The University of Connecticut men’s and women’s basketball programs are looking for another date with destiny and a chance to repeat history.  In 2004 both teams cut down the nets in the Final Four for NCAA Championships.  Now both teams have made it to the Sweet Sixteen and look poised to make another run to the Final Four.

After suffering its second loss of the year to Big East rival Pitt in the regular seasons finale, the men’s team fell flat again in the Big East Tournament.  An historic and epic six-overtime loss to Syracuse didn’t derail Coach Calhoun’s Huskies from earning a number one seed in the NCAA’s Big Dance.

The team responded to the end in Big East division play by imposing its will on its first two opponents and re-establishing itself as a dominant force in the NCAA.  The major blowouts of Chattanooga (103-47) and Texas A&M (92-66) eased some of the questions that have surrounded the team since shooting guard Jerome Dyson went down with a season ending knee injury.  

Now the Big Dogs from Storrs will face Big Ten power Purdue.  A win against the Boilermakers would put UConn in the Elite Eight and could possibly set up a matchup with Memphis who has won 27 games in a row.  Coach Calhoun going head up against Coach John Calipari’s Tigers would be a classic matchup with the winner advancing to the Final Four.

The Lady Huskies from Storrs have remained undefeated, winning the Big East regular season and tournament championships.  Now Coach Geno Auriemma has his sights set on another national title.  UConn has been the consensus number one team in the country all year long as it has steamrolled its opponents, winning their games by an average margin of victory of 30 plus points a game.