Elite Eight!

The UConn men's basketball team advanced to the Elite Eight on Friday night with a 81-75 victory over Iowa State at Madison Square Garden in New York City.  The Huskies will face Michigan State on Sunday afternoon with the winner advancing to the Final Four.

Here are some tidbits - UConn lost their only meeting with Michigan State in the NCAA Tournament, in the 2009 Final Four played in Detriot.

No, No. 7 seed advanced to the Final Four.

UConn has never advanced to the Final Four from the East Region.  The Huskies lost a heartbreaker to Duke in 1990 in the Meadowlands.  Then again, UConn lost to North Carolina in Greensboro in 1998.  Also, UConn lost to Maryland in Syracuse in 2002.  Most recently, UConn lost to George Mason in Washington, DC in 2006.  In two of those three games, UConn was the higher seed and twice they played the regional final in the opponent's backyard.

UConn has advanced to the Final Four the four times in the last six appearances in the Elite Eight.

The crowd at Madison Square Garden will be again a pro-UConn crowd.  This is amazing since the fans did not show up earlier this season when they played in the 2K Sports Classic.  I was there for the championship game and in a half fulled MSG, it was a very pro-Indiana crowd.  I felt like it has been that way the past few times UConn has played a preseason tournament there and even the last few St. John's games.  If UConn fans want to make some noise, they need to appear again next year at Yankee Stadium for the football game vs. Army and again when there is a UConn men's./women's doubleheader.  I remember the day that Metro North always had extra cars and trains when UConn was in town - this needs to happen again and often.

Go Huskies!

PS:  Today is the 15th anniversary of the greatest win in UConn basketball history.  77-74!

Sweet Sixteen!

Well, the Huskies know how to turn it on in March. 

Last week they proved they belonged when they defeated Memphis and Cincinnati to advance to the American championship game. The Memphis win was significant because it was a true road game. The Cincinnati win was just an old school grind.

Then past Thursday,  the Huskies were playing awful in the first half. Down by as many as ten, then they fought back. Being down late, it was the freshman center who made the biggest shot and free throw in this career to force overtime.  As we have become accustomed to, OT is Napier time. Nothing changed as UConn advanced to the Round of 32.

Saturday night primetime was interesting.  UConn looked like they were going to get blown out of the building early on. Napier with two quick fouls and plenty of time on the bench, and Husky bench stepped up.  Villanova was forced to live and die by the three and they did die. Napier took over in the second half and helped lead UConn to the East Regional semifinals at Madison Square Garden in NYC.

MSG is a UConn homecourt. The Huskies beat BC and Indiana there back in November.  They won Big East tournament championships there and always gave St. John's a battle. The Garden will be rocking on Friday night.