University of Connecticut Athletics
UConn to Face UMass in MassMutual U Game
12/11/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
- Game Notes (.pdf)
- Live TotalCast!
ABOUT UCONN:
Connecticut is ranked No. 11 in the nation in both the AP and USA Today/ESPN National Top 25 polls. The Huskies will carry a 7-1 overall record into the MassMutual U Game and UConn is riding a six-game winning streak and is coming off a 71-69 victory Saturday at the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion over No. 5 nationally-ranked Arizona.
ABOUT UMASS:
Massachusetts will carry a 1-5 overall record into the U Game and the Minutemen are coming off a 54-51 road loss at Ohio State on Sunday.
SERIES HISTORY:
This is the 103rd meeting in the sport of mens basketball between Connecticut and Massachusetts. UConn holds a 64-38 advantage in the series, which dates back to the 1904-05 season. The Huskies are riding a nine- game winning streak against UMass and UConn has won 17 of the last 18 meetings between the two schools, dating back to 1977-78.
MASSMUTUAL U GAME:
This is the fifth meeting between Connecticut and Massachusetts in the "MassMutual U Game". UConn has won the first four contests in the U Game series, scoring a 64-61 victory on December 27, 1996 in the Hartford Civic Center, posting a 72-55 win in Hartford on December 23, 1997, recording a 59-54 triumph at the Mullins Center in Amherst, MA on December 9, 1998, and netting a 79-65 win on November 22, 1999 at the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion in Storrs.
AGREEMENT IN PLACE THROUGH 2003-2004:
Connecticut and Massachusetts are under contract for continuing competition in the U Game through the 2003-2004 college basketball season. Following this seasons matchup at the Hartford Civic Center, the annual game between the two long-time New England rivals will rotate back to the Mullins Center on the UMass campus for the 2001-2002 season, head to Gampel Pavilion on the UConn campus for the 2002-2003 game, and return to the Hartford Civic Center for the 2003- 2004 meeting.
100 YEARS OF UCONN BASKETBALL:
The University of Connecticut mens basketball program is celebrating a "Century of Husky Hoops" during the 2000-2001 season. The first varsity season for Connecticut Basketball was the 1901- 1902 season and the 2000-2001 season will complete 100 Years of UConn Basketball. The first collegiate opponent for the UConn mens basketball program was the University of Massachusetts and that rivalry began during the 1904-05 season.
CONNECTICUT HAS 203 WINS IN LAST EIGHT SEASONS:
During the past eight basketball seasons (beginning with the 1993- 94 season), Connecticut has won 203 games (203-45), ranking the Huskies No. 3 in the nation among 318 NCAA Division I schools for total victories during that span. UConn has averaged 28 wins per year during the past seven full seasons. The only Division I schools with more wins than UConn during the past eight years are Kentucky and Kansas.
13 STRAIGHT NATIONAL POST-SEASON BIDS:
The Connecticut basketball program is one of only EIGHT schools (among 318 NCAA Division I institutions) to advance to national post- season tournament competition (NCAA or NIT) in each of the past 13 seasons (dating back to the 1987-88 season). Under the guidance of head coach Jim Calhoun, UConn has earned nine NCAA bids (1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000) and four NIT bids (1988, 1989, 1993, 1997). The eight institutions which have advanced to national tournament play for the past 13 consecutive seasons include: Arizona, Arkansas, CONNECTICUT, Georgetown, Indiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Temple.
NATIONAL RANKING FOR 61 CONSECUTIVE POLLS:
The University of Connecticut mens basketball program has been ranked in the Associated Press (AP) Top 25 National Poll for a school-record 61 consecutive polling periods (including the AP poll of Dec. 11), dating back to the 1997-98 season.
UCONN IN HARTFORD:
Since January of 1976, the Hartford Civic Center has hosted games involving the University of Connecticut mens basketball program. UConn has played 205 times in the Hartford Civic Center. The Huskies are 129-64 against collegiate opposition in Hartford and 140-65 overall (including exhibitions). The 205 games in Hartford have attracted 2,890,579 fans, an average attendance of 14,101.
UCONN 61-4 VS. NON-CONFERENCE TEAMS IN HCC UNDER JIM CALHOUN:
In his 15 years as head coach of the Connecticut Basketball program, Jim Calhoun has compiled an outstanding overall record of 61-4 in the Hartford Civic Center against non-BIG EAST Conference teams. The only losses in Hartford to non-BIG EAST clubs were against Purdue and Hartford (1986), Virginia (1987), Kansas (1997).
UCONN HAS 14-GAME WINNING STREAK VS. NON-CONFERENCE TEAMS IN HCC:
Connecticut will enter the contest with Massachusetts riding a 14-game winning streak against non- BIG EAST opponents in games played in the Hartford Civic Center. The last loss to a non-BIG EAST rival in Hartford took place on Jan. 19, 1997 (a 73-65 loss to Kansas).
UCONN HAS 71-GAME WINNING STREAK VS. NON-BIG EAST NE FOES:
Connecticut will enter the Massachusetts game riding a stunning 71-game winning streak against non-BIG EAST Conference New England college rivals. The streak dates back 15 seasons to UConn head coach Jim Calhouns first year at Connecticut, the 1986-87 season. Jim Calhouns overall record against non-BIG EAST New England schools in his 15 years at UConn is 75-3 (all three losses in his first season in 1986-87). The last Connecticut loss to a non-BIG EAST New England opponent took place on December 29, 1986 (49-48 to Hartford in the Connecticut Mutual Classic).
UCONN HEAD COACH JIM CALHOUN:
Jim Calhoun (American International 68) is in his 15th season in charge of the Connecticut basketball program. In his 29th season as a collegiate head coach, Jim Calhoun has an overall career record of 586-268 (68.6%), having spent 14 seasons as the head coach at Northeastern University before taking over at Connecticut in 1986-87. Calhoun sports a 336-131 (72.0%) record at UConn and he registered a 250-137 (64.6%) mark at Northeastern. He is the only basketball coach in NCAA Division I history to have recorded at least 250 wins at two different schools. Jim Calhoun is the winningest coach in both UConn and Northeastern basketball history.
JIM CALHOUN HAS 106 WINS IN HARTFORD:
UConn head coach Jim Calhoun will enter the MassMutual U Game clash with Massachusetts carrying a 15-year record of 106-31 (77.4%) against collegiate opponents in Husky games played in the Hartford Civic Center (including two neutral court wins over Massachusetts). In Jim Calhouns 15 years at Connecticut, the Huskies have recorded a 61-4 mark against non-conference opponents in Hartford and a 45-27 record against BIG EAST Conference foes. During the past eight seasons (since 1993-94), the Huskies have posted a superb 61- 7 record in Hartford.
JIM CALHOUN-WINNINGEST DIVISION I COACH IN NEW ENGLAND HISTORY:
Jim Calhouns 29-year career as a collegiate head coach ranks him as the winningest NCAA Division I coach in New England history. Jim Calhoun enters the MassMutual U Game with 586 career wins. He posted 250 wins in 14 years at Northeastern (MA) University and has added 336 wins at UConn in his 15 years at Connecticut.
JIM CALHOUN NO. 9 IN WINS AMONG ACTIVE NCAA DIVISION I COACHES:
Jim Calhouns 29-year overall collegiate head coaching record of 586-268 places him No. 9 in total wins among NCAA Division I active coaches. The active Division I coaches currently ahead of Jim Calhoun in total victories include: Jim Phelan, Lefty Driesell, Jerry Tarkanian, Lou Henson, Denny Crum, Eddie Sutton, John Chaney, Lute Olson.
JIM CALHOUN IMPRESSIVE IN POST-SEASON:
UConn head coach Jim Calhoun currently sports an impressive 76.2% winning percentage (32-10 overall) in national post-season tournament play in his first 14 years as Husky head coach. Jim Calhoun is 21-7 in NCAA play at UConn and is 11-3 in NIT competition. That post-season winning percentage is higher than Coach Calhouns overall winning percentage at Connecticut (336-131=72.0%).
RECORD-SETTING SPAN:
During the past 12 seasons (beginning with the 1989-90 season), head coach Jim Calhoun has directed the Connecticut basketball program to an overall record of 289-85 (77.3% winning effort), the sixth best overall record (total wins and winning percentage) among the 318 NCAA Division I teams in the nation. Prior to Jim Calhouns tenure as head coach, Connecticut had only won as many as 23 games in a single season twice in the first 86 years of the programs history (1900-1986). Since the 1989-90 season, UConn has "averaged" 25.6 wins per season.
UCONN 170-100 AGAINST BIG EAST TEAMS UNDER JIM CALHOUN:
The Connecticut mens basketball program has posted an overall record of 170-100 (63.0%) against BIG EAST Conference teams during Jim Calhouns 15 years in charge of the UConn program (150-90 in regular season play, 20-10 in BIG EAST Tournament games).
UCONN 166-31 AGAINST NON-CONFERENCE FOES UNDER JIM CALHOUN:
The Connecticut mens basketball program has posted an overall record of 166-31 (84.3%) against non- conference teams in Jim Calhouns 15 years in charge of the UConn program.
JIM CALHOUN NO. 15 ALL-TIME IN NCAA WINS:
UConn head coach Jim Calhoun, who directed Connecticut to the 1999 NCAA Division I National Championship, currently ranks No. 15 all-time in NCAA career victories. Calhoun is 24-12 overall in NCAA play (21-7 at UConn, 3-5 at Northeastern).
1. Dean Smith 65-27 (.707)2. Mike Krzyzewski 50-14 (.781)3. John Wooden 47-10 (.825)4. Bob Knight 42-21 (.667)5. Denny Crum 42-23 (.646)6. John Thompson 34-19 (.642)7. Lute Olson 32-21 (.604)8. Jerry Tarkanian 31-14 (.689)8. Jim Boeheim 31-20 (.608)10. Adolph Rupp 30-18 (.625)11. Eddie Sutton 30-20 (.600)12. Rick Pitino 26-7 (.788)12. Nolan Richardson 26-14 (.650)12. Guy Lewis 26-18 (.591)15. JIM CALHOUN 24-12 (.667)16. Roy Williams 23-11 (.677)17. Steve Fisher 20-6 (.769)17. Al McGuire 20-9 (.690)17. Joe Hall 20-9 (.690)17. Rollie Massimino 20-10 (.667)
UCONN-BIG EAST TEAM OF THE 1990S:
During the decade of the 1990s, the Connecticut mens basketball program was the winningest program among all BIG EAST Conference schools. From 1989-90 through the 1998-99 season, UConn sported a 10-year overall record of 257-74 (77.6%). In that same span, UConns conference-best regular season record in BIG EAST games was 127-49.
UCONN HAS DOMINATED THE BIG EAST:
Connecticut has won outright possession of five BIG EAST Conference regular season titles in the past seven years. UConn has also won three of the past five BIG EAST Tournament championships. In 1997-98 & 1998-99, UConn became the first program in BIG EAST history to win the BIG EAST regular season and tournament titles in back-to-back seasons.
MOST WINS IN A THREE-YEAR STRETCH:
The last three seasons of Connecticut Basketball have produced an overall record of 91-17 (32-5 in 1997-98, 34-2 in 1998-99, 25-10 in 1999- 00), the most wins in any three-season stretch in UConns 100-year basketball history and an average of 30.3 wins per season.
CARON BUTLER OFF TO BEST FROSH START UNDER JIM CALHOUN:
Connecticut forward Caron Butler is off to the best offensive start of any freshman performer in Jim Calhouns 15 years as head coach at Connecticut. Butler, who sat out the first three games of the season, has scored 90 points and is averaging a team-leading 18.0 points per game in the first five collegiate games in which hes played. Following are the scoring statistics in their first five collegiate games for other talented UConn freshman players under Jim Calhoun.
Caron Butler 90 points=18.0/gameKhalid El-Amin 74 points=14.8/gameDoron Sheffer 65 points=13.0/gameRay Allen 57 points=11.4/gameScott Burrell 55 points=11.0/gameNadav Henefeld 51 points=10.2/gameRichard Hamilton 47 points= 9.4/gameDonyell Marshall 47 points= 9.4/gameTate George 42 points= 8.4/gameChris Smith 37 points= 7.4/game
RIP-ONLY FRESHMAN LEADING SCORER:
In Jim Calhouns first 14 years as head coach of the Connecticut basketball program, Richard "Rip" Hamilton ranks as the only freshman to lead a UConn team in scoring for an entire season. Hamilton averaged 15.9 points per game as a freshman in 1996-97. Freshman Caron Butler currently leads the UConn team in scoring with an 18.0/game average.
FOUR IN DOUBLE FIGURES:
Connecticut will enter the game against Massachusetts with four players scoring in double figures. Freshman forward Caron Butler leads the way with 18.0/game while senior guard Albert Mouring is next at 17.8/game. Junior forward Johnnie Selvie is third at 12.6/game and senior forward Edmund Saunders follows at 11.4/game.
TONY ENJOYS PLAYING ARIZONA:
UConn sophomore guard Tony Robertson has played two games against nationally- ranked Arizona and has turned in two of his best individual efforts. As a freshman playing his seventh collegiate game in 1999-2000, Robertson came off the bench against No. 2 nationally-ranked Arizona and scored 15 points in 20 minutes as UConn posted a 78-69 win at the Great Eight Classic in Chicago. Last Saturday, at home in Storrs, Robertson again came off the UConn bench and scored 14 points in 28 minutes as Connecticut upset No. 5 nationally-ranked Arizona 71-69.
EDMUND NO. 2 IN FIELD GOAL SHOOTING:
UConn junior Edmund Saunders stands in the No. 2 spot on Connecticuts career field goal percentage shooting list. In his third collegiate season, the 6-8 Saunders has converted 223 of 406 field goal attempts in 76 games for a 54.9% field goal shooting performance.
GORDON SIGNS WITH UCONN:
Ben Gordon, a 6-2 combination guard at Mount Vernon (NY) HS, signed a National Letter of Intent with the Connecticut Basketball program during the November signing period and plans to enroll at UConn for the 2001-2002 academic year. Gordon, rated among the Top 20 scholastic recruits in the nation and the USA Today New York Player of the Year as a junior, averaged 24.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 3.7 steals during his junior season at Mount Vernon in 1999-2000. "Ben is obviously an important recruit for us," said UConn head coach Jim Calhoun. "We believe he is one of the top 20 high school players in the country. Hes a terrific shooter who can put it down, score, and do a lot of things on the court."
UCONN ON ESPN/espn2:
Connecticuts appearance in the MassMutual U Game is UConns 90th game to be televised nationally by ESPN/espn2 during the past 12 seasons (since the start of the 1989-90 season). UConn is 64-25 overall on ESPN/espn2 during the past 12 seasons. The UConn-UMass matchup is the first of six regular season Connecticut games during the 2000-2001 season which will be televised live by ESPN/espn2.
TATE ON THE SIDELINE:
A former Husky standout will return to the sideline for the MassMutual UGame. Tate George will serve as a sideline reporter for ESPN during Tuesdays contest. George is No. 1 on the UConn career assist list with 677 and is No. 22 on the all-time Husky scoring list with 1,247 points in his four seasons (1986-87 through 1989-90). He was the first ever UConn player selected in the First Round of the NBA Draft when he was picked by the New Jersey Nets in 1990.
FINAL EXAMS NEXT UP FOR UCONN:
Following the matchup against Massachusetts, the Connecticut mens basketball program will be idle for nine days during fall semester final exam period on the Storrs campus.
FAIRFIELD IN HARTFORD ON DECEMBER 22:
At the completion of the fall semester exam period, the Connecticut mens basketball program will return to competition on Friday, December 22, when the Huskies host Fairfield University at 7:30 p.m. at the Hartford Civic Center. That non-league battle will be followed by two other home games in Hartford against Rhode Island (December 26 at 7:30 p.m.) and Stony Brook (December 28 at 7:30 p.m.).
TICKETS AVAILABLE FOR NEXT THREE HOME GAMES:
Reserved tickets, priced at $25 each, are on sale for the next three Connecticut home games (Fairfield, Rhode Island, Stony Brook) in the Hartford Civic Center. Tickets are available at TicketMaster outlets throughout the state, by calling TicketMaster at (860) 525- 4500 or (203) 624-0033, by ordering on-line at www.ticketmaster.com, at the Hartford Civic Center Box Office, or in person at the UConn Athletic Ticket Office in Storrs (cash or check only).
