemba Walker – 2010
• Liam McNeeley – 2025

All-ECAC

• Toby Kimball – 1964

All-New England First Team

• Walt Dropo – 1946, 1947
• Vincent Yokabaskas – 1950, 1951, 1952
• Art Quimby – 1954, 1955
• Toby Kimball – 1963, 1964, 1965
• Wes Bialosukina – 1965, 1966, 1967
• Bill Corley – 1966, 1967, 1968
• Tony Hanson – 1975, 1976, 1977

{{col-2}}

All-Yankee Conference First Team

• Stan Sorota – 1949
• Henry Bartnicki – 1950
• Vincent Yokabaskas – 1950, 1951, 1952
• Burr Carlson – 1952
• Art Quimby – 1953, 1954, 1955
• Worthy Patterson – 1953, 1954
• Toby Kimball – 1963, 1964, 1965
• Wes Bialosuknia – 1965, 1966, 1967
• Bill Corley – 1966, 1967, 1968
• Tony Hanson – 1975, 1976

Big East All-Freshman Team

• Bruce Kuczenski – 1980
• Vernon Giscombe – 1981
• Earl Kelley – 1983
• Phil Gamble – 1986
• Tate George – 1987
• Scott Burrell – 1990
• Nadav Henefeld – 1990
• Donyell Marshall – 1992
• Ray Allen – 1994
• Doron Sheffer – 1994
• Richard Hamilton – 1997
• Khalid El-Amin – 1998
• Caron Butler – 2001
• Emeka Okafor – 2002
• Ben Gordon – 2002
• Josh Boone – 2004
• Charlie Villanueva – 2004
• Rudy Gay – 2005
• Jeff Adrien – 2006
• Jerome Dyson – 2007
• Hasheem Thabeet – 2007
• Kemba Walker – 2009
• Alex Oriakhi – 2010
• Shabazz Napier – 2011
• Jeremy Lamb – 2011
• Andre Drummond – 2012
• Omar Calhoun – 2013
• Adama Sanogo – 2021
• Jordan Hawkins – 2022
• Donovan Clingan – 2023
• Alex Karaban – 2023
• Stephon Castle – 2024
• Liam McNeeley – 2025

Big East Coach of the Year

• Jim Calhoun – 1990, 1994, 1996, 1998
• Dan Hurley – 2024

Big East Defensive Player of the Year

• Donyell Marshall – 1994
• Emeka Okafor – 2003, 2004
• Josh Boone – 2005
• Hilton Armstrong – 2006
• Hasheem Thabeet – 2008, 2009
• Isaiah Whaley – 2021

Big East Most Improved Player

• Marcus Williams – 2005

Big East Player of the Year

• Donyell Marshall – 1994
• Ray Allen – 1996
• Richard Hamilton – 1998, 1999
• Caron Butler – 2002
• Emeka Okafor – 2004
• Hasheem Thabeet – 2009

Big East Rookie of the Year

• Earl Kelley – 1983
• Nadav Henefeld – 1990
• Doron Sheffer – 1994
• Khalid El-Amin – 1998
• Rudy Gay – 2005
• Stephon Castle – 2024
• Liam McNeeley – 2025

Big East Sixth Man of the Year

• Tyler Polley – 2021
• Hassan Diarra – 2024
• Tarris Reed Jr. – 2025

Big East Tournament MVP

• Chris Smith – 1990
• Khalid El-Amin – 1998
• Kevin Freeman – 1999
• Caron Butler – 2002
• Ben Gordon – 2004
• Kemba Walker – 2011
• Tristen Newton – 2024

ECAC Player of the Year

• Tony Hanson – 1977

New England Player of the Year

• Tony Hanson – 1977

Yankee Conference Rookie of the Year

• Tony Hanson – 1974

{{col-end}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

Academic All-America Team Member of the Year

• Emeka Okafor – 2004

AP All-American Honorable Mentions

• Art Quimby – 1955
• Toby Kimball – 1965
• Wes Bialosuknia – 1967
• Tony Hanson – 1975, 1977
• Corny Thompson – 1980, 1982, 1983
• Earl Kelley – 1983, 1986
• Nadav Henefeld – 1990
• Chris Smith – 1990, 1991, 1992
• Donny Marshall – 1995
• Khalid El-Amin – 1998, 1999, 2000
• Caron Butler – 2002
• Emeka Okafor – 2003
• Ben Gordon – 2004
• Josh Boone – 2005
• Marcus Williams – 2006
• A. J. Price – 2008, 2009
• Jeff Adrien – 2009
• Jeremy Lamb – 2012
• James Bouknight – 2021
• Adama Sanogo – 2023
• Donovan Clingan – 2024
• Cam Spencer – 2024

AP National Coach of the Year

• Jim Calhoun – 1990

Ben Jobe Award

• Kevin Ollie – 2013

Bob Cousy Award

• Kemba Walker – 2011
• Shabazz Napier – 2014
• Tristen Newton – 2024

Chip Hilton Player of the Year Award

• Emeka Okafor – 2004

Consensus First Team All-Americans

• Donyell Marshall – 1994
• Ray Allen – 1996
• Richard Hamilton – 1999
• Emeka Okafor – 2004
• Kemba Walker – 2011
• Shabazz Napier – 2014
• Tristen Newton – 2024

{{col-2}}

Consensus Second Team All-Americans

• Richard Hamilton – 1998
• Rudy Gay – 2006
• Hasheem Thabeet – 2009

John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching Award

• Jim Calhoun – 2005

Lute Olson Award

• Kemba Walker – 2011

Naismith College Coach of the Year

• Dan Hurley – 2024

NABC National Defensive Player of the Year

• Emeka Okafor – 2003, 2004
• Hasheem Thabeet – 2008, 2009

NABC National Player of the Year

• Emeka Okafor – 2004

NCAA Tournament MOP

• Richard Hamilton – 1999
• Emeka Okafor – 2004
• Kemba Walker – 2011
• Shabazz Napier – 2014
• Adama Sanogo – 2023
• Tristen Newton – 2024

NCAA Tournament Regional MOP

• Richard Hamilton – 1999
• Ben Gordon – 2004
• A.J. Price – 2009
• Kemba Walker – 2011
• Shabazz Napier – 2014
• Jordan Hawkins – 2023
• Donovan Clingan – 2024

Pete Newell Big Man Award

• Emeka Okafor – 2004

Sporting News Coach of the Year

• Jim Calhoun – 1990
• Dan Hurley – 2024

UPI College Basketball Player of the Year

• Ray Allen – 1996{{col-end}}

Sources[https://s3.amazonaws.com/sidearm.sites/bigeast.com/documents/2024/1/11/2023_24_MBB_Record_Book.pdf Big East 2023-24 Men's Basketball Record Book][http://fs.ncaa.org.s3.amazonaws.com/Docs/stats/m_basketball_RB/D1.pdf NCAA 2023-24 Division I Men's Basketball Records]

• Regular season championships: 11
• Regular season conference wins: 18{{Cite web |date=2024-03-09 |title=No. 2 UConn Sets Records In Regular Season FInale Win At PC |url=https://uconnhuskies.com/news/2024/3/9/mens-basketball-no-2-uconn-sets-records-in-regular-season-finale-win-at-pc.aspx |access-date=2024-04-22 |website=University of Connecticut Athletics |language=en}}
• Tournament championships: 8

• Regular season championships: 18

• Best point differential in single year, men's tournament history: +140 – UConn, 2024
• Consecutive double digit wins vs. non-conference opponents: 24 – UConn, 2022–2024
• Games in a season (since 1948): 41 – UConn, 2011 (32–9)
• Highest average margin of victory in tournament, championship winner: 23.3 – UConn, 2024
• Lead before opponent scores to start a game (Division I): 32–0 – UConn vs. New Hampshire, Dec. 12, 1990
• Number of different players to score a three-point field goal in a single game, one team: 10 – UConn vs. Xavier, Jan. 28, 2024
• Rebounds per game (season): 70.0 – UConn, 1955 (1,751 rebounds in 25 games)

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