Has UConn ever won March Madness? Exploring the Huskies record in the National Championship

With the regular season coming to a close, the UConn Huskies men's basketball team is once again among the top squads in the nation.

They have a chance to contend for the national title. Aside from topping the Big East, they're also ranked #1 in the country, thanks to their stellar plays. Perhaps it's a good time to be a Huskies fan, as their level of dominance feels familiar. Let's explore why.

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Has UConn ever won March Madness?

Yes, they have. The UConn Huskies have won five national championships, all in the modern "March Madness" era, which began in 1982. The five titles came in 1999, 2004, 2011, 2014 and 2023.

During all five title runs, the Huskies were consistently among the nation's top teams. Here's a look at their regular season runs:

• 1999: 34-2 overall, 16-2 conference
• 2004: 33-6 overall, 12-4 conference
• 2011: 32-9 overall, 9-9 conference
• 2014: 32-8 overall, 12-6 The American
• 2023: 31-8 overall, 13-7 conference

As one can clearly see, every run saw UConn record over 30 wins in the regular season with relatively good performances against in-conference teams.

Things are more or less the same this season, but they won't crack 30 wins this season even if they win all their remaining games.

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UConn March Madness wins at a glance

1999 - UConn beats Duke, 77-74

The Huskies' first national title in 1999 was led by eventual NBA legend Rip Hamilton, who was a junior and also the tournament's Most Outstanding Player awardee.

They beat Duke 77-74 on the back of Hamilton's game-high 27 points. Moreover, the Blue Devils team they beat also had three NBA stalwarts: Elton Brand, Corey Maggette and Shane Battier.

2004 - UConn beats Georgia Tech, 82-73

Thanks to Emeka Okafor and Ben Gordon, the Huskies comfortably beat the Yellowjackets after surviving a rematch with Duke in the National Semifinals. Okafor was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

2011 - UConn beats Butler, 53-41

Huskies and Charlotte Hornets legend Kemba Walker, then a junior, was named the Most Outstanding Player of that year's NCAA Tournament. Their championship win was a part of their famous 11-game run to end the tourney.

That also came after the year "Cardiac Kemba" was born, with his iconic stepback game-winner over Pitt in the 2010 postseason at Madison Square Garden.

Moreover, the U Conn team was also among the biggest underdogs; they were unranked before the season began.

2014 - UConn beats Kentucky, 60-54

With Kemba Walker in the NBA, the Huskies had to look for a new leader in the 2013-14 season and found it in Shabazz Napier.

However, despite having a great overall regular season, the Huskies were lowly seeded, seventh, heading into the tournament. Nevertheless, they overcame adversity and became the first and only 7-seed team to win a national title.

2023 - UConn beats San Diego State, 76-59

Connecticut's return to glory last season was nothing short of dominant. Pundits say that their run is among the most dominant ones of all time, as the Huskies won all their games by double digits.