The UConn men’s basketball program will look to become the first team since Florida in 2006-07 to repeat as national champions when it takes on Purdue on Monday night (9:20 p.m. on TBS).
This marks the Huskies’ sixth title game appearance, all of which have come since the 1998-99 season. They are 5-0 in the championship, including a 76-59 win over San Diego State last April.
UConn wore white uniforms in all of its previous national championship appearances, including the 1999, 2004, 2011, 2014 and 2023 tournaments when the Huskies were a No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, No. 7 and No. 1 seed, respectively.
They’ll also be in the familiar threads tonight against the Boilermakers as the No. 1 overall seed in this year’s tournament, where they’ve won all five games they’ve played by an average of 25 points.
Purdue, meanwhile, is making just its second national championship appearance, as the Boilermakers fell to UCLA and legendary head coach/alum John Wooden, 92-72, in the 1969 title game.
Interestingly, the throwback uniforms they’ve worn during this year’s tournament run are a nod to that team, led by All-American Rick Mount, though they’ll be in their standard black road uniforms on Monday night.
Purdue also wore black uniforms in the last meeting between the two teams, though UConn advanced to the 2009 Elite 8 with a 72-60 victory at University of Phoenix Stadium – now known as State Farm Stadium, which also hosts tonight’s game.
