SantaFeToday.com Santa Fe’s Hometown News
By Arnie Leshin
It was quite a deserving parade for University of Connecticut’s men’s basketball team.
Heck, even Bill Murray was there. He stood on the front steps of the state’s capitol in Hartford before it began, then raised his arms to signal the start.
UConn fan Murray was one of the noticeable celebrities on hand to watch the perfecto Huskies make it five-for-five in the NCAA finals.
Add to that the already record 11 won by Geno Auriemma’s women and of course he showed with most of his players, coaches and family.
That was early Tuesday afternoon, the day that men’s head coach Dan Hurley bussed with his team on a 40-mile ride from Bradley International Airport back to campus in Storrs.
They watched the fans who hung signs from highway overpasses and lined the streets leading into the celebrating campus.
It was more than 7,000 people gathered inside Gampel Pavillion, the school’s home arena, to greet the national champions with raucous cheers and standing ovations for Monday night‘s 76-59 win over San Diego State in Houston.
“Big time, real big time,” Murray said. “The program’s fifth such title in the last 24 years, the most of any men’s program in college basketball. I just had to be here to cheer them on.”
Murray spent the Final Four a few rows behind the Huskies’ bench, often turning around to greet the Connecticut fans and looking down to the bench to lend support.
Said Hurley: “That’s great, all these fans, a class celebrity like Bill Murray, and it’s just an entertaining parade from start to finish.”
Huskies’ junior guard Andre Jackson, Jr., who turned in another all-around effort, said he got emotional just looking at the spot in the rafters where his team’s banner will hang alongside those commemorating four other championships and the 11 won by the women.
“It’s literally basketball country,” said senior guard Tristen Newton who posted a double-double with junior forward teammate Adama Sanogo via the scoring and rebounding column, “there’s not that much else to do out here.
“That’s one of the reasons I came here, the environment, just being around the championship legacy programs and around so many greats that have come through the place.”
Newton tallied 19 points and brought down 10 rebounds, Sanogo tossed in 17 and grabbed 10 boards. It was a well-balanced attack, with three other teammates in twin figures.
Yeah, no doubt they all love a parade, especially their own.
Just think, in pre-season there was a short list of believers, they were picked to finish fourth in the Big East, were not on any of the top 25 lists, did not even fall under others receiving votes.
So they just went out there and attended to business, winning the six tournament starts by an average of 20 points or more, and flying home to a gala parade.
Want more, could be. They have only three seniors and return the bulk of the talent, size, depth displayed in hauling in this one.
