March Madness: Ranking every national champion this century

March Madness: Ranking every national champion from this century

02 APR 2001: Duke University basketball team celebrates with head coach Mike Krzyzewski and the championship trophy after the NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four Championship game held in Minneaplois, MN at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. Duke defeated Arizona 82-72 for the championship. Ryan McKee/NCAA Photos via Getty Images /

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5 APR 2004: Members of the University of Connecticut basketball team rush off the bench in celebration at the end of the game during the final game of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship held at the Alamodome in San Antonio, TX. University of Connecticut defeated Georgia Tech 82-73 to win the national title. Brett Wilhelm/NCAA Photos via Getty Images /

10. UConn (2004)

Before Kemba Walker and Shabazz Napier, it was Emeka Okafor and Ben Gordon — two players that developed into long-term NBA contributors. They were hardly the only professional-level talent involved, either, as Charlie Villaneuva and Marcus Williams helped fill the roster.

While talented, this team had six losses in the 2003-04 regular season — hardly poor but not overwhelming. They ripped through the Phoenix region, though, and never looked like a weak No. 2 seed.

Of course, there was help along the way. UConn never faced the No. 1, 3, 4 or 5 seeds, and battled No. 8 Alabama in the Elite Eight. That changed once Duke arrived in the Final Four, which was by far the Huskies’ best win.

The championship opponent was the No. 3-seed Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets — perhaps one of the most unlikely teams to make a title game, just because it became their rare March Madness run of the 2000s, with guard play from Jarrett Jack and BJ Elder.

This Huskies team was the quietest of the three that’s won since 2000. There was no shocking moment or monumental run, but a team that succeeded as expected and proved to be the top collegiate team for one year.

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