March Madness: Ranking every national champion from this century

17. UConn (2011)

Maybe the most thrilling of all the National Championship runs of the past 19 years, the Connecticut Huskies went on a warpath from the conference tournament to the NCAA Tournament — accomplishing a perfect run. No one expected a run like this from a 6-foot guard, named Kemba Walker, but it was a month-long period to remember.

2011 was a bizarre year for the NCAA Tournament. Shaka Smart’s VCU team went from First Four to Final Four, including defeating No. 1 Kansas in the Elite Eight. Three double-digit seeds reached the Sweet 16 in the Southwest. No. 8 Butler even marched to the National Championship Game for the second straight year, and that was without Gordon Hayward.

That set the stage for UConn’s miraculous run. Granted, they were a No. 3 seed, but this flawless run was not supposed to happen, as they walked into the conference tournament with nine losses.

Behind the run that solidified Walker as an all-time great college player and a spot in the NBA draft lottery, however, anything was possible. Jeremy Lamb, Alex Oriakhi and Shabazz Napier were fine for the supporting cast, too, but no one knew who they were before the title push.

It was an unforgettable ride to the National Championship, and while this was not the most talented team in the greatest field of 64 over the past decade, the Huskies defined what March Madness is all about.