UConn as a worse seed in NCAA Tournament - excellence!

[EASTFLA]

UConn has played 20 times in the NCAA Tournament as the worst seed in the game and is 10-10. That is the 3rd best winning percentage of all teams with 20 or more opportunities. Here is the list of the 10 wins:

Wins against higher seeded teams:
Year Seed Opponent/Seed Round
2016 9 Colorado/8 64
2014 7 Villanova/2 32
2014 7 Iowa St/3 16
2014 7 Michigan St/4 8
2014 7 Florida/1 4
2011 3 San Diego St/2 16
2004 2 Duke/1 4
2003 5 Stanford/4 32
1992 9 Nebraska/8 64
1991 11 LSU/6 64

 

[Tenspro2002]

To be fair, a lot of those (9/8 5/4, 3/2, and 2/1) are not much of an upset. On the other hand, a program like ours doesn't get a ton of opportunities as a lower seed! A 1 seed is never an underdog.

I'd also be curious to see how we stack up as a higher seed, i.e. avoiding upsets. I feel that through about 2004 we were very good at playing to our seed expectations and avoiding bad upsets.

 

[alexd]

To be fair, a lot of those (9/8 5/4, 3/2, and 2/1) are not much of an upset. On the other hand, a program like ours doesn't get a ton of opportunities as a lower seed! A 1 seed is never an underdog.

I'd also be curious to see how we stack up as a higher seed, i.e. avoiding upsets. I feel that through about 2004 we were very good at playing to our seed expectations and avoiding bad upsets.

Yep. The 2014 run carries a lot of the weight here. How often has a team beat a 1,2, 3 and 4 seed in the same tourney??

 

[EASTFLA]

Here is your answer:

mcubed.net : Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament : Connecticut : History

mcubed.net

 

[Waquoit]

Yep. The 2014 run carries a lot of the weight here. How often has a team beat a 1,2, 3 and 4 seed in the same tourney??

They beat the overall #1 seed and the consensus pick for the title. Not like the draw fell right for them.

 

[alexd]

They beat the overall #1 seed and the consensus pick for the title. Not like the draw fell right for them.

I think some people just look at the Final, #7 UConn v. #8 Kentucky and say it was not a sexy final (Yes, two bluebloods but based on seedings, sorta eh) and forget we had already beat all the big boys to get to the final.

 

[Tex-Lager93]

Yep. The 2014 run carries a lot of the weight here. How often has a team beat a 1,2, 3 and 4 seed in the same tourney??

Really was an amazing run / doesn't get enough credit outside of UConn circles - beat the A10, Big 12 and Big 10 tourney champions...beat the Big East regular season champ...and the SEC regular season and tourney champ...and Kentucky.

 

[bfs3]

I think some people just look at the Final, #7 UConn v. #8 Kentucky and say it was not a sexy final (Yes, two bluebloods but based on seedings, sorta eh) and forget we had already beat all the big boys to get to the final.

That Kentucky team had plenty of talent. Including an All Star this year and at least two other first round picks if I remember correctly. I remember being less confident in that game than the previous. I also remember thinking we had it in the bag pretty quickly when I saw how well Boat was playing right from the jump.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

Really was an amazing run / doesn't get enough credit outside of UConn circles - beat the A10, Big 12 and Big 10 tourney champions...beat the Big East regular season champ...and the SEC regular season and tourney champ...and Kentucky.

People forget how hot St Joe’s was as they knocked off a good Dayton team to win the A10. Dayton made a little run themselves that year.
If DD doesn’t get early questionable fouls the Kentucky game is a rout.
He was unconscious in the tourney.
Having a team with multiple shooters
Is so important.

 

[Waquoit]

That Kentucky team had plenty of talent. Including an All Star this year and at least two other first round picks if I remember correctly. I remember being less confident in that game than the previous. I also remember thinking we had it in the bag pretty quickly when ".I saw how well Boat was playing right from the jump.

It was that early Daniels dunk with no respect for KY that made me think "We got this".

 

[AZHuskiePop]

It was that early Daniels dunk with no respect for KY that made me think "We got this".

That and the move where RB turned the Ky guy completely around was classic.