March Madness 2023: Look at five UConn titles in March Madness history

On Monday night in Houston, the University of Connecticut Huskies became the fifth school in National Collegiate Athletic Association history to win five championships. They are joined by California (15 titles), North Carolina (13 titles), Kentucky (10 titles), and Indiana (five titles). Of Connecticut’s five March Madness titles, all have come since 1999. Let’s take a look at each of them.

1999

At Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, the Huskies beat the Duke Blue Devils 77-74 in the final. The game will be best remembered for its coaches as UConn coach Jim Calhoun of Braintree, Massachusetts won 917 NCAA basketball games and Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski  of Chicago, Illinois won 1202 games. The Huskies were led in the final by future three-time Detroit Pistons all-star Richard Hamilton of Coatesville, Pennsylvania, who had 27 points.

2004

At the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, the Huskies defeated the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 82-73 in the championship game. Emeka Okafor of Houston, Texas, led the Huskies with a double double in the final (24 points and 15 rebounds) and was later selected second overall in the 2004 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Bobcats. Okafor was selected only behind center Dwight Howard, who was taken first overall by the Orlando Magic.

2011

At Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas, the Huskies beat the Butler Bulldogs 53-41 in the championship game. Kemba Walker of The Bronx, New York led the Huskies in scoring with 16 points. Like Okafor, Walker would be drafted by the Bobcats in the NBA Draft. The Huskies were given a tough test in the semifinals, as they only beat Kentucky 56-55.

2014

At AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the Huskies beat the Kentucky Wildcats 60-54 in the final. Point guard Shabazz Napier of Roxbury, Massachusetts led the Huskies in scoring with 22 points. The Huskies rebounded from an 81-48 loss earlier in the season to Louisville. The 33-point loss was the largest loss in the same season by an eventual NCAA champion in the history of college basketball.

 2023

At NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, the Huskies defeated the San Diego State Aztecs 76-59 in the final. Tristen Newton of Pensacola, Florida had the double double as he had 19 points and 10 rebounds. All five of Connecticut’s wins were by double digits.