Jeff’s passion for local sports runs the gamut from high school athletics to UConn basketball — he has covered all four UConn men’s championships and 10 of the 11 women’s titles.

The UConn men have won five national titles and have run away from the competition before, but as they chase back-to-back championships, they’ve never been flying like this.

UConn, on the men’s side, has won five national titles in the last 25 years but had never gone to back-to-back Final Fours. This year’s team, carrying the weight of the target on its back, ...