Yes UConn!

Remember when Shabazz Napier hit a nearly half-court 3-pointer to beat Villanova in overtime back in 2012? Crazy as it is to imagine, that happened nine years ago this week, and by taking (and making) that shot Napier established himself as the king of the 'no, no, no, YES!' shot.

There were many more to come afterwards, and by the 2014 NCAA championship run he made preposterous 3-pointers so often that nobody even batted an eye when he pulled up from the parking lot. But in this game? Napier hadn't proven himself in that way yet, and taking this shot in this situation took huge stones considering that coming in UConn had lost 7 of 9 and was starting to see its NCAA Tournament hopes starting to teeter.

Today Tim Fontenault is back to talk about Shabazz's shot, the pandemonium that ensued as a result at the Daily Campus office, and the game itself. We also talk a bit about UConn and Villanova's history, their trajectories before and since this game, and Saturday's matchup. Obviously we cover James Bouknight's return to the Huskies and the home stretch of this year's UConn season as well.

Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at [email protected]. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo.

Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014.

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Well that was a week, huh? After enduring an excruciating loss to Providence last Wednesday, UConn men's basketball came back with a huge, badly needed road win against Xavier to help right the ship. The Huskies got some big performances across the board in that one, including a career day from R.J. Cole, a thrilling return from Akok Akok and gutsy performances by Isaiah Whaley and Tyrese Martin, both of whom played through injury to deliver big games.

Meanwhile, on the women's side, freshman Paige Bueckers delivered arguably one of the most iconic single-game performances in the program's history, scoring 31 points to lead the UConn women past No. 1 South Carolina in overtime. Bueckers scored UConn's last 13 points, including all nine in OT, and also had a crazy 3-point bounce up off the rim and straight through the basket to seal the deal.

Tim Fontenault joins the show today to talk about the men's team's badly needed win at Xavier, how the team can build off it down the stretch and about Bueckers' place in the pantheon of UConn women's greats as a freshman.

Like what you hear? Want to offer feedback? Feel free to reach out at [email protected]. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo.

Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014.

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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 [email protected]. 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 [email protected]. 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 [email protected]. 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 [email protected]. You can also find me on Twitter at @MacCerullo.

Podcast artwork courtesy of Jon Kulakofsky/The Daily Campus 2014.

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"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 [email protected]. 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 [email protected]. 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.

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 [email protected]. 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 [email protected]. 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.