2008–09 Connecticut Huskies men's basketball team
Encyclopedia
The 2008–2009 Connecticut Huskies men's basketball team represented the University of Connecticut
in the 2008–2009 NCAA Division I basketball season. Coached by Jim Calhoun
, the Huskies played their home games at the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut
, and on campus at the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion
in Storrs, Connecticut
.
The Huskies finished the regular season with an overall record of 27–3, including a Big East Conference
record of 15–3. The team finished the regular season tied for second place in the Big East standings (a tiebreaker gave them the #3 seed in the Big East tournament). In the NCAA tournament, the Huskies received a #1 seed in the West Region and advanced to their 3rd Final Four. In the Final Four
they would lose to Michigan State
82–73.
Listed are recruits for the upcoming season.
!colspan=10| Regular season
|-
!colspan=10| Big East Tournament
|-
!colspan=10| 2009 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
in the U.S. Virgin Islands. During this stretch, the Huskies faced three teams that were ranked in the Top 25, including #8 Gonzaga
in an overtime thriller in Seattle
.
The first Big East Conference game of the season came at home against Georgetown, which the Huskies lost 74–63. This was the start of a 19-game stretch where 18 of the games were against conference opponents, and where their opponents were ranked in nine of the games. After this first loss, the Huskies went on to win 13 straight, staying comfortably atop the Big East Conference standings. Among these was a 68–51 victory at #7 Louisville
— the eventual outright Big East Champions.
The Huskies reached #1 in the rankings on February 2, 2009, and held it for three weeks. During this span junior guard Jerome Dyson, one of the team's biggest scoring threats and its best guard defender, injured his knee. He would not be able to play for the rest of the season. The team spent the final few weeks of the regular season adjusting to their smaller rotation. A 76–68 loss at home to #4 Pittsburgh knocked them from the top spot. They would win their next three games, including at #8 Marquette
, which was Coach Jim Calhoun's 800th career victory in Division I basketball. After one week at #2, UConn was again #1 in the polls, until a loss at #3 Pittsburgh to finish the regular season once again bumped the Huskies from the top.
The Huskies finished the regular season with 27 wins and 3 losses, with a conference record of 15–3. The team was not ranked out of the top 5 in the AP Poll at any point in the season.
The Huskies earned the #1 seed in the West Regional of the NCAA Tournament
. They began play in Philadelphia, PA, where they had two blowout victories against Chattanooga and Texas A&M. They moved on to Glendale, AZ for the West regionals, first defeating Purdue 72–60, then outlasting a pressing Missouri squad in the Elite Eight, 82–75.
The following weekend the Huskies were in Detroit, MI for a Final Four matchup against the Midwest's #2 seed, Michigan State. The game was close throughout, until the Spartans began to take control near the ten minute mark of the second half. UConn would make one last run and cut the deficit to three late in the game, but Michigan State made key free throws and held on to win, 82–73. UConn's final record was 31 wins and 5 losses.
Hasheem Thabeet
, Center, Jr.
National Defensive Player of the Year
Hasheem Thabeet
Big East Co-Players of the Year:
Hasheem Thabeet
with DeJuan Blair
, Pittsburgh, Center, So.
Big East Defensive Player of the Year:
Hasheem Thabeet
All-Big East First Team:
Hasheem Thabeet
All-Big East Second Team:
A.J. Price, Guard, Sr.
All-Big East Third Team:
Jeff Adrien
, Forward, Sr.
Big East All-Rookie Team:
Kemba Walker, Guard, Fr.
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
in the 2008–2009 NCAA Division I basketball season. Coached by Jim Calhoun
Jim Calhoun
James A. Calhoun is the head coach of the University of Connecticut's men's basketball team. His teams have won three national championships , played in four Final Fours , won the 1988 NIT championship, and have won seven Big East tournament championships...
, the Huskies played their home games at the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
, and on campus at the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion
Harry A. Gampel Pavilion
Harry A. Gampel Pavilion is a 10,167-seat multi-purpose arena in Storrs, Connecticut, United States. The arena opened on January 21, 1990, and is the largest on campus arena in New England. It was named after Harry A. Gampel, who donated one million dollars for the construction of the arena...
in Storrs, Connecticut
Storrs, Connecticut
Storrs is a census-designated place and part of the town of Mansfield, Connecticut located in eastern Tolland County. The population was 10,996 at the 2000 census...
.
The Huskies finished the regular season with an overall record of 27–3, including a Big East Conference
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
record of 15–3. The team finished the regular season tied for second place in the Big East standings (a tiebreaker gave them the #3 seed in the Big East tournament). In the NCAA tournament, the Huskies received a #1 seed in the West Region and advanced to their 3rd Final Four. In the Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
they would lose to Michigan State
2008–09 Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team
The 2008–09 Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team represented Michigan State University in the 2008–09 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The head coach was Tom Izzo who was in his 14th year. The team played their home games at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, MI...
82–73.
Roster
Listed are the student athletes who are members of the 2008–2009 team.| # | Name | Position | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Jeff Adrien Jeff Adrien Jeff Adrien is an American professional basketball player. He is a 6'7" forward. Adrien formerly served as captain for the University of Connecticut Huskies.-High school:... |
Forward | Sr |
| 24 | Craig Austrie Craig Austrie Craig Kevin Austrie is an American basketball player. He played in college for the University of Connecticut and played briefly for the Springfield Armor in the NBA Development League.-High school career:... |
Guard | Sr |
| 55 | Kyle Bailey | Guard | So |
| 2 | Donnell Beverly | Guard | So |
| 10 | Johnnie Bird | Guard | Sr |
| 11 | Jerome Dyson | Guard | Jr |
| 33 | Gavin Edwards | Forward/Center | Jr |
| 30 | Scottie Haralson | Guard | Fr |
| 13 | Alex Hornat | Forward | Jr |
| 45 | John Linder | Forward | Sr |
| 32 | Jonathan Mandeldove | Center | Jr |
| 35 | Charles Okwandu | Center | So |
| 12 | A.J. Price | Guard | Sr |
| 21 | Stanley Robinson Stanley Robinson Stanley Robinson is an American basketball player with the Iowa Energy of the NBA Development League. Robinson was drafted by the Orlando Magic with a disappointing 59th overall pick at the 2010 NBA Draft... |
Forward | So |
| 34 | Hasheem Thabeet Hasheem Thabeet Hasheem Thabeet is a Tanzanian professional basketball player. He currently plays for the Houston Rockets of the NBA. He was drafted as the 2nd pick overall by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2009 NBA Draft after playing with the Connecticut Huskies... |
Center | Jr |
| 40 | Jim Veronick | Forward | Sr |
| 15 | Kemba Walker Kemba Walker Kemba Hudley Walker is an American professional basketball player for the Charlotte Bobcats. Walker grew up in The Bronx, New York and graduated from Rice High School in 2008. With the Huskies basketball team at Connecticut, Walker was the 2nd leading college basketball scorer in the United States... |
Guard | Fr |
Listed are recruits for the upcoming season.
Schedule
|-!colspan=10| Regular season
|-
!colspan=10| Big East Tournament
2009 Big East Men's Basketball Tournament
- Championship Game :- Syracuse vs. Connecticut :The quarterfinal game on Thursday, March 12 between Syracuse and Connecticut lasted for six overtime periods, the second-longest game in NCAA Division I Men's Basketball history...
|-
!colspan=10| 2009 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
2009 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The first and second round games were played at the following sites:First and Second Rounds: Thursday and Saturday, March 19 and 21, 2009-Qualifying teams:-Brackets:Results to date * – Denotes overtime periodAll times in U.S. EDT....
Regular season
The Huskies' season began with the team ranked #2 in the AP Poll. behind the University of North Carolina. Off to a quick start, UConn opened with a string of eleven straight victories over non-conference opponents, including a sweep of the Paradise Jam TournamentParadise Jam Tournament
The U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam is a preseason college basketball tournament that takes place in late November of each year, with the men usually playing the week before Thanksgiving and the women playing Thanksgiving week. It takes place in St. Thomas at the Sports and Fitness Center. The...
in the U.S. Virgin Islands. During this stretch, the Huskies faced three teams that were ranked in the Top 25, including #8 Gonzaga
2008-09 Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball team
The 2008–09 Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball team is currently representing Gonzaga University in NCAA men's Division I competition. The Bulldogs, also nicknamed the Zags, have emerged in recent years as a legitimate national power despite playing in the mid-major West Coast Conference, having...
in an overtime thriller in Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
.
The first Big East Conference game of the season came at home against Georgetown, which the Huskies lost 74–63. This was the start of a 19-game stretch where 18 of the games were against conference opponents, and where their opponents were ranked in nine of the games. After this first loss, the Huskies went on to win 13 straight, staying comfortably atop the Big East Conference standings. Among these was a 68–51 victory at #7 Louisville
2008–09 Louisville Cardinals men's basketball team
The 2008–09 Louisville Cardinals men's basketball team represented the University of Louisville in basketball. The team was coached by Rick Pitino in his eighth year at the school...
— the eventual outright Big East Champions.
The Huskies reached #1 in the rankings on February 2, 2009, and held it for three weeks. During this span junior guard Jerome Dyson, one of the team's biggest scoring threats and its best guard defender, injured his knee. He would not be able to play for the rest of the season. The team spent the final few weeks of the regular season adjusting to their smaller rotation. A 76–68 loss at home to #4 Pittsburgh knocked them from the top spot. They would win their next three games, including at #8 Marquette
2008–09 Marquette Golden Eagles men's basketball team
The 2008-09 Marquette Golden Eagles men's basketball team represents Marquette University. The Head Coach is Buzz Williams, serving his first season as head coach, and second with Marquette. The team plays its home games at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin...
, which was Coach Jim Calhoun's 800th career victory in Division I basketball. After one week at #2, UConn was again #1 in the polls, until a loss at #3 Pittsburgh to finish the regular season once again bumped the Huskies from the top.
The Huskies finished the regular season with 27 wins and 3 losses, with a conference record of 15–3. The team was not ranked out of the top 5 in the AP Poll at any point in the season.
Post-season
In the Quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament, UConn took on Syracuse. The game would prove to be a historic event, as it took a Big East record six overtimes before Syracuse ultimately triumphed, 127–117. The contest is tied as the second longest in NCAA Division I history.The Huskies earned the #1 seed in the West Regional of the NCAA Tournament
2009 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The first and second round games were played at the following sites:First and Second Rounds: Thursday and Saturday, March 19 and 21, 2009-Qualifying teams:-Brackets:Results to date * – Denotes overtime periodAll times in U.S. EDT....
. They began play in Philadelphia, PA, where they had two blowout victories against Chattanooga and Texas A&M. They moved on to Glendale, AZ for the West regionals, first defeating Purdue 72–60, then outlasting a pressing Missouri squad in the Elite Eight, 82–75.
The following weekend the Huskies were in Detroit, MI for a Final Four matchup against the Midwest's #2 seed, Michigan State. The game was close throughout, until the Spartans began to take control near the ten minute mark of the second half. UConn would make one last run and cut the deficit to three late in the game, but Michigan State made key free throws and held on to win, 82–73. UConn's final record was 31 wins and 5 losses.
Postseason awards
Second Team All-America:Hasheem Thabeet
Hasheem Thabeet
Hasheem Thabeet is a Tanzanian professional basketball player. He currently plays for the Houston Rockets of the NBA. He was drafted as the 2nd pick overall by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2009 NBA Draft after playing with the Connecticut Huskies...
, Center, Jr.
National Defensive Player of the Year
Hasheem Thabeet
Big East Co-Players of the Year:
Hasheem Thabeet
with DeJuan Blair
DeJuan Blair
DeJuan Lamont Blair is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association . Before turning pro Blair played center for the University of Pittsburgh men's basketball team from 2007 to 2009...
, Pittsburgh, Center, So.
Big East Defensive Player of the Year:
Hasheem Thabeet
All-Big East First Team:
Hasheem Thabeet
All-Big East Second Team:
A.J. Price, Guard, Sr.
All-Big East Third Team:
Jeff Adrien
Jeff Adrien
Jeff Adrien is an American professional basketball player. He is a 6'7" forward. Adrien formerly served as captain for the University of Connecticut Huskies.-High school:...
, Forward, Sr.
Big East All-Rookie Team:
Kemba Walker, Guard, Fr.
Team players drafted into the NBA
| Round | Pick | Player | NBA Club |
| 1 | 2 | Hasheem Thabeet | Memphis Grizzlies Memphis Grizzlies The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's... |
| 2 | 52 | A.J. Price | Indiana Pacers Indiana Pacers The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association... |