2023–24 UConn Huskies men's basketball team facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 2023–24 UConn Huskies men's basketball |
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NCAA tournament National champions
Big East tournament champions Big East regular season champions Empire Classic champions |
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| Conference | Big East Conference |
| Ranking | |
| Coaches | No. 1 |
| AP | No. 1 |
| 2023–24 record | 37–3 (18–2 Big East) |
| Head coach | Dan Hurley (6th season) |
| Associate head coach | Kimani Young |
| Assistant coach | Tom Moore |
| Assistant coach | Luke Murray |
| Home stadium | Harry A. Gampel Pavilion XL Center |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | PCT | W | L | PCT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 1 UConn † | 18 | – | 2 | .900 | 37 | – | 3 | .925 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 13 Creighton | 14 | – | 6 | .700 | 25 | – | 10 | .714 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 12 Marquette | 14 | – | 6 | .700 | 27 | – | 10 | .730 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Seton Hall | 13 | – | 7 | .650 | 25 | – | 12 | .676 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| St. John's | 11 | – | 9 | .550 | 20 | – | 13 | .606 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Villanova | 10 | – | 10 | .500 | 18 | – | 16 | .529 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Providence | 10 | – | 10 | .500 | 21 | – | 14 | .600 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Butler | 9 | – | 11 | .450 | 18 | – | 15 | .545 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Xavier | 9 | – | 11 | .450 | 16 | – | 18 | .471 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Georgetown | 2 | – | 18 | .100 | 9 | – | 23 | .281 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DePaul | 0 | – | 20 | .000 | 3 | – | 29 | .094 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| † 2024 Big East tournament winner Rankings from AP Poll |
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The 2023–24 UConn Huskies men's basketball team had an amazing season! They played for the University of Connecticut and were led by their coach, Dan Hurley. This was their fourth year back in the Big East Conference. The Huskies played their home games in Storrs, Connecticut at the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion and in Hartford, Connecticut at the XL Center.
They had a fantastic record of 31 wins and only 3 losses in the regular season. In the Big East Conference, they won 18 games and lost only 2, making them the regular season champions! They then won the Big East tournament by beating Xavier, St. John's, and Marquette. This win earned them a spot in the big NCAA tournament.
The Huskies went on to win the 2024 NCAA tournament, becoming national champions! This was super special because they were the first team to win back-to-back championships since the Florida Gators did it in 2006 and 2007. They also set a new record in the NCAA tournament. Since 1985, when the tournament expanded to 64 teams (meaning you need to win six games to be champion), no team had won every game by at least 14 points. The Huskies did! They even broke their own record from the year before, when they won every game by 13 points. They also set records for the biggest total winning margin (140 points) and the biggest average winning margin (23.3 points per game) in the tournament.
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A Look Back: The Previous Season
The Huskies also had a great year before this one. They finished that season with 31 wins and 8 losses. In the Big East, they were tied for fourth place. They played in the Big East tournament and won one game before losing in the semifinals.
Even though they didn't win the Big East tournament, they still got to play in the NCAA tournament. They were a strong team and won against Iona, Saint Mary's, Arkansas, and Gonzaga. This led them to the Final Four, which is the semi-final stage of the NCAA tournament. It was their first time there since 2014! They then beat Miami and San Diego State to win the national championship. This was their fifth national title since 1999. They were also one of only five men's teams to win all six of their NCAA tournament games by 10 points or more.
Team Changes: Players Joining and Leaving
Every year, basketball teams see players graduate or move to other teams. The UConn Huskies had some changes before their amazing 2023–24 season.
Players Who Left
Several players who helped the Huskies win the championship in the 2022–23 season moved on. Some graduated from college, while others decided to play professionally in the NBA.
- Joey Calcaterra (Guard) graduated.
- Nahiem Alleyne (Guard) transferred to St. John's.
- Richie Springs (Forward) transferred to Quinnipiac.
- Adama Sanogo (Forward) decided to try for the 2023 NBA draft. He signed with the Chicago Bulls.
- Jordan Hawkins (Guard) also entered the 2023 NBA draft and was picked by the New Orleans Pelicans.
- Yarin Hasson (Forward) transferred to Southern Indiana.
- Emmett Hendry (Guard) transferred to Alliance.
- Andre Jackson Jr. (Guard) entered the 2023 NBA draft and was picked by the Orlando Magic.
New Players Joining
The Huskies also welcomed new talent to their team. These new players helped them stay strong and win another championship!
- Cam Spencer (Guard) joined the team as a graduate transfer from Rutgers.
Future Stars: Recruiting New Players
UConn also works hard to bring in talented young players for future seasons. These are players who commit to playing for the Huskies after they finish high school.
2023 Recruiting Class
The 2023 class brought in several promising players who joined the team for the 2023–24 season.
- Stephon Castle (Guard)
- Solomon Ball (Guard)
- Jayden Ross (Forward)
- Jaylin Stewart (Forward)
- Youssouf Singare (Center)
2024 Recruiting Class
UConn also got commitments from players who will join the team in the 2024–25 season.
- Ahmad Nowell (Guard)
- Isaiah Abraham (Forward)
More to Explore
- 2023–24 UConn Huskies women's basketball team
