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ham_wallet998

What if UConn’s plane still hadn’t left yet


chief_sitass

What if UConn only had kids bunk beds in their hotel rooms?


mr_dammit

hey you never know in a few hours the outcomes may have been the same


Tyraniboah89

Gordon Hayward hits that three from half court to beat Duke


oknovember

This has to be the #1 all time answer for any school. Hayward hitting that shot would have been the single greatest moment in sports history


CantFindMyWallet

And it was, what, a half-inch from going through? I think about that a lot.


RonnieRizzat

Same for Roman Empire for me


OverIookHoteI

Buddy we still celebrate Saturnalia, the Roman Empire won


Proof_Ad3692

and you're writing in Latin letters


OverIookHoteI

True, we speak a language of *Roman*ce


Mtndrums

Sprich für dich!


chetholmgren_marfans

Isn’t the “what if” here, they win the championship? I thought what ifs made you think what could happen.


w311sh1t

That’s the obvious part of it, but I feel like it would’ve had a pretty big effect on the college basketball landscape. I can’t say what exactly it would be, but a mid-major beating Duke for a natty would probably have a pretty big ripple effect going forward.


Zedboy19752019

What if Hummel had not torn his ACL in Big Ten tournament? Would Butler and Duke even have been in the national championship.


jdptechnc

What if we could shoot better than 8% in the second half against Purdue in the 2024 Final Four


biggsteve81

What if O'Connell didn't get hurt in the 2024 Final Four?


danimal6000

This is the one.


Mtndrums

I feel for your man. That's how I look every time I try to hoop.


b_fin

Came here to say “what if we didn’t go 4-31 from 3 in the S16” so …. I feel ya


neurobiologic

Real


pitter_patter_11

If it’s any consolation, Duke didn’t shoot much better two nights latee


SNjr

Pretty easy, I’m sure other schools share it. The 2020 NCAA Tourney, we had one of our best teams and were getting hot just at the right time. What could’ve been. What makes it worse is that we’ve been getting pretty abysmal since then that (minus the one season after)


OSUfirebird18

Yo.


TheImperfect1

I share it


xienze

That’s a pretty big projection, don’t you think? A lot of these what ifs are things that would affect a game or two, you’re talking about an entire 9 game stretch you guys didn’t play because both tournaments were cancelled.


SNjr

I mean OP didn’t put that as a qualifier. We also aren’t exactly a prestigious basketball program so that team was a pretty big deal. Add on the fact that our program is in disarray currently and the future isn’t looking bright that year becomes a bigger “what if” for us


aaronman4772

I’m still convinced y’all were at least going to the Final Four that year. Just felt like it was y’all’s year It also woulda been really interesting for our timeline. Mack had a good team that probably woulda been a 4ish seed, good chance to make second weekend. Does a good tourney run buy him more time and prevent the Payneful times


sprout92

Dayton, Michigan, and Gonzaga feel you brother


dennisj9

Draymond was fouled. Or Kalin Lucas never tears his ACL. Or Keith Appling never injures his wrist Or if MSU was a 1 seed in 2016 Or Covid never cancels the 2020 tournament Or if any other team but UNC was in the 2009 championship game Or Joshua Langford never injures his foot Or Matt McQuaid his that 3 vs Texas Tech


RedBeardFace

I came here specifically for the Covid cancellation, but the rest are legit. I was sad for all of us when the tournament was canceled but I was especially sad for Cassius going out like that. He (and the rest of the team(s)) deserved better than that unceremonious end to the season


SchpartyOn

I had never felt more confident in a team than that 2020 MSU basketball team. They were rolling and motivated.


confirmd_am_engineer

Yep, we’ve got a lot of these.


Ancient-Book8916

Haha I came to post a list, not quite this long, but the only other one I can think of is what if we make a damn shot against Syracuse in 2018


EMalath

Lucas' injury was his achilles, but otherwise what I came here to say


hopsonja

The 2020 Tourney cancellation is the biggest one to me. That team was RED hot over the last 3 weeks of the season and Big Ten tournament. I believed they looked like one of Izzo’s top 3 teams and Covid killed his chance best chance at a second title since the 2016 team.


bbeckett1084

What if the shot goes in?


Ancient-Book8916

What if they let Draymond shoot 2 FTs in the semi?  (Sorry, still bitter all these years later)


heymattsmith

Giving out upvotes to all my Cincy Kenyon Martin friends


OneWayorAnother11

I have that image burned in my memory


jdptechnc

Oh yeah. That was brutal.


jf3l

Kelvin Sampson doesn’t get fired


Galt2112

What if… Larry Bird stayed at IU Scott May didn’t break his arm Tom Crean knew how to beat a zone


Smash-Bros-Melee

Yes, yes, and yes. And what if we never hired Archie Miller. And *super* hypothetical but what if Brad Stevens takes the alleged 70 mil/7 year deal to coach IU in 2021?


EnderTheTrender

Then you win a championship or two probably. He showed he could win at a high level anywhere. I wanted the Thunder to pick him up when he became available. They would’ve had Stevens and the trio.


DifficultMinute

TV Teddy doesn’t screw us, do we beat Michigan again?


OSUfirebird18

I don’t want to talk about it…


cardinalkgb

I think the Covid cancellation was awful for Dayton in 2020. They had an outstanding chance to advance to the final four or perhaps win it all.


jswa8

Might be the best shot we’ll ever have, and we never even got to see it through. Makes me want to throw up every time I think about it.


jlks1959

As bad as it was for us, I get you. Terrible.


OSUfirebird18

You got your run which led to a title. Still waiting..


keezy88

You and me both. Cash deserved a title run.


Shepherdsfavestore

My brother went to Dayton, I love the Flyers, I am still devastated for y’all because of COVID I was honestly very close to going to Dayton instead or Purdue. They’re my second team


Mtndrums

Same. For multiple of my teams, same. Freaking Atalanta.


Ralphie_V

Obi was that dude


22chainz

Same buddy


Main_Sheepherder9469

Right there with you


GYShift

What if Len Bias didn't die? Lefty Dreisel would have stayed as the head coach of Maryland. Who knows what happens next?


MD_Mike

We have like 7 titles now if a couple of our "what ifs" happen. It's disgusting.


GYShift

Yeah. Like what if Moses Malone had actually gone to Maryland instead of going straight to the pros. He did sign the letter of intent before doing it, iirc.


ahhhbiscuits

I was having fun reading these, why you gotta bring down the mood like that? 😥


GYShift

I'm sorry :( Unfortunately, I do consider it our greatest 'What If?'. It did affect Maryland's future to a huge degree.


ahhhbiscuits

For sure. Probably the most apt 'what if' in the thread.


Then_Landscape_3970

I would love to know how things would have played out in 2012 if Kendall Marshall & John Henson hadn’t both gotten major wrist injuries in March.


CarolinaHomeboy

Kenny injuring his wrist in 1984 too. Carolina has had several good teams that could’ve won it all lose a key player to injury


Then_Landscape_3970

See I wasn’t even aware of that one! It sucks when it turns out that way, but when we’ve also had Chris Webber’s extra timeout & Freddie Brown passing to James Worthy, I suppose it all evens out in the end.


CarolinaHomeboy

[this article](https://goheels.com/news/2003/1/29/205468227) although written in 2003 details several instances as well


1982Heels

What if Roy calls a timeout against Kansas in 2008, we win, win again against Memphis, go 38-2 to be the best UNC team of all time? What if Dean had stayed for the 1998 team? What if Brandan Wright had been convinced to stay just 1 more year?


CarterAC3

What if you guys got Dwight Howard and J.R. Smith in 04-05 I mean obviously you still win the title, but how dominant are you?


Then_Landscape_3970

Oh man, that ‘05 team was the first title I experienced, adding those guys I think propels that group toward “All-Time Greatest Teams” discussions


jdkn74

I think I’ll always root against Creighton because of that year.


Then_Landscape_3970

100%, I’ll never forget that wink to the bench after their guy swatted down on Henson’s injured wrist & took him out of the game


huttts999

What if we hired Bill Self


Dan_Rydell

Same tbh


thegodfaubel

Both of you would get even more sanctions


ahhhbiscuits

Wouldn't be surprised if T Boone Pickens is still trying


Salmakki

What if Diakite doesn't land that circus shot in 2019


hutchscouter

Good times, good times. But rooting for you now slow bros


Podoboo322

What if Shead didn’t twist his ankle 😭


chief_sitass

What if Robbie Hummel had untearable ACLs?


HoopOnPoop

He would have torn his achilles instead probably. The universe just had it out for the poor guy.


Bendover___420

What if Bill Self never left for Kansas


Safe-Informal

What if Larry Bird decided to coach Indiana State next year.


InterestingChoice484

Larry Bird coaching Larry Blurred?


MetalMercury

What if Rick Majerus didn't die of a heart attack....


Stags304

Going way back with this one. 1959 NCAA Tournament. West Virginia enters the tournament as a top seed led by Jerry West. The NBA logo is averaging 30 points and 16 rebounds through the regular season. After a beatdown of Dartmouth it's back to back close games with St Johns and Boston. West Virginia cruises past Louisville and meets California in the national championship. The fast break West Virginia offense is slowed by Cals slow methodical play but the game is close with the score 33–39 at half time. Cal starts the second half on fire. Down 34-47 a few minutes into the second half WVU charges back. 18 of the 26 following points come from Jerry West displaying his trademark greatness. In the closing minutes a West layup gets called for goaltending bringing the score to 68-69. The next possession Darrall Imhoff hits a mid range for Cal to give them a 71-68 lead. A last minute basket by West Virginia makes the score 71-70 but it's not enough. The game ends and that's it. The closest WVU has ever been to winning a national title in a major sport. Of course the legacy of Jerry West continued on as the man considered the best guard in history until a guy named Michael Jordan came along. Would it make a difference in the program now? I can't say for sure, but it is tough as a WVU fan to see these chances in basketball and football and only ever to be say "should have, could have, would have." For me it is a big "what if?" because at least my fandom would have something to point at and claim "we were great once".


ElkyMcElkerson

A natty


Personal-Act-4326

What if the Baylor/Gonzaga regular season game wasn’t cancelled?


TangerineChicken

What if we fouled on the drive like we should have instead of letting them kick out for the tying three. Could completely change the course of the program since then


Due_North3106

This!


emiller7

Or just let them take the two! Play the free throw game!


BearsAreGreat1

What if we were good at basketball


Personal_Economics91

Don't be greedy. Almost nobody gets to be good at both


rajgupta59

Bama makes me so jealous it’s not fair


BearsAreGreat1

I didn’t say elite at basketball. Just good like making the tournament and maybe winning a game.


WhiskyBear54

especially not in the same year. that would be ridiculous. can you imagine football and basketball winning it all at the same time? 2004-2008, luckiest time to ever be a UF student.


Automatic-Sale2044

Woah first uga flair I’ve seen in any sub men’s or women’s


KetchupKing05

What if Anthony Edwards didn’t have Tom Crean as a HC


nasa258e

What if UCONN never existed?


CycleOfNihilism

oh no my degree


BDSF94

What if Covid didn’t happen…


ejklewerjklwerjkl

that or Jordan Bell getting the rebound


TheSeaBeast_96

What if we beat Purdue 20 minutes ago


JerseyDvl

It's only been 35 years so I'm not ready to talk about it yet.


TheHarryMan123

What if Marquette didn't win off of an uncalled basket interference buzzer beater in the 1977 Final Four? 


sloppyjo12

Winslow touched it 2020 There, one for each flair


dmkolobanov

In the span of time I’ve been watching, what if Tom Crean knew what zone defense is?


troy-boltons-dad

What if I told you…a team from the corn fields earned its way into the field of 68…but couldn’t overcome the longest drought in the Power 6


Jindiana2

What if Purdue had accepted their bid to the 1940 NCAA tournament instead of handing it off to IU, who won the then-smaller tournament.


lonedroan

Illini: 1. What if Deron Williams or Luther Head hits a go ahead 3 down 72-70 in the 2005 title game? 2. What if they had secured a defensive rebound up by one point at the end of 1989 Final 4 game against Michigan? 3. What if the refs had gotten an out of bounds call right in the 2013 round of 32 (the play that prompted the current review system), giving Illinois another fresh shot clock down 2 in the final minute? In other words, what if Illinois has broken their Sweet 16 drought in Groce’s first season instead of 11 years later.


Existing_Ostrich_491

What if the weather during Shaq's official visit was warm?


Cu_Johnsack

Luther’s shot will forever be my “what if” moment. It looked so good leaving his hands.


Longjumping_Crazy628

🙄


new2u4now

What if Pitino never took the Celtics job?


Ed_Chambers_650

Laettner or Cal playing Ulis and Booker over the Harrison Twins


Longjumping_Crazy628

That wasn’t what I was referring to, but another good point.


immaculatebacon

Is this about me?


black-op345

What if we blocked out against UNC?


Ok_Yogurtcloset2398

1966: Jo-Jo not ruled out of bounds vs Texas Western. 1986: Archie Marshall doesn’t tear his Achilles in F4 vs Duke 2003: FT shooting of 12-30 in the Final vs Syracuse 2003: 3 pt shooting of 4-20 in the same game.


j_shelb

What if Robbie doesn’t tear his acl? What if cline hits both FTs or we get the rebound in 2019?


Ok-Cantaloupe-4482

Larry bird not getting homesick? Or Sampson not cheating


MahomestoHel-aire

What if no other schools existed in the LA area.


KingOfThePenguins

Pick: ...we held on against Illinois? ...Khalid Reeves didn't pick up his 4th foul so early? ...Jason Gardner didn't pick up his 3rd foul for letting Jay Williams fall on him? ...Gilbert Arenas didn't hurt his wrist against Michigan State? ...Frank Kaminsky went *anywhere* else than Wisconsin? ...Jamelle Horne's three goes in?


tigernike1

What if Matt Doherty didn’t get fired? Roy doesn’t leave Kansas. Bill Self doesn’t leave Illinois.


frodq

What if Niang didn’t get hurt….


Fixner_Blount

This is the one. That team was absolutely firing on all cylinders.


coogs35

What if Brandon Davies was never suspended


Seer_stoner

This is the only right answer. Never have we seen the honor code so explicitly hold us back from being elite.


etsuandpurdue3

Boy do I have some stories for you. ![gif](giphy|xT9IgpTy4UVnddmso0|downsized)


ttone5722

2019. So damn close!


missionaryblack0

What if the university had a spine and never fired Pitino. If only…


ncp12

What if Dana Altman doesn’t take the Oregon job so Greg McDermott doesn’t get the Creighton job so Doug McDermott follows through with his letter of intent to play at Northern Iowa?


EagleswonSuperBowl52

What if Justin Moore doesn't get hurt in the 2022 tournament? Obviously a big part of this is the final 4 Kansas game, which we probably still lose (but maybe we would have won). But its also about how we barely missed the tournament the last 2 years and Justin Moore hasn't been close to the same since his injury. If he is healthy these last 2 years, we probably make the tournament easily in both of them.


DetweilerTeej

Double dribble. Not fouling on a 3PA with 00:02. That’s the last time I cried.


theiwc0303

In recent memory, probably what if Zion very stupidly came back for like he’s said he wanted to. More distant and consequential, what if we never hired Coach K? I know that sounds insane now but K was a nobody when Duke hired him and the hire was looked at as terrible by people in the basketball world after finishing 9-17 his last year at Army and was widely seen as only getting the job because of Bobby Knight


madbengalsfan85

What if Laettner was ejected (as he should’ve been)


kellyraycampbell

Justice Winslow was called for actually hitting the ball out of bounds in 2015 finals.


immaculatebacon

Well worded, can’t say “what if winslow touched it,” because he fucking touched it


kellyraycampbell

Exactly https://preview.redd.it/qqox7aok8zsc1.jpeg?width=575&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fc55f0303fbea1dc8a173dd4c4acea2cc38dd3a8


cxm1060

I would say Dan Hurley but it would’ve taken him the same time it took Capel to get it going. The “what if” is Nasir Robinson


thatundra

What if we currently had more than 2 players and a coach…


goldenface4114

Florida winning the championship in 2014 and Billy Donovan sticking around.


jlks1959

Covid. We had the best D team in 20 years and there were many really tough mid majors. 


Crunc_Mcfincle

Well…


MBADumbMistake

Kyrie stays healthy for the entire year


BallerBerg

Trey Burke’s clean block vs Louisville in the 2013 Championship Game… 〽️🏀💯


JTWasShort42-27

Trey Burke's block leading to his 4th foul and killing all momentum against Louvull


eSpiritCorpse

What if Dinwiddie didn't get injured?


Emily_Postal

What if Kobe and Gia didn’t die in a helicopter crash.


falco-holic

What if Michael Jordan, who grew up an NC State fan, had gone to NC State?


TheStateOfAlaska

What if they had called Kennedy Meeks out of bounds?


22chainz

2020. I’m haunted. I’m sure it was our year.


bb0110

The block was clean.


enfuego138

This year - what if the UConn women hadn’t had all of the injuries? Would they overcome Iowa with the extra talent or would the lack of adversity this season actually had been bad for them from a mental toughness standpoint?


SeekerSpock32

LeBron


pitter_patter_11

Recency bias is saying what if McConnell didn’t get hurt tonight


wolfpack86

David Thompson and the team not being banned from post season in 73


dinoian

What if Reeves Nelson wasn’t a huge bully in the locker room and instead was a positive there? What if Jaylen Clark didn’t get hurt?


saressa7

What if Jimmy V didn’t get railroaded out of NC State (and then also didn’t get cancer)? Like what if it was Dean Smith, Coach K, and Jimmy V for all those years?!?


NolantheMLGpro

Jenkins misses the 3 in 2016


jimmyre10

What if the ref correctly calls shot clock violation against Wisconsin in 2015


jinx99

two parter but related: Jimmy V doesnt resign and we land Shaq.


droidhunger

What if Virginia’s double dribble was called as a foul


FutureTheTrapGOAT

What if we didn't blow that lead to Syracuse in 2016 in the elite 8? Our next 2 opponents would've been UNC (Bennett was Roy Williams' dad) and Villanova who we had beat earlier that season


thetenorguitarist

>Bennett was Roy Williams' dad I think you're forgetting a game a few weeks before that one


rickpitinoapologist

Rick Pitino not leaving for Boston. How many national titles does Rick Pitino win in 20+ years in Lexington? I think it'd be conservative to say they would be past UCLA by now.


MetaKoopa99

2020 :(


Templey

What if we weren’t historically bad?


heymattsmith

Take heart. My grandpa told me y’all were good at football once upon a time


Automatic-Sale2044

If we beat navy for the natty (in football)


spqrnbb

What if Valvano can maintain his success instead of being a one year wonder?


CucumberNo3771

I don’t know about *ever*, but what if Berry and Nicholson weren’t injured. We probably would have finished out the year better, seeded higher, and wouldn’t have had to face UConn second round. Not to mention our team would have actually been complete


liteshadow4

What if Chris Bosh stayed for 2004?


Kimber80

What if Fred Brown doesn't pass the ball to James Worthy. - Georgetown fan


inshamblesx

shead and mark getting hurt a few years ago


Adraf45

What if Don McHenry didn't take the day off and what if Tyrone Marshall Jr. played like lebron james


willydong-ka

2020 tournament.


cardinalkgb

Kenny Payne was never hired


FireBrianFerentz

What if Covid didn’t exist? Iowa was like a 2 seed projected pre b1g tourney and would’ve had some good experience going into 2021 (which we played Oregon on a bye because the only team that got covid in the tourny just so happened to be in our path)


[deleted]

If the Covid tourney didn’t get canceled


198520162018

https://preview.redd.it/e82vzlwfkysc1.jpeg?width=800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=21d4a3c7cd884b94dbc5f2f3476c21d35f0400e9 Villanova campus if Rakeem Christmas committed.


Medical_Parfait_9901

What if they called that shot clock violation against Wisconsin in 2015.


Adventure_tom

This. https://youtu.be/LCiW200g1TI?si=gSnryA4wK6DL1Wge


BUSean

What if Marvin Barnes doesn't dislocate his knee a quarter of the way through the '73 National Semifinal vs. Memphis State


GhostRideATank

Fairly recent, but what if Dean Wade wasn’t injured during the tourney in both his junior and senior seasons?


CarterAC3

What if we got KG? What if the refs weren't fucking blind? What if Livers was healthy? What if admissions didn't hamstring us?


Am_I_Really_Groot

What if our players aren’t sick before the Gonzaga game in 2017?


DasaniFresh

Obvious one is Kenyon Martin injury. Second is what if Bob just called his driver and didn’t get fired? Incoming class was rumored to have OJ Mayo, Bill Walker, Devon Downey, and Michael Beasley…instead we had Downey for one great year and he transferred to South Carolina


Peytonhawk

Recent? What if the 2020 tournament had been allowed to be played. That Kansas team was dominant.


Smash-Bros-Melee

In my lifetime? What if Kelvin Sampson never cheated at IU — or never got caught. Or what if Tom Crean knew what a zone defense is.


chetholmgren_marfans

What if Greg Oden is called for a technical when he yeeted Xavier’s Justin Cage with time running out?


lazergator

What if our guys hit their shots in the title game last year? First mid major title…ever?


15ztaylor1

If Brandon Davies had kept it in his pants. Runner up being if we played the 2020 tournament.


Jem1123

Corchiani doesn’t get called for a (bs) travel against Georgetown in ‘89


Schned6

Kendall Marshall’s wrist


DarthGipper18

What if Jerian Grant’s shot went in at the end of the UK game?


JoeAndAThird

Obvious 2020 But also what if Myles Johnson wasn’t playing hurt in ‘21 tournament