GLENDALE, Ariz. — Connecticut didn't need another championship to justify its place in the story of men's college basketball.
While the program has roots to the earliest days of the sport, UConn had a minimal presence for several decades. It wasn't until Jim Calhoun took control of the program in 1986 that the Huskies began to regularly make waves in March Madness and compete for national titles.
Since then, UConn has earned six championships—the latest of which was a resounding 75-60 triumph over the Purdue Boilermakers on Monday at State Farm Stadium.
This victory did more than provide a rare back-to-back crown, though.