UConn’s quest to repeat shaped by a changing sport
Billy Donovan hasn’t watched many Connecticut games. He doesn’t have the time while coaching the NBA’s Chicago Bulls.
But he’s seen enough to know the Huskies’ bid to repeat as national champions — they are trying to become the first since Donovan’s Florida team in 2007 to do so — is happening in “a totally different environment.”
For starters, there’s an abundance of talent and experience available through the NCAA transfer portal. There’s also name, image and likeness money available to potentially keep guys on campus longer than what had been the norm.
It’s a seismic shift that comes with a new set of challenges for sure.
It also might provide a path for champs like UConn to rebuild quickly and have a legit shot at winning it all again — even with a revolving group of guys.
“Certainly a different time with the way college basketball has changed from that perspective,” Donovan said. “(The Huskies) obviously had to change their starting lineup. It’s not the same exact team that won it last year. They’ve got certainly some pieces from the previous year, but they’re also starting two or three different guys as well.”
Indeed, UConn lost its top two scorers from last season — forward Adama Sanoga and guard Jordan Hawkins — but was able to replace some of their combined 33 points and 11 rebounds a game by signing graduate transfer and former Rutgers and LoyolaMaryland starter Cam Spencer.
The Huskies returned point guard Tristen Newton, forward Alex Karaban and center Donovan Clingan to form the core of coach Dan Hurley’s roster. With the trio leading the way, Connecticut (35-3, 18-2 Big East) has been even better this time around.
The Huskies have won 11 in a row and 25 of their last 26 entering Saturday’s matchup against fourthseeded Alabama in one semifinal in Glendale, Ariz., and they’ve won four NCAA Tournament games by an average of 28 points.
UConn is the first champion to return to the Final Four since Florida in 2007, which shows just how daunting a task it has been for decades.
Before the Gators, Michigan State (2001), Kentucky (1997), Arkansas (1995) and Duke (1992) also accomplished the feat. The Spartans got back despite losing stars Morris Peterson and Mateen Cleaves; the Wildcats pulled it off with their top three scorers — Antoine Walker, Tony Delk and Walter McCarty — in the NBA.
Florida and Duke were the only ones of that group to cut down the nets on college basketball’s ultimate stage again.
“The second time I feel like it’s tougher,” said Boston Celtics forward Al Horford, who won back-toback titles at Florida under Donovan. “For (the Huskies), they’ve kind of cruised through it, it seems like.
“For us, personally, the second time was much tougher. There was a lot of pressure, a lot of expectation. And, yeah, it was definitely more challenging.”
Donovan went to great lengths to keep his guys on edge after Horford, Joakim Noah and Corey Brewer delayed NBA money to stay in school and attempt a rare repeat alongside fellow starters Taurean Green and Lee Humphrey.
“Coach Donovan was great at keeping everyone focused,” Humphrey said. “It was the daunting task of doing what you already accomplished and getting everybody’s best shot every night.”
Florida probably would have been lost without Horford, Noah or Brewer and surely wouldn’t have been able to adequately replace Green or Humphrey, who holds the record for the most 3-pointers made (47) in NCAA Tournament history.
“It’s a totally different environment,” Donovan said. “For us, we kind of had the same core group come back two years in a row.”
That kind of roster retention, which Florida enjoyed in 2007, seemed impossible just a few years back when one-and-done college stars typically jumped at NBA riches. But NIL has been a gamechanger, and relaxed transfer rules have player movement at an all-time high.
“Regardless of the circumstances, it’s always challenging,” Horford said. “There’s different eras of the game and you’re always going to deal with different adversities.
“Right now, I feel like UConn as a program is doing a great job of handling the transfer portal, the players they have coming in. They have a nice mix of young guys and veterans, and they just look very poised.”