According to a poll of nearly 100 Division I men’s college basketball coaches, the 2023-24 UConn Huskies sit alone at the top of the century.
CBS Sports asked those coaches a simple question: Which team was the best in this century? UConn earned the most support, landing 17 percent of the vote for Dan Hurley’s title group.
It’s not hard to see why that team drew so much respect. UConn went 35-3, swept the Big East regular season and tournament championships, and claimed the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Once the bracket began, the Huskies steamrolled through it, winning every game by at least 14 points and beating Zach Edey and Purdue 75-60 in the championship game. That run gave the program its second straight national title and set an all-time NCAA Tournament record with an average margin of victory of 23.3 points per game, topping the 2022-23 championship team’s 20-point average margin.
That 2023-24 roster has already moved on to the next level. UConn’s starting five - Tristen Newton, Stephon Castle, Cam Spencer, Alex Karaban and Donovan Clingan - are all now in the NBA.
The anonymous coaches who backed the Huskies didn’t exactly hold back in explaining their pick.
“Insanely dominant. Five NBA players in the starting lineup. Best coach in the sport on the sidelines.”
“Not sure we will see as dominant a performance during the NCAA tourney again. Felt like they just beat everyone by 30.”
“No. 1 offense, No. 4 defense at KenPom. Didn’t lose from mid-February on.
Big, skilled, disciplined, deep. One of the best coaches in college basketball, best players that year.
I would have probably picked Michigan last year but didn’t want to have recency bias.”
“Recency bias pushes me to 2024 UConn. Having the ability to go back-to-back and winning in the tourney by virtual blowouts every time was just impressive.
They were tough and disciplined, but as good on offense as they were on defense. They were elite in every area!”
UConn wasn’t the only team near the top of the voting. The other finalists included 2000-01 Duke at 14 percent, last season’s Michigan at 14 percent, 2017-18 Villanova at 12 percent, 2006-07 Florida at 11 percent, 2011-12 Kentucky at 10 percent and 2014-15 Kentucky at 7 percent.
CBS’ Matt Norlander, who wrote the piece, went with 2000-01 Duke as his pick. He pointed to UConn’s 30-0 run against Illinois in the Elite Eight and noted that the Huskies trailed for only 6 minutes and 22 seconds total across six tournament games. That Duke team, led by Jason Williams, Carlos Boozer, Shane Battier, Mike Dunleavy Jr. and Chris Duhon, finished 31-4 and won the national title.
If there’s another UConn team worth putting in the conversation, it’s Jim Calhoun’s 2003-04 group. That team finished 33-6, rolled through the NCAA Tournament with an average margin of victory of 13 points, and featured six future NBA players, including Emeka Okafor and Ben Gordon, the No. 2 and No. 3 picks in that year’s draft.
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The schedule is now rounded out with additional home dates against Wagner, Mississippi Valley State and Delaware State, giving the Huskies the kind of balance that typically accompanies a national-title contenders calendar. UConn also has a notable preseason tune-up slate in place, with exhibitions against Syracuse, Michigan State and Purdue offering an early barometer for how ready the group will be when the real pressure starts to build. [Read more 🡒]