My Favorite Hoya Teams

[HoyaChris]

I will reserve judgement until the season is over, but I am confident that this Hoya team is going to crash my top ten list of favorites, I just don't know where.

As of right now, my list includes:

1.) 1984. National Championship and the best Hoya defensive team ever.
2.) 1987. Reggie and the Miracles. 9-1 against top 25 teams. Perry McDonald intimidating Rony Seikaly (we beat them three times) with the typical lineup being Reggie, a 6-4 Perry McDonald, a just-emerged sophomore Charles Smith and Freshmen Dwayne Brant and Mark Tillmon.
3.) 1982. The world learns about the Hoyas (and is doomed to watch Michael Jordan's winning shot a zillion times).
4.) 1985. Our most dominant team overall. Damn you Villanova.
5.) 2007. The most relentlessly efficient offensive machine in Hoya history. Comeback victory over UNC in Regional final as good a win as we have ever had.
6.) 1978. My senior year. We lose Derrick Jackson and miss the NCAAs but are good enough to make an NIT final without our best player.
7.) 1980. Duren, Sleepy and Sky and a Final Four we could have won.
8.) 1989. A freshman Alonzo blocking everything in sight and Charles Smith as Big East MVP. I hate Danny Ferry.
9.) 2006. Renaissance. Beat #1 Duke and played Florida closer in the Sweet 16 than any of their other NCAA games in their back to back championship years.
10.) 1996. Inconsistent, but overwhelmingly explosive at their best.

Honorable Mention: 1975, 1977, 1979, 1990, 1997, 2001, 2003, 2008.

[SFHoya99]

Wait - 2003? Really? I love Big Mike but that was a soul-crushing year. That team was legitimately good at times but awful at end games for a couple of reasons. Wasn't that the year of the four OT game? I think that year cost me five off my life.

[HoyaChris]

I had to have a Sweetney team. And I liked the NIT run. And its only Honorable Mention.

[DanMcQ]

Damn: 1978, 1979, 1980 make the HoyaChris Top 18. I knew my college years were time well spent. I'd swap 1979 for 1996 but that's a personal choice.

[alleninxis]

2003 was such a bizarre year..so many moments (most laughably bad). But, They have a warm spot in my heart.

[BigmanU]

1984-No explanation needed (BE POY)
1987-Amazing Season (BE POY)
1996-One of the most remembered teams
1985-Actually the best Hoya team ever (BE POY)
1982
2007-First year back in our rightful spot. (BE POY)
1980-Great underrated team (BE POY)
1989-Freshman Zo with Smitty (BE POY)
2008-Back to Back BE champs. I love NCAA success but winning the BEast means more.
2001-One very good year in the darkness. Very balanced team.
2003-Also liked the NIT run. Sweetney was an absolute beast
2005-Fun team to watch progress out of nowhere.



*2002 was the 4OT game vs Notre Dame

[sweetness]

Great list - thanks! The historical perspective is always fun.

2008 was so close to being great, but those two losses - to Pitt in the Big East final and Davidson in NCAAs - were painful.

[DownTownJoeyBrown]

Jan 6, 2012 11:59:34 GMT -5 HoyaChris said:

I will reserve judgement until the season is over, but I am confident that this Hoya team is going to crash my top ten list of favorites, I just don't know where.

As of right now, my list includes:

9.) 2006. Renaissance. Beat #1 Duke and played Florida closer in the Sweet 16 than any of their other NCAA games in their back to back championship years.

If Bowman's layup attempt w/ 1:30 left rolled in I think we beat Florida, denying them of both national championships, and would have made the final four with a chance at the title. Our team was hot at the right time.

[blueandgray]

Agreed....great list. I think 1996 needs more love...would move them up from 10 to 6 or 7. Four guys from that team played in the NBA. Without that team we would have been irrelevant in the 90's.

[chep3]

Jan 6, 2012 12:33:49 GMT -5 DownTownJoeyBrown said:

If Bowman's layup attempt w/ 1:30 left rolled in I think we beat Florida, denying them of both national championships, and would have made the final four with a chance at the title. Our team was hot at the right time.

Or if DJ just hits that wide open three when the defender fell down. Sigh.

[BubbleVisionBiff]

Jan 6, 2012 12:33:49 GMT -5 DownTownJoeyBrown said:

Jan 6, 2012 11:59:34 GMT -5 HoyaChris said:

I will reserve judgement until the season is over, but I am confident that this Hoya team is going to crash my top ten list of favorites, I just don't know where.

As of right now, my list includes:

9.) 2006. Renaissance. Beat #1 Duke and played Florida closer in the Sweet 16 than any of their other NCAA games in their back to back championship years.

If Bowman's layup attempt w/ 1:30 left rolled in I think we beat Florida, denying them of both national championships, and would have made the final four with a chance at the title. Our team was hot at the right time.

And DJ had a wide open look at 3 later in the game, right, after Brewer's ridiculous continuation call?

[williambraskyiii]

Jan 6, 2012 13:55:13 GMT -5 chep3 said:

Jan 6, 2012 12:33:49 GMT -5 DownTownJoeyBrown said:

If Bowman's layup attempt w/ 1:30 left rolled in I think we beat Florida, denying them of both national championships, and would have made the final four with a chance at the title. Our team was hot at the right time.

Or if DJ just hits that wide open three when the defender fell down. Sigh.

I don't think I've ever re-watched that game. Too painful.

[lichoya68]

me loves em all and i know it aint over till its over but THIS IS NOW MY FAVORITE TEAM EVER yup more guts more toughness more team and lack of ego and melding together AND HEART than i thinks any other hoya team ever at least since like1964 when i started watching the hoyas i know it aint over but ill take it WRIGHT NOW go hoyas make me good beat a tough west va team on sat at west va.. almost impossible to do but COMING BACK FROM 17 VS MARQUETTE WAS doIng the impossible imo go hoyas ITS FEBRUARY NOW EAT THE BANNANA GREAT TEAM THATS TEAM /..... YOU GOTTA BELIEVE IN MIRACLES which are earned by being smart and tough and working hard.. like henry ?? go hoyas

[DownTownJoeyBrown]

Jan 6, 2012 14:02:57 GMT -5 BubbleVisionBiff said:

Jan 6, 2012 12:33:49 GMT -5 DownTownJoeyBrown said:

If Bowman's layup attempt w/ 1:30 left rolled in I think we beat Florida, denying them of both national championships, and would have made the final four with a chance at the title. Our team was hot at the right time.

And DJ had a wide open look at 3 later in the game, right, after Brewer's ridiculous continuation call?

Yeah, sounds about right. We were inches from never having to see Rat faced Joakim Noah run around with his mouth open after winning two championships. Sighhh.

[SFHoya99]

I can't believe DJ missed that. It was his shot.

I think it only would have tied the game.

[RockawayHoya]

Jan 6, 2012 14:02:57 GMT -5 BubbleVisionBiff said:

Jan 6, 2012 12:33:49 GMT -5 DownTownJoeyBrown said:

If Bowman's layup attempt w/ 1:30 left rolled in I think we beat Florida, denying them of both national championships, and would have made the final four with a chance at the title. Our team was hot at the right time.

And DJ had a wide open look at 3 later in the game, right, after Brewer's ridiculous continuation call?

Bingo. That's the play that broke our backs. Brandon had Brewer tied up, and not only got whistled for a foul, but somehow Brewer got an and 1 out of it. IIRC, we should've had the ball in a tie game with a chance to hold for the last shot and win in regulation. Instead we needed a 3 to tie, and DJ missed one he normally makes. But it was the missed call that killed us.

[CO_Hoya]

Jan 6, 2012 15:30:06 GMT -5 SFHoya99 said:

I can't believe DJ missed that. It was his shot.

I think it only would have tied the game.

Nope. From the HoyaSaxa archives:

The game turned in the final minute when Corey Brewer, thought to be tied up on a loose ball, took a shot while falling to the ground and it went in, scoring up the basket and picking up a foul shot, 55-53.

The Hoyas inbounded with 19 seconds to play, then called a time out with 13.3 to set up the play. With nine seconds to play, Darrel Owens missed an long but otherwise open three.

I remember thinking afterwards that I fully expected DJ to make that shot - and I am as pessimistic as they come. As he shot, I was actually worried that the Hoyas were scoring too soon.

Sigh.

[DownTownJoeyBrown]

Here is the video link:

vault.ncaa.com/?game=306SR108_s01&timecode=00%3A00%3A07%3A00

[idhoya]

I asked Corey Brewer about that shot that summer at the Peach Jam. I said, "you know that shot was BS". He laughed and said, "yeah, but it went in". Good, light hearted guy. He was right.

[DownTownJoeyBrown]

Bowman's shot with :59 seconds left makes me sick. It was a good move and he had a good look, just couldn't hit it.

And yeah, how is that a bucket and a foul???