Yes UConn!

This past month has been a wild ride for the Husky Ticket Project. Founded in 2018, the charity aims to raise money to buy UConn tickets so that kids who might not otherwise have the chance to go to games will have the opportunity. In recent weeks the charity has blown up onto the national stage, riding the Hot Sauce Challenge to more than $60,000 in donations. Today co-founder Kevin Kortsep joins the show to talk about the Husky Ticket Project's wild and unexpected success, how the charity plans to use its recent windfall and what it's next steps will be. Kortsep, who graduated from UConn in 2012 and is a lifelong fan, also shares his own experiences growing up rooting for the Huskies, the kind he hopes the Husky Ticket Project can help cultivate for the next generation of UConn fans. Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo. Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

Remember how great the old Big East used to be? Longtime UConn basketball writer and blogger Kevin Meacham – you'd know him best as one half of @NoEscalators on Twitter — joins the show to talk about one of the most satisfying beatdowns in UConn history. Having just ascended to the No. 1 spot in the polls, UConn had a really tough matchup on the road against Louisville, who at that time was ranked No. 5 and who would eventually finish the regular season ranked No. 1 before winning the Big East regular season and tournament titles en route to an Elite Eight appearance. Needless to say, this was a huge game that got top billing on ESPN's old Big Monday showcase, and UConn took advantage of the big stage by absolutely smashing Louisville in dominant fashion. If you're looking for drama and late heroics, you won't find them here. This was a good old fashioned butt kicking a great opportunity to look back on how fun this era of Big East basketball was. Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo. Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

Longtime UConn men's basketball beat writer Ken Davis joins the show to discuss one of the most iconic matchups in college basketball history, Ray Allen vs. Allen Iverson in the 1996 Big East Tournament Final. Coming into the game both Ray Allen's UConn team and Allen Iverson's Georgetown team were ranked in the top 10 nationally and each player was considered a National Player of the Year candidate. UConn was in search of its first Big East Tournament title since 1990, and despite having already established itself as a national power, the Huskies were still out to prove themselves against a blue blood like Georgetown. The game more than lived up to the hype, and Ray Allen's winner with 13 seconds left remains one of the greatest in college basketball history. Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo. Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

Andrew Callahan, the New England Patriots beat writer for the Boston Herald and a former Daily Campus sportswriter, joins the show to discuss the epic 2010 showdown between UConn and No. 1 ranked Texas at Gampel Pavilion. This game was a thrilling high in what was an otherwise disastrous season for the Huskies. Not long before this game, UConn had lost three straight and had fallen out of the Top 25. Not long after, UConn finished 18-16, had a wave of transfers and posted academic scores so bad that the program wound up getting banned from the postseason as a result in 2013. But on this one day, the Huskies lived up to their potential in an awesome showcase highlighted by Stanley Robinson's iconic half-court alley-oop dunk, a monster second-half comeback and the student section storming the court after the final buzzer. Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo. Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

Tim Fontenault is back for his second episode to discuss one of the most fun and meaningful UConn wins in history, the 2014 men's basketball team's epic Elite Eight win over Michigan State. Coming into this game, UConn had already overcome incredible odds just to put itself into position to reach another Final Four. The Huskies had lost Hall of Fame coach Jim Calhoun to retirement two years earlier, were coming off a postseason ban due to prior academic issues and faced an uncertain future heading into the new American Athletic Conference era. Despite all of this, UConn had made it back to the tournament and upset the No. 2 and 3 seeds to set up a date with prohibitive favorite Michigan State at, where else, Madison Square Garden. Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo. Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

Matt McDonough returns to break down one of the pivotal games of the 2011 UConn men's basketball team's national championship run, the Elite Eight showdown with Arizona. Having taken similar journeys to reach the Elite Eight, UConn and Arizona traded haymakers all game long, each riding big runs back and forth before Arizona finished the game with a shot to tie or win the game at the buzzer. Jamelle Horne got a great look from three to win at the buzzer, but the shot rimmed out and UConn survived to advance back to the Final Four. Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo. Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

Dom Amore, the Hartford Courant's longtime men's basketball beat writer, joins the show to talk about one of the most iconic plays in UConn history — The Shot. After leading Clemson by 19 points midway through the second half of their Sweet 16 matchup, UConn's dream 1990 season looked like it was about to end in nightmarish fashion. The Tigers had stormed all the way back to take a one-point lead in the final minute, and with one second on the clock UConn had to complete a full-court inbounds pass just to have a chance at winning the game. Enter Tate George, who went up and grabbed a picture perfect pass from Scott Burrell in traffic, turned around and knocked down the buzzer beater to send UConn through to the Elite Eight in stunning fashion. Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo. Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

Souleymane Wane, a member of the national champion 1999 UConn men's basketball team, joins the show to break down one of the most significant games in UConn basketball history, the 1999 Elite Eight against Gonzaga. Having never reached the Final Four in program history, Wane talks about how much beating Gonzaga and breaking through meant to the Huskies, and to coach Jim Calhoun in particular. He also shares some of his favorite memories from that championship season, his subsequent professional career overseas and his current run as a high school basketball coach in Massachusetts. He also dishes on some great Khalid El-Amin stories, which you'll definitely want to stick around to the end for. Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo. Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

Matt McDonough returns to help break down UConn's 2011 Sweet 16 win against Kawhi Leonard's San Diego State team, a game that has aged better than probably any other played in college basketball that season. Featuring two of the top NBA players in that year's draft, Kemba Walker enjoyed arguably the finest performance of his career, scoring 36 points to help overcome Leonard and a raucous pro-San Diego State crowd to send the Huskies through to the Elite Eight. Besides the game, Matt and I break down the big picture implications of this matchup and the Duke vs. Arizona Sweet 16 game that immediately followed. We also share the story of our mad dash across the country to make it in time for the game, as well as Matt's encounter with Kyrie Irving's dad later that night. Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo. Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

Longtime UConn basketball and New England Patriots beat writer Kevin Duffy joins the show to talk about one of the greatest college basketball games ever played, the UConn vs. Syracuse six overtime game in the 2009 Big East Tournament. Duffy, who got to cover the game for the Daily Campus as a senior, shares his experience watching the legendary game unfold. We talk about the thrilling moments, the great and not-so-great individual performances and Eric Devendorf's almost buzzer-beater that nearly crushed the hearts of UConn fans everywhere. Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo. Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

Mac catches up with Matt Burke, who covered the 2004 UConn men's basketball team's national championship run, including its legendary showdown with Duke in the national semifinal. Trailing Duke by seven points with around three minutes to go, Emeka Okafor overcame early foul trouble to lead the Huskies on an epic run down the stretch to stun the Blue Devils in the final minutes. Okafor gave UConn the lead for good with a second-chance basket with under a minute and then sealed the deal with the game-clinching free throw. UConn would go on to trounce Georgia Tech in the championship game to claim the program's second national title. Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo. Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

Mac catches up with longtime Daily Campus sportswriter and current ESPN editor Tim Fontenault about the 2014 National Championship Game against Kentucky. In an unlikely matchup of resurgent blue bloods, UConn came into this game with a chip on its shoulder after being banned from the prior year's postseason, while Kentucky was looking to live up to its preseason No. 1 status by running the table through the tournament after an underwhelming regular season. Though Kentucky boasted an alarming advantage in size and athleticism, UConn's veteran leadership and timely shooting helped the Huskies pull off one of the most satisfying victories in program history to claim their fourth national championship. Tim and I discuss the game, his experience covering it for the Daily Campus and it's unique place in UConn history as the spiritual end of the Jim Calhoun/Big East era. We also break down some of Shabazz Napier's most memorable moments as a Husky and a few other things that stood out upon rewatch. Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo. Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

Mac catches up with former UConn roommate and lifelong Huskies fan Jesse de Boer about the 1999 National Championship Game against Duke. Entering the game as a heavy underdog, UConn went toe to toe with the Blue Devils, getting some crucial offense early from Ricky Moore before Rip Hamilton took over in the second half to help put the Huskies ahead for good. A late defensive stop by Moore and a pair of clutch free throws by Khalid El-Amin would seal the deal, as the Huskies shocked the world to win the program's first national championship. Jesse and I discuss the game and its importance in the trajectory of UConn men's basketball's rise to national prominence, as well as all of the individual contributions that helped UConn stun what was thought to be among the greatest college basketball teams ever assembled. We also have a few observations that stood out upon rewatch, who did and didn't play as well as you may remember and more. Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo. Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

In the inaugural episode of Yes UConn, I catch up with my old Daily Campus partner in crime Matt McDonough about the greatest UConn game we ever watched in person, the 2011 Big East Tournament quarterfinal against Pitt. This is the game where Kemba Walker became a legend, breaking Pitt center Gary McGhee to the floor with a killer step back move to knock down the game-winning shot at the buzzer. UConn would go on to win the Big East Tournament and eventually ride the momentum all the way to the 2011 NCAA Championship, claiming the third national title in program history. Matt and I discuss our memories of the game and what it was like to cover it for The Daily Campus before going in deep on how the game played out, what stood out upon rewatch and who did and didn't play as well as you may remember. A couple more quick things: GROWING PAINS: This being the first episode, I'm still working out the kinks with my recording setup. For this one my primary recording turned out unusable, so I had to resort to my emergency back-up on my phone. The audio quality is basically ok, but every time I shift in my chair or pick up the phone to look something up, you can tell, which is annoying but bear with me for this one. I've already figured out what went wrong and future episodes should come through nice and clear. CORRECTION: At one point in the episode I tried to make a reference to Amidah Brimah's offensive rebound and put-back basket against St. Joseph's in the 2014 NCAA Tournament, only I mixed up my Philadelphia schools and said Temple instead. Sorry about that. Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo, and watch out for Facebook and Instagram accounts soon to follow. Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify.

Ten years ago this week UConn football reached the highest heights of the college football landscape, taking the field at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Arizona to face perennial powerhouse Oklahoma in the 2011 Fiesta Bowl. It was the culmination of an incredible rise for a former Division 1-AA program, and as it turned out also the program's peak, given the decade of futility that would ultimately follow. Today we look back on this remarkable piece of UConn athletic history and the unique place the 2010 UConn football team occupies in school history, as told be those who experienced it firsthand. First we will hear from wide receiver Kashif Moore, who donned the late Jasper Howard's No. 6 in the game, about his experience as a player and what it was like to be a part of the game. Then we welcome former Daily Campus sportswriter Colin McDonough, who covered the Fiesta Bowl with me, as we reflect on our own memories of getting to cover such a big event as students. Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo. Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

Well that just happened! UConn officially made its new Big East debut on Sunday, falling at home to No. 9 Creighton in an epic overtime thriller. James Bouknight shattered his career high with a monster 40-point performance, but some ill-timed miscues and poor shooting from everyone else helped Creighton escape from Gampel Pavilion with the win. Today Tim Fontenault is back to break down Sunday's loss, how Bouknight could still somehow get even better and how the rest of the team will have to move forward after what was ultimately an incredibly disappointing loss. As difficult as Sunday was to swallow, the team certainly looks like it has what it takes to be really good. Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo. Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

While no one can really be sure who is going to play when for as long as the coronavirus pandemic continues, UConn men's basketball does finally have a full schedule for the rest of the season. What are the key matchups? When can we expect the big showdowns with Villanova, Creighton and others? Daily Campus sports editor Danny Barletta joins the show to break down UConn's schedule and help provide an overview of how each Big East team has fared so far this winter. Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo. Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

Thirty years ago UConn enjoyed its breakthrough onto the national stage, emerging as a contender in the Big East and laying the groundwork for all of the championships that followed. That 1990 "Dream Season" team won the program's first Big East championship and eventually reached the Elite Eight, and during that run the program also enjoyed another breakthrough, opening its brand new, state of the art on-campus facility that we all know and love to this day, Gampel Pavilion. Former UConn great Chris Smith, the program's all-time leading scorer and a member of the 1990 UConn men's basketball team, joins the show once again to talk about the first game ever played at Gampel, a thrilling 72-58 win over No. 15 ranked St. John's. He shares his memories from the day, helps break down the back-and-forth action and offers his thoughts on that year's team as well how this year's Huskies have looked through the first three games. Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo. Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

We made it! After nine months of waiting, wondering and hoping, the 2020-21 college basketball season has officially begun. UConn opened its new season last week with wins over Central Connecticut State University and Hartford, and this coming week the Huskies will get their first big tests against USC and NC State. Tim Fontenault is back to help break down UConn's first two games, and also to run through each player on the roster, what their role looks like and how they have performed through two games. We also look ahead to the USC and NC State games and cover the general lay of the land within the Big East. Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo. Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

When UConn was last in the Big East, Seton Hall wasn't much of a factor. The Pirates had consistently been a bottom five team in the conference and were rarely a serious threat to the Huskies throughout Jim Calhoun's tenure. Yet when UConn returns to the league this winter, the Huskies will find a much different Seton Hall program waiting for them. Adam Zagoria of NJ.com and Zagsblog.com joins the show today to talk about Seton Hall's remarkable rise from Big East afterthought to national contender. We cover the Pirates rise to prominence over the past seven years, last year's potential Final Four team and what fans can expect from Seton Hall this season. We also dive into the recruiting rivalry developing between the two northeast programs and cover some of the notable recruits that UConn will be chasing in the coming years. Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo. Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

As UConn returns to the Big East, the Huskies will have a chance to reignite some old rivalries that go back decades. UConn even has some history with most of the new conference rivals, having played Butler in a national title game while taking on Xavier in a double overtime thriller last winter. One team, however, is completely unfamiliar to the Huskies. UConn and Creighton men's basketball have never played, but the brand new rivalry promises to quickly gain traction with the Bluejays entering the year as the Big East's No. 2 ranked team. Led by All-American contender Marcus Zegarowski, Creighton will be one of UConn's first big challenges in its return to the Big East, so what can fans expect when the two squads meet up for the first time? Today Jon Nyatawa of the Omaha World Herald joins the show to talk about all things Creighton. What is the program's history? What were things like in the Missouri Valley Conference days, and how has the transition to the Big East gone? Who are the players to watch on this year's team and what can we expect in terms of fan dynamics between the two fanbases? We cover all that and more in what I thought was a really informative conversation. Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo. Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

Want Fanta? We've got Fanta! With the season now at the halfway point, Big East play-by-play man and league analyst John Fanta joins the show to break down UConn and the rest of the Big East's performance thus far and what we can expect over the coming weeks. We cover UConn's results so far, how the team has played with and without James Bouknight, and how each team in the Big East stacks up against one another. We also try to make sense of Providence and Marquette, present our case in favor of Seton Hall, and Fanta makes a bold case for St. John's as a team to take seriously down the stretch. Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo. Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

So last week wasn't fun, was it? First UConn men's basketball took a brutal home loss to St. John's, and then on Saturday the Huskies went on the road and fell to No. 11 Creighton. In both games UConn really struggled to score, especially inside the arc, and generally the week exposed just how badly the Huskies miss James Bouknight, and to a lesser extent Akok Akok and Andre Jackson. Tim Fontenault joins the show again to break down UConn's bad week and what the team will have to do to turn things around heading into a pivotal week, with the Huskies scheduled to play Butler, Villanova and St. John's in a five day span. We also talk about Bouknight, Jackson and Akok's recovery timeline and how they might help cure what ails the Huskies upon their return. Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo. Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

Ever since UConn men's basketball first emerged as a national powerhouse the student section has ranked among the best in the nation, and every once in a while one student in particular tends to emerge as one of the most visible in the fanbase. In the early 2010s, that student was Kyle Campbell, aka "Pink Hat Kid." Today Kyle joins the show to look back on his experience at the front of the UConn student section and to share some of his favorite UConn memories. Between the road trips, the overnight campouts in front of Gampel Pavilion and the epic games, Campbell has some great stories to share. Plus, he also dishes on the origins of his famed pink hat. Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo. Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

"This week's episode is late! Mac, how could you?" Yes, yes, I messed up. After promising during last week's episode that we would record the following week after Monday's DePaul game, I realized that I had a work-related conflict and couldn't even watch the game, much less pod about it. So today I hold myself #accountable and join in the hot sauce fun that has swept UConn Twitter over the past week. Hot sauce fun? Yes, since UConn erased its 18-point deficit against Marquette last week UConn fans have taken to drinking hot sauce as a means to hold themselves #accountable for negativity. At least originally. Now it seems like most of us are doing it just because we're weirdos, but the challenge has also taken a wonderful turn as people are now also raising money for the Husky Ticket Project, which helps provide Connecticut kids the opportunity to go see UConn games. Anyway, Tim Fontenault is back to support me while I destroy my taste buds with Dave's Total Insanity Sauce, and we also talk a little bit about UConn's recent wins against Butler and DePaul. But mostly, hot sauce. Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo. Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

This week's episode will be the last for a little while as Mac and family prepare to welcome their new baby, so naturally fate delivered the most news-packed week of the offseason for UConn basketball.First things first, congratulations to the 2004 UConn men's basketball team, which emerged as the winner of our Greatest Teams Challenge by beating top-seeded 1999 in fairly convincing fashion. Mac and Tim discuss the competition, 2004's greatness and how what often feels like one of the program's more underrated teams asserted its dominance when the chips were down.Then, Mac and Tim look ahead to the future, which will now include a 7-foot-1 homegrown superstar. Donovan Clingan officially committed to the Huskies this past week, delivering the latest recruiting win to Dan Hurley and his staff.Finally, we wrap things up by discussing the NCAA's recent moves on Name, Image and Likeness and speculate on which UConn athletes could have best cashed in on their fame. Who might Kemba have endorsed? Who would have repped Wings Over Storrs or St. Pep's? How many Dunkin Donuts commercials would Khalid El-Amin appeared in? All that and more in this week's "season finale." Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo.Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

Well that was fun! After a nightmare start in which James Bouknight hurt his elbow and UConn fell behind Marquette by 18 points in the second half on the road, the Huskies stormed back to stun the Golden Eagles 65-54 in what has to be one of UConn's most exciting wins in recent memory. With Bouknight hurting, Tyler Polley stepped up and delivered the best performance of his career, scoring 23 points in under 15 minutes, including five crucial 3-pointers. Isaiah Whaley also had a monster game, staying out of foul trouble while adding 15 points and 13 rebounds, and collectively the Huskies held Marquette to just 11 points in the final 15 minutes. Tim Fontenault joins the show again to break down UConn's big win, how it happened and what it could mean for the future. Mac also makes a bet to drink a bunch of hot sauce if UConn loses next Monday to DePaul, so at least if the next week brings a huge letdown that will be something for all of you to look forward to. Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo. Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

It all comes down to this.To nobody's surprise, the national championship 1999 and 2004 UConn men's basketball teams have emerged has the top teams in program history, and now it's time to figure out who would win a hypothetical matchup between the two.Does Rip Hamilton and company take the win? Or would Emeka Okafor and Ben Gordon prove too much? Tim and I give our thoughts, but ultimately it's up to you to decide.Vote in this week's polls on my Twitter (@MacCerullo) to determine this week's winners. Polls are open through Friday at noon.Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo.Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

And then there were four.After a spirited quarterfinal round, we've reached the Final Four of our UConn Men's Basketball's Greatest Teams Tournament Challenge. This week Tim and I debate how our 1999 vs. 2011 and 2009 vs. 2004 semifinal matchups might play out in real life, and from there we leave it up to the listeners to determine who advances to next week's championship.Vote in this week's polls on my Twitter (@MacCerullo) to determine this week's winners. Polls are open through Friday at noon.Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo.Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

1999. 1995. 1998. 2011. 2006. 2009. 1996. 2004.Each of those eight UConn men's basketball teams were among the greatest in program history, and each of those eight won their first round matchup in our ongoing UConn Men's Basketball's Greatest Teams Tournament Challenge. Now, it's time to decide which will advance to our Final Four.In this week's episode Tim Fontenault and I cut to the chase and break down each of the four quarterfinal matchups. We have 1999 vs. 1995, 1998 vs. 2011, 2006 vs. 2009 and 1996 vs. 2004, all of which would make for absolute bangers and probably the greatest quadruple header if we ever got the pleasure of seeing these teams play each other in real life.Who will advance? That's up to you. Vote in this week's polls on my Twitter (@MacCerullo) to determine this week's winners. Polls are open through Friday at noon.Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo.Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

In our final first round matchup of the UConn Men's Basketball's Greatest Teams Tournament Challenge, we have what looks on paper like one of the biggest mismatches of the tournament. For the 2 vs. 15 game, we have the national champion 2004 team going up against the American Athletic Conference Tournament champion 2016 team.Is there much debate over who would win a hypothetical matchup? Probably not. But Tim Fontenault and I still took this opportunity to reminisce about how amazing the 2004 team was and how much fun the 2016 team was during what was otherwise a dark time in the program's history.Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo.Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

During UConn's first decade in the Big East, the men's basketball team was basically a doormat. The Huskies routinely got bludgeoned by the league's powerhouses, teams like Georgetown, Syracuse and St. John's, and heading into the 1990s there was no reason to expect any different.But then the 1990 Dream Season happened, and everything changed.UConn's 1990 team changed the culture, reset the expectations and showed what was possible in Storrs, winning the program's first Big East title and reaching the Elite Eight in dramatic fashion. The program continued to grow from there, and by 1996 the Huskies were a legitimate powerhouse, with All-American and future Hall of Famer Ray Allen helping establish UConn as a true blue blood.What would happen if these two trailblazing teams met on the court? That's what Tim Fontenault and I are discussing today as we debate the 1996 and 1990 teams in our penultimate first round matchup.Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo.Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

Throughout the UConn Men's Basketball's Greatest Teams Tournament Challenge, Tim and I have made it our responsibility to pick a team in each matchup and make our best case for why they would win a hypothetical game. Even in the lopsided matchups like 1999 vs. 2021 we've given it our best shot and made some honest to god points for why the underdog could possibly steal the game.But this time, I drew the short stick and had to argue against 2009, and like every team the Huskies faced that year, 2009 broke me.In probably the most hilariously lopsided discussion we'll have in this entire tournament, Tim and I discussed the 2009 and 2003 teams, what kind of seasons they had and I flailed wildly trying to come up with a coherent case against one of UConn's true powerhouses. Will there be a stunning 14 over a 3-seed upset? I'm not counting on it, but crazier things have happened.Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo.Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

The 2006 and 1994 UConn men's basketball teams are two of the most talented squads to ever come through Storrs. Both teams featured future NBA stars, were loaded with highly regarded prospects and wound up falling short of their postseason expectations.For 2006, you have Rudy Gay, Josh Boone, Hilton Armstrong, Marcus Williams and a whole bunch of other guys who could run, dunk and shoot on anyone they wanted. For 1994, you had Donyell Marshall, the program's first legit superstar, along with a young freshman named Ray Allen and a whole bunch of other standouts.What would happen if these two teams took the court against one another? Tim Fontenault and I break down the two teams and try to find out in this week's 6 vs. 11 matchup.Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo.Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

Kemba Walker's 2011 national champions and Charlie Villanueva's 2005 Big East regular season champions provide a striking contrast in style. On one side you have an unexpectedly talented, extremely young team that emerged as national champions seemingly out of nowhere. On the other side you have a group physically comparable to the Monstars who set out to defend their title and ultimately fell short.It's no question which of these teams would win in a popularity contest, but if you stop and think for more than a moment, do we really know which of these teams would come out on top? That's the question Tim Fontenault and I will set out to answer as we discuss the 2011 and 2005 teams in our 4 vs. 13 matchup. Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo.Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

Big East championships? Elite Eight appearances? Future NBA all-stars and lottery picks? The not-quite-there-yet cores of future national championship teams? This matchup is as good a 5 vs. 12 matchup as you'll find as we pit Rip Hamilton's 1998 UConn men's basketball team against Caron Butler's 2002 team.Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo.Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

Shabazz Napier. Ray Allen. Two of the greatest players in UConn men's basketball history. Today we pit the two legends against one another in our second Who Would Win tournament matchup, with Napier's No. 8 seeded 2014 national championship team squaring off against Allen's No. 9 seeded 1995 team.Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo.Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

Who Would Win? That's the million dollar question we'll be looking to answer this summer, as we at Yes UConn dive deep into the greatest UConn men's basketball teams of all time.What would happen if Kemba Walker's 2011 championship team squared off against one of Ray Allen's mid-1990s juggernauts? How would the 1990 Dream Season team fare against an NBA factory like Rudy Gay's 2006 team? Over the next few months we'll be pitting two great teams against each other, picking a side and debating how the teams would match up against one another. Then, we will turn it over to you, the listeners, to decide which team would win a hypothetical matchup.A couple of things to consider. We're not debating which team was more successful. "They won the title so they're better" isn't an argument that should fly here. We're not debating importance to the program or whether a team lived up to its potential. We're debating on-court factors and trying to imagine what would actually happen if the two teams met on the floor.The 16 teams were selected based on their overall success, taking regular season, conference tournament and NCAA tournament resumes into account, as well as factors like KenPom and the level of professional talent on the roster. To determine seeding, Tim and I ranked each team and reached out to some friends of the podcast and to various UConn opinion-havers for their thoughts, and then we seeded the teams 1-16 based on those rankings.Who will stand tall as the Top Dog when all is said and done? Join us on this journey as we find out, starting with this week's 1 vs. 16 matchup between 1999 and 2021.Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo.Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

The 2020-21 UConn basketball season is officially over. Last week the UConn women's team lost in the national semifinals to Arizona, and with that the Huskies now look ahead to what could potentially be a historic season this coming winter.Tim Fontenault and I wrap up the women's Final Four and how the Huskies and the sport at large find themselves at a unique crossroads with unbelievable opportunities there for the taking. We also cover Josh Carlton's impending move to Houston, the 10-year anniversary of the 2011 men's national championship and the epic Gonzaga-UCLA national semifinal. Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo.Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

For the 13th straight tournament, UConn women's basketball is going back to the Final Four! The Huskies got the job done on Monday, beating the defending national champion Baylor in one of the most exciting games in the UConn women's program's history.This game had it all. An outstanding performance by Paige Bueckers. Huge runs from both sides. A nail-biting finish and a dramatic final defensive stop, with a fair bit of controversy on the no call for good measure.Tim Fontenault and I break down the game, as well as UConn's recent Sweet 16 win over Caitlin Clark's Iowa team, and catch up on the UConn women's postseason as a whole. We also cover a bit of ground with the UConn men, the transfer market and how Jordan Hawkins may be flying under the radar as far as hype goes for next year. Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo.Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

The UConn men's basketball team's season is over. The Huskies were eliminated in the first round by Maryland after posting a historically awful shooting performance, and generally it was a real bummer of a finish to what was otherwise a great season for UConn.As bad as UConn looked, however, nothing could compare to the massive "L" the NCAA took over its embarrassing handling of the women's tournament. From the inadequate workout facilities to the second-rate branding and everything in between, the NCAA made clear how little it cares about women's basketball, which is both a terrible shame and also tremendously short-sighted.Tim Fontenault joins the show to get into all of that, from the UConn men's performance, its season as a whole and what the future might hold, to everything related to the women, both UConn's first-round win over High Point and the NCAA situation as a whole.Hot tip, if anyone from the NCAA happens to be listening, Tim and I have some thoughts.Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo.Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

This Saturday UConn men's basketball will make its long awaited return to the NCAA Tournament, and waiting for the Huskies will be No. 10 seeded Maryland. So what can fans expect out of the Terrapins?Joining us today is Baltimore Sun reporter Daniel Oyefusi, who is a recent University of Maryland graduate who has covered the Terps for the past two seasons at the Baltimore Sun.Oyefusi helps break down Maryland's roster, how its season has played out and what UConn fans should expect when the two teams take the court. We also have some predictions, and spoilers, we both expect a low-scoring, defensive slog.Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo.Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

It's been five long years, but the wait is finally over. UConn is back in the NCAA Tournament! The No. 7 seeded Huskies will open their tournament run on Saturday night against No. 10 seeded Maryland, and from there a whole world of possibility awaits.Tim Fontenault joins the show to break down the East Region, some of UConn's potential tournament matchups, and generally run through the tournament as a whole. We also cover last week's Big East Tournament, toss some big time props to Georgetown for their historic run, and laugh at my expense for bullying Tim into accepting a hot sauce bet and then proceeding to have that bet blow up in my face spectacularly. Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo.Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

Finally! After nine long years, UConn is back where it belongs. This week the Huskies will make their long awaited return to Madison Square Garden as the 2021 Big East Tournament tips off.Tim Fontenault is here and we've got the entire tournament covered. We break down each of the first round and quarterfinal matchups, offer our thoughts on different potential scenarios and try to figure out what to do with Collin Gillespie-less Villanova. You won't be surprised to hear that we're high on UConn's chances, but you might be surprised to hear who else we think might have a chance to make some noise.Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo.Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

Can you believe it's been 10 years since Kemba Walker led UConn to the 2011 Big East Tournament championship?Can you believe it's been 10 years since the Huskies won five games in five days in one of the toughest conferences in college basketball history to jumpstart one of the most epic postseason runs we've ever seen?Can you believe it's been 10 years since Cardiac Kemba, the overtime thriller to beat Syracuse and the epic showdown with Louisville in the final?It's hard to believe, but it really has been 10 years since one of the greatest weeks in UConn history went down.Today Matt McDonough returns for this historic 50th episode of Yes UConn, where we look back on the 2011 Big East Tournament, our experience covering it for The Daily Campus and what this tournament run meant (and still means) for UConn. We hope you enjoy this reflection as much as we did ahead of what we hope will be another epic run in the Big East Tournament later this week.Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo.Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

The 2020-21 college basketball season is almost here, and after months of uncertainty and weeks of rumors, we finally have an idea of what the season is going to look like. The first month at least. Today Tim Fontenault returns to break down UConn's schedule, its place in the Big East and AP rankings, who the players to watch in the Big East Conference should be and more. We cover a lot of different topics so listen up and enjoy! Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo. Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

When the new Big East formed in 2013 following a wave of conference realignment, nobody was sure what to expect from the newly configured league. Before long it became obvious that one school was separating itself from the rest, and seven years later Villanova stands as the unquestioned top team in the conference. With six regular season titles, four Big East Tournament titles and two national championships in the last seven years, Villanova has enjoyed one of the most dominant decades of any program in college basketball. Now, with UConn set to rejoin the Big East after its long exile in the American Athletic Conference, the Wildcats stand as the Huskies' biggest roadblock on the journey back to the top. Today longtime Villanova men's basketball reporter Joe Juliano from the Philadelphia Inquirer joins the show to talk about Villanova's rise in the new Big East, how the Wildcats have become one of the nation's premier program and what UConn fans can expect this year and beyond. We also touch on some of the best UConn-Villanova games in recent memory, including Kemba Walker's epic game-winner at Gampel Pavilion in 2011 and last year's frustrating yet encouraging loss in Philadelphia. Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo. Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

When UConn returns to the Big East this winter, the Huskies will reignite some of the rivalries that made life in the old Big East so much fun. But the new league also includes some new faces, and with that comes the opportunity to begin some new rivalries against quality programs with great basketball traditions of their own. Today we welcome Captain Xavier, who is among the most prominent contributors to New Big East Twitter and who was recently featured on The Athletic as one of the nation's best college basketball Twitter accounts. Captain is a Xavier University superfan and today we talk about Xavier's program history, how it has fared since joining the Big East, what UConn fans can expect when the two teams meet this winter and our shared animosity towards the Cincinnati men's basketball program. We also touch on fellow newcomers Butler and Creighton and generally talk about how great the Big East Conference is. Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo. Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

UConn is back in the Big East, which means the Huskies are set to reignite many of the rivalries that made life in the old Big East so much fun. That includes Providence, UConn's closest geographic rival who has always frustrated the Huskies even in years where the gap between the two programs was vast. How have the Friars fared since UConn's been in the AAC? What kind of state is the program in today? Who should UConn fans know about? Today we welcome longtime Providence Journal sportswriter and kevinmcsports.com founder Kevin McNamara to the show, and he gives us the scoop on everything Providence College basketball. We also cover the rivalry's biggest highlights, including Kevin Ollie's coast-to-coast layup for the win in 1994, the infamous Jim Calhoun "I F'd Up" rant in 2004, and the final Big East matchup between the two schools in 2013, plus Kevin also provides some insight on Dan Hurley and Tyrese Martin from their days at nearby URI. Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo. Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

As UConn rejoins the Big East, the Huskies are set to reignite many of the old rivalries that made life in the old Big East so much fun. One of the biggest of those is with Georgetown, who UConn enjoyed some classic battles with over the years before the program's seven-year odyssey in the AAC. How have things been going for Georgetown since then? What kind of state is the program in today? Who should UConn fans know about when the two programs meet once again later this winter? Today we're joined by Aidan Curran, who covers Georgetown basketball for 247Sports as well as the Patriots for Boston.com. We cover all of that plus some of the best UConn-Georgetown matchups from recent history, including the wild double-overtime thriller at Gampel Pavilion in 2013. Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo. Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.

Ever since the pandemic began, we've had no idea what the future might hold for UConn and the 2020-21 college basketball season as a whole. Finally, after months of uncertainty, we finally have a vague idea of how things might go. The most important thing, however, is that there WILL be basketball this coming season. Daniel Connolly from The UConn Blog joins the show to talk about this year's UConn team, the addition of new transfer Tyrese Martin, the latest recruiting news and more. We also dive into the latest scheduling updates and what are expectations for the season are once all is said and done. Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at yesuconnpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo. Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and RadioPublic.