When UConn Shocked The World

In 1999 the UConn Huskies completed one of the greatest triumphs in college basketball history. Relive UCONN's first national championship and the launching point of their program.

[@ApolyonTheSoulRender]

It's amazing how UConn went from struggling to break out of the elite 8 in the 90's to earning it 6 titles since 1999

[@freakboy40]

That 99 team will always be my favorites. The swagger was unreal. Rip Hamilton and Khalid are my all time favorite players.

[@iTzJSwag]

Seeds weren’t ranked in ‘99 so UConn and Duke agreed to a coin flip for who would wear home whites. UConn won the flip, and has won all 6 of its National Titles in home white uniforms

[@KalelaChannel]

This was the team that made me a Uconn. Khalid El-Amin was a dawg. A true leader and clutch as hell. I was shocked when his NBA career never panned out.

[@TrashMonkeySports]

100% El-Amin had ice in his veins. He was one of those dudes that never hesitated to dive on the floor for a loose ball his competitiveness was infectious. His floater was also a thing of beauty.

[@toreeadams9873]

Still remember Billy Packer being shocked that Langdon tried taking Ricky Moore one on one to win the game. Once we saw that it was a lock for UConn country

[@TrashMonkeySports]

Choosing to go 1 on 1 with one of the best perimeter defenders in the country at the time was definitely a head scratcher. Moore was the star of the game for UConn his work on both ends of the floor was tremendous.

[@jaykay6387]

They were an extremely tough-minded group, Hamilton & El-Amin were ballers, pure and simple, and their role players like Freeman, Moore & Mouring were underrated and overlooked. Excellent recap and lookback, brought back some great memories. As you noted, we had a decade of heartbreak until we finally got the breakthrough against Gonzaga, that game was a white knuckler for sure, we just couldn't put them away until the whistle blew. I remember at one point with a few minutes remaining, I think we had a 4 point lead and this little guard for Gonzaga throws in a three from the top of the key and I say to myself, here we go again, we're going to blow this but obviously we hung on and look at us now! It's a miracle what UConn has accomplished.

[@TrashMonkeySports]

It's inspiring what they were able to do. Jake Voskuhl also should be mentioned his defense on Brand was outstanding in the national title game. That Gonzaga game was also a ton of fun to go back and watch they really put up a hell of a fight. But that '99 UConn squad was just too much they deserve more attention for what they were able to accomplish.

[@joshct9426]

People forget how great Ricky Moore was. Such a great on ball defender. Without him Duke would have won by 10+

[@StoryGordon]

When people doubt UConn is the Basketball Capitol of the World they ignore the facts. What other school has both men's and women's programs that are usually near the top? Consider the women's performance. Making it to the Final Four with a playing roster of seven, four of them Freshmen, and losing by two against a team with the POY, holding her to 10 points below her season average. UConn knows the game.

[@TrashMonkeySports]

UConn earned the right to call themselves a top tier basketball school. If I were a recruit they would be at the top of the list whether it's on the Men's or Women's side what they have done is spectacular.

[@SteveKaye-yl7te]

I remember watching this game with all my childhood friends, and it was amazing, my friends dad still busts our balls bc the coffee table in front of us literally disintegrated at the end, I think we broke a few windows, the screen door to the porch definitely, we were watching in a like a outside sun porch. For many of us we experienced a massive amount of losses being UConn fans. I believe I went to like 20 something games in the late 80’s before I watched them win a game in person, and it was against Duke, that’s what made it so special

[@joireland]

HaHa ... it's always special beating Duke isn't it! Not as special now that Coach K is gone but still special :)

[@joshct9426]

1998-99 Duke was the most talented CBB team I ever seen. I'm still hurt over the L to uconn and Ricky Moore!

[@joycewhite2568]

Christian Laettner broke our hearts on a buzzer beater, elite 8. For almost a decade we waited to savor Duke's defeat at our hands. It seems every time since, UConn played Duke, that heartbreak got healed a bit more.

[@josephedrictiamson]

The Huskies went from shocking the world to basically owning March Madness in convincing fashion this decade.

[@classicswagg1980]

Great video

[@TrashMonkeySports]

Thank you.

[@jamesgates1074]

Crazy to think how much hinged on this game. I'm betting if UConn didn't win this game their later string of success doesn't happen. Maybe Calhoun gets fired eventually and the program goes in a downward direction. It's funny how we were the largest underdogs ever for a national title, no one's ever going to call us underdogs again.

[@TrashMonkeySports]

Calhoun deserves a ton of credit for their turnaround he may not have gotten a ton of top recruits but that dude could coach his ass off. They also never should have been that big of an underdog in '99 that was a great team and they deserved more respect than they got at the time.

[@na_k]

I doubt he'd have gotten fired unless the bottom completely fell out, which was highly unlikely. He had been there since the 80s and won his first Big East title in 1990. He pretty much built that program up from the rubble to where it was consistently top 25, and one of the elite programs in the Big East.

[@na_k]

I enjoyed revisiting this and some of the names from that team like, Moore, Freeman, El-Amin, Voskuhl, and of course Rip. The defensive game plan by Calhoun to put Voskuhl on Brand was brilliant. It's amazing that UConn became a blue-blood (new blood) in less than 30 years, with far lower ranked recruiting classes than the Kentucky's, Duke's, etc. But the women's program is no longer the gold standard, though still an elite program. That would be Staley and South Carolina.

[@TrashMonkeySports]

Sure for the past few years SC has been the top dog but I was more so talking about the program as a whole over 25 years. UConn's women's program has been the gold standard over that period of time.

[@SanctuaryGardenLiving]

Awesome video down memory lane. Loved all those teams of the 90s and man that team with Rip, El-amin, and the secret weapon Ricky Moore! 💪🏽

[@TrashMonkeySports]

That '99 UConn squad were absolute killers. I went back and watched a few games from that season in my research and man were they a special group it didn't matter what their opponents offered that group nearly always had an answer. They should be remembered as one of the best teams of the 90s they could go blow for blow with anyone.

[@toryou6]

Ricky Moore use to lock opposing guards down

[@sportgeek2028]

The foundation 🐺🐺

[@maggotman2024]

No mention of final score.

[@TrashMonkeySports]

I thought I put a clip that involved the final score but under further review apparently I did not sorry about that.

[@michaelkirven1804]

No offense, but the narrator’s way of speaking is hard to listen to for a video that is this long

[@TrashMonkeySports]

Thanks for the feedback obviously my channel is fairly new so I'm still trying new things. With that being said thus far you're the only person to complain about it so in the future if it's a problem for more people I will look to make changes. Also it's a 10 minute video so it really wasn't that long let's not act like it was a long form video or anything.

[@KalelaChannel]

@@TrashMonkeySports You did fine. Don't let anyone discourage you. Keep going/posting. I enjoyed your video.

[@t.yop9]

@@TrashMonkeySports The problem isn't your voice. Anyone speaking into an empty mic with some static would sound bland. You should add a bit of background music, with some pauses that just allow the music to flow with the highlights. e.g. "Rip Hamilton would hit shot after shot" then just 5 seconds of highlights without a voiceover showing Hamilton hit a couple of key shots, perhaps even with the in game sounds. Your mic can also be upgraded which will help the videos in the future. I know this is a lot more than just putting together a video and a talk track but just some thoughts for future videos.

[@TrashMonkeySports]

@t.yop9 Good feedback. I get what your saying about the mic it's definitely something I've been looking into. As for the music that's definitely something coming back I had used some for some earlier videos. It's just going to take some trial and error to get things where they need to be. Thanks for the good feedback and suggestions.

[@taylorb26566]

Glaze baby glaze

[@derrickayala4525]

Just admit you barely got into your local community college

[@kmanb9]

Cry baby cry

[@LetsDIYIt]

UConn women didn't win in 2005, as your graphic showed. They did in 1995, so your total amount for them is correct.

[@TrashMonkeySports]

Good catch that was my bad.

[@LetsDIYIt]

​@@TrashMonkeySports well you had the total amount correct, so that counts 😁

[@dantefazzina9037]

Love it. However, as a UCONN Duke was overrated. You think I am crazy. Here are the facts. First, the ACC conference was down that season. The Big East had at least 4 teams in the top ten in the national rankings. Then look at common opponents. UCONN crushed St. John’s and Michigan State that were both ranked in the top ten. UCONN beat ST. John’s by 4 points and Michigan State twice by 6 points each game. Don’t agree, then do your homework.

[@dantefazzina9037]

Duke beat St. Joins by 4 points and Michigan State two t 6 points each game.

[@Terrathrax]

The greatest finals upset of all time?

[@bumblebeemoi]

Hardly. The critics vastly underrated UCONN. They won their first 19 games and one loss ws without Hamilton. They played better against common opponents. Also, they were rated number 1 before their loss. People said, “Who can stop Elton Brand?” Rip Hamilton replied, “Who can stop me?” BTW. Valvano’s upset was much bigger.