Helena Frye
The 1998–1999 Connecticut Huskies men's basketball team represented the University of Connecticut in the 1998–1999 NCAA Division I basketball season. The team was coached by Jim Calhoun, and played their home games at the Hartford Civic Center in Hartford, Connecticut, and on campus at the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Connecticut. They were a member of the Big East Conference and won their fourth Big East tournament. On March 29, 1999, they claimed their first national championship by defeating Duke with a score of 77–74.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Team Name | UConn Huskies |
| Coach | Jim Calhoun |
| Season Record | 25-10 |
| Tournament Seed | #5 seed in South |
| Tournament Wins | vs #12 Utah State, vs #9 New Mexico |
| Tournament Losses | vs #4 Tennessee |
| Tournament Rank | 20th in Final AP Poll |
| Tournament Points Scored | 75 vs Utah State, 78 vs New Mexico |
| Tournament Points Conceded | 67 vs Utah State, 56 vs New Mexico |
| Players | Ricky Moore, Richard "Rip" Hamilton, Kevin Freeman, Jake Voskuhl, Khalid El-Amin, Edmund Saunders, Ajou Deng, Doug Wrenn, Marcus Cox, Tony Robertson |
| High School Parade All-Americans | Edmund Saunders, Khalid El-Amin, Richard Hamilton, Ricky Moore |
| Championship Game Score | UConn 77, Duke 74 |
| Championship Game Venue | Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida |
| Championship Game Date | March 29, 1999 |
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What You'll Learn
1998-1999 UConn Huskies team members
The 1998-1999 UConn Huskies men's basketball team was coached by Jim Calhoun, who had been with the team since 1986. The team's success that season was due in part to the fact that they began the year with their full starting lineup from the previous year. This included senior Ricky Moore, juniors Richard "Rip" Hamilton, Kevin Freeman, and Jake Voskuhl, and star Khalid El-Amin, who was responsible for the free-throws that led UConn to beat Duke in the 1999 NCAA championship game. Other players on the team included Edmund Saunders, Richard Hamilton, and Ajou Deng.
The 1998-1999 season was a significant one for the Huskies. They started with a 19-0 winning streak, and although they suffered losses to Syracuse and Miami in February 1999, they remained undefeated for the rest of the season. Nine of their wins came after trailing at halftime. The Huskies ultimately beat Duke 77-74 in the championship game, which was played in St. Petersburg, Florida, and was considered one of the greatest matchups in college basketball history.
The UConn Huskies' win over Duke's Blue Devils was particularly notable as Duke was the top-ranked team in men's basketball and a strong favourite to win the championship. UConn's victory halted Duke's 32-game win streak. Richard Hamilton, a junior on the team, was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.
The Huskies' success that season was not limited to their NCAA tournament performance. By the spring of 1999, they were ranked number three in the nation and were a top seed in the West, playing the opening round of March Madness in Denver. Their overall record was 25-10, and they were ranked 20th in the Final AP Poll.
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Home game venues
The UConn Huskies' home game venues during the 1998-99 season included Gampel Pavilion, where the team played the majority of their home games. The Pavilion was also the site of celebrations after the Huskies' 1999 NCAA Championship win, as adoring fans greeted the team there upon their return to campus.
The Huskies also played home games at the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion, which is located on the UConn campus in Storrs, Connecticut. The team's success during the 1998-99 season, including a 19-0 winning streak to start the season, likely led to packed crowds at these home game venues.
The 1999 NCAA Tournament, which the Huskies ultimately won, was played at various sites across the United States, with the championship game taking place under the dome of Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Huskies beat Duke 77-74 in what many have called one of the greatest matchups in college basketball history.
The UConn Huskies men's basketball team's success during the 1998-99 season, culminating in their first national championship, likely brought increased attention and crowds to their home game venues in Storrs, Connecticut.
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Head coach
The UConn Huskies men's basketball team is currently coached by Dan Hurley, who was born on January 16, 1973, in Jersey City, New Jersey. Dan Hurley has been the head coach of the UConn men's basketball team since March 22, 2018. He played collegiate basketball for the Seton Hall Pirates men's basketball team from 1991 to 1996. Dan Hurley is 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighs 79 kg. He is the son of a basketball coach at St. Anthony High School, where he also attended.
Dan Hurley is not the first head coach of the UConn Huskies. His predecessor, Jim Calhoun, coached the team to victory in the 1999 NCAA Championship. The Huskies started the 1998-99 season with a 19-0 winning streak, although they suffered losses to Syracuse and Miami in February 1999. Despite this, the Huskies went on to win the championship, defeating Duke 77-74.
Jim Calhoun arrived at the championship game feeling calm and confident, despite Duke's impressive performance. He believed in his players' experience and determination, which ultimately carried them to victory. Calhoun was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2005.
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Big East Conference
The 1998-99 UConn Huskies men's basketball team had a historic season, winning the NCAA national championship. The team was led by Coach Jim Calhoun, who had been with the team since 1986 and had previously led them to an NIT title in 1990. The Huskies started the season with a 19-0 winning streak, eventually going undefeated for the rest of the season despite injuries in February 1999 that led to losses against Syracuse and Miami.
The Huskies' victory in the 1999 NCAA Tournament was particularly notable as they upset fellow top seed Duke, who were the top-ranked team in men's basketball and strong favourites to win the championship. UConn's win halted Duke's win streak at 32 games. The Huskies' star player, Richard "Rip" Hamilton, was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.
The Huskies' success in the 1998-99 season can be attributed to their personnel and experience. They were the only college team that year to begin the season with its full starting line-up from the previous year, including senior Ricky Moore, juniors Richard Hamilton, Kevin Freeman, and Jake Voskuhl, and star player Khalid El-Amin. This continuity allowed the team to build on their previous successes and push forward during the second half of games to secure victories.
The Huskies' performance in the 1999 NCAA Tournament was a significant achievement, and their win against Duke in the championship game is considered one of the greatest matchups in college basketball history. The team's success was celebrated by adoring fans who lined the roads and bridges to cheer as the team returned to campus. The 1999 NCAA championship is remembered as a landmark moment in UConn sports history.
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1999 NCAA Division I basketball tournament
The 1999 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament was a single-elimination tournament involving 64 schools playing to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. The tournament began on March 11, 1999, and ended with the championship game on March 29 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida—the first and, so far, only time that the Final Four has been held in a baseball-specific facility.
The Final Four consisted of Connecticut, making their first Final Four appearance; Ohio State, making their ninth appearance and first since 1968; Michigan State, making their third appearance and first since their 1979 national championship; and Duke, the overall number one seed, making their first appearance since losing the national championship game in 1994.
Connecticut's victory in the finals marked the biggest upset in Championship Game history in the NCAA tournament, as they were 9.5-point underdogs going into the contest, despite having compiled a 33–2 record going into the Championship game, including a 14–2 record in the tough Big East Conference. UConn ultimately beat Duke 77-74, with Duke player Trajon Langdon committing a travelling violation with 5.4 seconds left, and UConn's Khalid El-Amin making both his free throws to put the Huskies up by three points.
UConn's victory marked the start of a dynasty for the Huskies, as they went on to win five more national championships in the years following. Richard "Rip" Hamilton of Connecticut was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.
The 1998-1999 UConn Huskies men's basketball roster included:
- Ricky Moore
- Richard "Rip" Hamilton
- Kevin Freeman
- Jake Voskuhl
- Khalid El-Amin
- Edmund Saunders
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Frequently asked questions
The 1998-1999 UConn Huskies men's basketball team was coached by Jim Calhoun.
The team played their home games at the Hartford Civic Center in Hartford, Connecticut, and on campus at the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Connecticut.
The Huskies won their fourth Big East tournament and claimed their first national championship by defeating Duke 77-74 on March 29, 1999.
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