UConn’s men’s basketball team returned Tuesday night to the campus the varsity has branded the “Basketball Capital of the World.”
Fans lined the streets in Eastern Connecticut, cheering because the team’s buses passed by on the hourlong journey from Bradley International Airport to Gampel Pavilion.
Several thousand fans waited inside the world to listen to from coach Dan Hurley and the UConn players, who beat Purdue 70-65 on Monday night for the varsity’s second title in a row and sixth in program history.
Hurley identified that the team began working toward its goals last June, a few months after winning this system’s fifth title.
“After which we just won absolutely all the pieces,” he said as the gang began to roar its approval. “We won all the pieces, all the pieces — Big East regular season, Big East Tournament, we won the East Region and the we went and got you your sixth national championship, went back-to-back like we talked about.”
The coach also used the occasion to unveil the latest plaque on the world’s “Husky of Honor” wall honoring guard Tristen Newton, the Final 4’s most eminent player.
“Immortal,” Hurley said. “Immortal.”
The welcome home ceremony capped a full day of celebrations that began with the Huskies’ win over Purdue in Arizona.
1000’s of scholars spilled onto campus after the ultimate horn in a celebration that stretched into the early morning hours.
UConn police said six people, ranging in age from 18 to 21, were arrested throughout the celebrations. Charges ranged from criminal mischief to rioting to interfering with police.
Any students arrested also face university discipline.
Someone took a downed traffic sign and smashed it through a part of the glass front of the scholar recreation center, but for probably the most part the celebrations were peaceful, school spokesman Mike Enright said.
A victory parade is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday through Hartford from the state Capitol to the XL Center, where one other victory rally will likely be held.
“For the second yr in a row, the UConn men’s basketball team wowed the nation by dominating the NCAA Tournament, and now it’s time for Connecticut to offer them the victory celebration they deserve,” Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said.
Such festivities have develop into somewhat routine at UConn, which, along with its six men’s basketball national championships, has had 11 women’s titles over the past 30 years. The varsity is 17-1 in NCAA basketball title games.
“UConn has a giant standard now and that’s winning championships, so we’re going to proceed to try this,” Donovan Clingan, UConn’s 7-foot-2 sophomore center, told the gang Tuesday night.
Last yr, 16 people were injured, 39 people were arrested and 6 students ended up being expelled following more widespread vandalism.
Precautions were in place Monday designed to forestall a repeat of that.
Upfront of the Final 4, the varsity removed the aluminum light posts along Hillside Road, the important thoroughfare through the middle of campus, and replaced them with temporary lighting.
The varsity also limited the scale of the campus watch party. Only 6,700 students, all of whom won tickets to the event through a lottery, were allowed inside Gampel Pavilion, they usually were seated within the upper bowl of the ten,000-capacity arena.
Most people was barred from the event and, unlike last yr, no alcohol was sold or allowed inside, Enright said.
UConn’s men’s basketball team returned Tuesday night to the campus the varsity has branded the “Basketball Capital of the World.”
Fans lined the streets in Eastern Connecticut, cheering because the team’s buses passed by on the hourlong journey from Bradley International Airport to Gampel Pavilion.
Several thousand fans waited inside the world to listen to from coach Dan Hurley and the UConn players, who beat Purdue 70-65 on Monday night for the varsity’s second title in a row and sixth in program history.
Hurley identified that the team began working toward its goals last June, a few months after winning this system’s fifth title.
“After which we just won absolutely all the pieces,” he said as the gang began to roar its approval. “We won all the pieces, all the pieces — Big East regular season, Big East Tournament, we won the East Region and the we went and got you your sixth national championship, went back-to-back like we talked about.”
The coach also used the occasion to unveil the latest plaque on the world’s “Husky of Honor” wall honoring guard Tristen Newton, the Final 4’s most eminent player.
“Immortal,” Hurley said. “Immortal.”
The welcome home ceremony capped a full day of celebrations that began with the Huskies’ win over Purdue in Arizona.
1000’s of scholars spilled onto campus after the ultimate horn in a celebration that stretched into the early morning hours.
UConn police said six people, ranging in age from 18 to 21, were arrested throughout the celebrations. Charges ranged from criminal mischief to rioting to interfering with police.
Any students arrested also face university discipline.
Someone took a downed traffic sign and smashed it through a part of the glass front of the scholar recreation center, but for probably the most part the celebrations were peaceful, school spokesman Mike Enright said.
A victory parade is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday through Hartford from the state Capitol to the XL Center, where one other victory rally will likely be held.
“For the second yr in a row, the UConn men’s basketball team wowed the nation by dominating the NCAA Tournament, and now it’s time for Connecticut to offer them the victory celebration they deserve,” Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said.
Such festivities have develop into somewhat routine at UConn, which, along with its six men’s basketball national championships, has had 11 women’s titles over the past 30 years. The varsity is 17-1 in NCAA basketball title games.
“UConn has a giant standard now and that’s winning championships, so we’re going to proceed to try this,” Donovan Clingan, UConn’s 7-foot-2 sophomore center, told the gang Tuesday night.
Last yr, 16 people were injured, 39 people were arrested and 6 students ended up being expelled following more widespread vandalism.
Precautions were in place Monday designed to forestall a repeat of that.
Upfront of the Final 4, the varsity removed the aluminum light posts along Hillside Road, the important thoroughfare through the middle of campus, and replaced them with temporary lighting.
The varsity also limited the scale of the campus watch party. Only 6,700 students, all of whom won tickets to the event through a lottery, were allowed inside Gampel Pavilion, they usually were seated within the upper bowl of the ten,000-capacity arena.
Most people was barred from the event and, unlike last yr, no alcohol was sold or allowed inside, Enright said.
