This season, Connecticut was led by junior Kemba Walker, one of the best guards in college basketball.

As the tournament progressed, the Huskies benefited from the emergence of freshman swing man Jeremy Lamb. Meanwhile, 6'9 Alex Oriakhi was a solid force in the paint, and freshman guard Shabazz Napier dazzled crowds with his fine play-making abilities.

But all of that doesn't discount that head coach Jim Calhoun over-achieved in 2011 like he never has before.

The national champions certainly had the tools to succeed, as well as a leader in Walker to carry them. However, few thought a number-three seed from an under-achieving tournament conference could go as deep as the Huskies did.

Calhoun has had plenty of talented players in Storrs. Donyell Marshall, Ray Allen, Richard Hamilton, Caron Butler, Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva, Emeka Okafor, Rudy Gay, Hasheem Thabeet, and countless others who have been a part of the Huskies' proud tradition under Calhoun.

Many would say that those players were further along in their collegiate careers than the Huskies' current roster. That is not to say that this squad lacks in talent, but it will be hard for the current list of players to follow in those former players' footsteps.

Going into the season, the Huskies weren't even on the map of the Top 25 rankings. At the end of the season, Connecticut was ranked only 21st, and Calhoun's squad finished just ninth in the Big East.

Considering these factors and others, what Calhoun pulled off has to be considered his greatest tournament coaching success.

The Huskies didn't have a senior in the starting lineup, most of the roster was composed of freshmen and sophomores, and they beat tough teams in Cincinnati, San Diego State, Arizona, Kentucky, and Butler.

Though Walker hit some fantastic shots, and had some prolific scoring nights, it's very rare for a college basketball team to succeed when just one player is carrying the scoring load.

Calhoun, 68, seemed to get more of out of his players this season than ever before. The Huskies had their share of unsung heroes in Roscoe Smith, Jamal Coombs-McDaniel, and Charles Okwandu.

While some teams benefit from an unexpectedly hot shooting performance to carry them past their opponents, Connecticut advanced to the Final without any particularly hot or cold shooting games, a sign of a team operating under a winning strategy.

Certainly, the inexplicably horrendous shooting of Butler played a part in Connecticut's victory, and somewhat diminished the greatness of the moment. The Huskies, after all, shot only 34.5 percent in a bizarre game in front of a national audience.

Monday's game was certainly underwelming and at times cringe-worthy in its glaring ineptitude.

But that can't take away what Calhoun achieved in 2011. This national championship will be fondly rememberd for years in Storrs, and puts Calhoun's name among the elite coaches in basketball history.

Calhoun is now only one of five head coaches with three titles.

This is the main one he should be remembered for.

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