A Great Hypothetical Matchup: Duke 2001 vs UConn 2024
Over at CBS Sports, they do a feature every summer called Candid Coaches. The idea is they ask questions anonymously and the coaches, secure in their anonymity, speak freely. The most recent question is: what was the best team so far of the 21st century? The top two vote-getters? 2023-24 UConn, with 17%, and 2000-01 […]
In a hypothetical matchup between the 2001 Duke Blue Devils and the 2024 UConn Huskies, the 2001 Duke squad would likely come out on top. The 2001 Duke team featured an impressive roster, including future NBA stars Jason Williams and Shane Battier, while the 2024 UConn team boasted Alex Karaban, Stephon Castle, and Cameron Spencer.
One key difference between the two teams was the presence of Moses Malone's Boozer in 2001. Boozer, who joined Duke after missing several games due to injury, would likely have given Duke an edge over UConn's Donovan Clingan. However, Duke's Nate James and Reggie Love would provide valuable depth and experience.
Jason Williams, the athletic and unstoppable force of the 2001 Duke team, would be a significant factor in the matchup. Though UConn fans might argue that their team was just as formidable, the hypothetical nature of the scenario suggests that Duke would have triumphed.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
