University of Connecticut Athletics
Men's Basketball Prepares to Host Fairfield
12/19/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
ABOUT UCONN: Connecticut is ranked No. 11 in the nation in the AP National Top 25 poll and No. 12 in the nation in the USA Today/ESPN poll. The Huskies will carry an 8-1 overall record into the Fairfield game. UConn is riding a seven- game winning streak and the Huskies have been idle for nine days since posting an 82-67 victory over Massachusetts (Dec. 12) in the MassMutual U Game in the Hartford Civic Center.
ABOUT FAIRFIELD: Fairfield will carry a 3-4 overall record into its game with Connecticut. The Stags are riding a two-game winning streak and have been idle since recording a 91-83 win on the road at St. Francis (NY) on December 12.
SERIES HISTORY: This is the 31st meeting in the sport of men's basketball between Connecticut and Fairfield. UConn holds a 25-5 advantage in the series, which dates back to the 1969-70 season. The Huskies have won the last 15 meetings between the two schools. UConn is 9-0 vs. Fairfield in the Hartford Civic Center.
THREE GAMES IN SEVEN DAYS IN HARTFORD: The game against Fairfield begins a busy three-games-in-seven-days home stand in the Hartford Civic Center for the University of Connecticut men's basketball program. In addition to the Fairfield game (Dec. 22 at 7:30 p.m.), UConn also plays home games in Hartford on Tuesday, December 26, at 7:30 p.m. against Rhode Island and on Thursday, December 28, at 7:30 p.m. against Stony Brook.
100 YEARS OF UCONN BASKETBALL: The University of Connecticut men's 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 men's basketball program was the University of Massachusetts and that rivalry began during the 1904-05 season.
CONNECTICUT HAS 204 WINS IN LAST EIGHT SEASONS: During the past eight basketball seasons (beginning with the 1993- 94 season), Connecticut has won 204 games (204-45), 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 62 CONSECUTIVE POLLS: The University of Connecticut men's basketball program has been ranked in the Associated Press (AP) Top 25 National Poll for a school-record 62 consecutive polling periods (including the AP poll of Dec. 18), 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 men's basketball program. UConn has played 206 times in the Hartford Civic Center. The Huskies are 130-64 against collegiate opposition in Hartford and 141-65 overall (including exhibitions). The 206 games in Hartford have attracted 2,899,702 fans, an average attendance of 14,076.
UCONN 62-4 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 62-4 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). Since the loss to Virginia (December 6, 1987), the UConn basketball program has compiled a superb record of 61-1 against non- BIG EAST Conference opponents in games played in the Hartford Civic Center.
UCONN HAS 15-GAME WINNING STREAK VS. NON-CONFERENCE TEAMS IN HCC: Connecticut will enter the contest with Fairfield riding a 15-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 72-GAME WINNING STREAK VS. NON-BIG EAST NE FOES: Connecticut will enter the Fairfield game riding a stunning 72-game winning streak against non-BIG EAST Conference New England college rivals. The streak dates back 15 seasons to UConn head coach Jim Calhoun's first year at Connecticut, the 1986-87 season. Jim Calhoun's overall record against non-BIG EAST New England schools in his 15 years at UConn is 76-3 (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 TOUGH AT HOME: Since the start of the 1989-90 season, Connecticut has posted an overall home courts record of 159-26 against collegiate opposition. During the past 12-year span, UConn has been 86-15 at home in the Hartford Civic Center, 68-11 at home in the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion, and 5-0 at home in the Hugh S. Greer Field House. During the past 12 seasons, UConn is 74-22 at home in BIG EAST Conference play (38-8 in Gampel Pavilion, 36-14 in the Hartford Civic Center) and the Huskies are 85-4 at home against non-BIG EAST opponents (50-1 in the Hartford Civic Center, 30-3 in Gampel Pavilion, 5-0 in the Hugh S. Greer Field House).
UCONN 104-13 AT HOME IN LAST EIGHT YEARS: Since the start of the 1993-94 season, Connecticut has posted an impressive 104-13 home courts record against collegiate opponents in the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion in Storrs and the Hartford Civic Center. During the past eight seasons, UConn is 59-7 in Hartford and 45-6 in the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. NOTE: The record does not include three neutral court wins over Massachusetts in the Hartford Civic Center.
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 587-268 (68.7%), having spent 14 seasons as the head coach at Northeastern University before taking over at Connecticut in 1986-87. Calhoun sports a 337-131 (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 107 WINS IN HARTFORD: UConn head coach Jim Calhoun will enter the Fairfield game carrying a 15- year record of 107-31 (77.5%) against collegiate opponents in Husky games played in the Hartford Civic Center (including three neutral court wins over Massachusetts). In Jim Calhoun's 15 years at Connecticut, the Huskies have recorded a 62-4 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 62-7 record in Hartford.
JIM CALHOUN-WINNINGEST DIVISION I COACH IN NEW ENGLAND HISTORY: Jim Calhoun's 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 Fairfield game with 587 career wins. He posted 250 wins in 14 years at Northeastern (MA) University and has added 337 wins at UConn in his 15 years at Connecticut.
JIM CALHOUN NO. 9 IN WINS AMONG ACTIVE NCAA DIVISION I COACHES: Jim Calhoun's 29-year overall collegiate head coaching record of 587-268 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 Calhoun's overall winning percentage at Connecticut (337-131=72.0%).
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)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 290-85 (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 Calhoun's 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 program's 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 men's basketball program has posted an overall record of 170-100 (63.0%) against BIG EAST Conference teams during Jim Calhoun's 15 years in charge of the UConn program (150-90 in regular season play, 20-10 in BIG EAST Tournament games).
UCONN 167-31 AGAINST NON-CONFERENCE FOES UNDER JIM CALHOUN: The Connecticut men's basketball program has posted an overall record of 167-31 (84.3%) against non- conference teams in Jim Calhoun's 15 years in charge of the UConn program.
UCONNBIG EAST TEAM OF THE 1990'S: During the decade of the 1990's, the Connecticut men's 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, UConn's 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 UConn's 100-year basketball history and an average of 30.3 wins per season.
ALBERT APPROACHING 1,000-POINT PLATEAU: Connecticut senior guard Albert Mouring is closing in on the coveted 1,000-point scoring plateau as a UConn player. Mouring will enter the Fairfield game having scored 894 points in 91 college contests (9.8/game). Currently, a total of 31 Connecticut men's basketball stars are members of the elite 1,000-point scoring club.
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 Calhoun's 15 years as head coach at Connecticut. Butler, who sat out the first three games of the season, has scored 104 points and is averaging 17.3 points per game in the first six collegiate games in which he's played. Following are the scoring statistics in their first six collegiate games for other talented UConn freshman players under Jim Calhoun.
Caron Butler 104 points=17.3/gameKhalid El-Amin 103 points=17.2/gameDoron Sheffer 90 points=15.0/gameRay Allen 70 points=11.7/gameScott Burrell 66 points=11.0/gameNadav Henefeld 62 points=10.3/gameDonyell Marshall 59 points= 9.8/gameRichard Hamilton 58 points= 9.7/gameTate George 56 points= 9.3/gameChris Smith 48 points= 8.0/gameRIP-ONLY FRESHMAN LEADING SCORER: In Jim Calhoun's 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 is No. 2 on the 2000-2001 UConn team in scoring with a 17.3/game average.
FOUR IN DOUBLE FIGURES: Connecticut will enter the game against Fairfield with four players scoring in double figures. Senior guard Albert Mouring leads the way with an 18.0/game average. Freshman forward Caron Butler is next at 17.3/game. Junior forward Johnnie Selvie is third at 12.8/game and senior forward Edmund Saunders follows at 11.0/game.
EDMUND NO. 2 IN FIELD GOAL SHOOTING: UConn junior Edmund Saunders stands in the No. 2 spot on Connecticut's career field goal percentage shooting list. In his third collegiate season, the 6-8 Saunders has converted 226 of 412 field goal attempts in 77 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. He's a terrific shooter who can put it down, score, and do a lot of things on the court.
RHODE ISLAND, STONY BROOK UP NEXT: Following the game against Fairfield, the UConn men's basketball program will be off for only three days before returning to the Hartford Civic Center for a pair of non-league games in a three-day span. On Tuesday, December 26, the Huskies will host New England rival Rhode Island at 7:30 p.m. in Hartford. On Thursday, December 28, UConn will entertain Stony Brook at 7:30 p.m. in Hartford.
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).
