The crowd went wild when the "Phantom," at UConn coach Jim Calhoun's
request,
 appeared and began bellowing in song Tuesday night at Gampel Pavilion.

The selection: his tailor-made version of "This Is the Moment."
 Brad Little, playing the lead in "The Phantom of the Opera" in San Diego
 -- he also starred in its Bushnell run -- had to turn it up a couple of
 notches at midcourt when the navy blue banner displaying the words
"Connecticut
 NCAA National Champion 1999 Men's Basketball" was raised.

 It was another major acknowl edgment of the Huskies' remarkable run to
 their first national championship, culminating in the 77-74 victory over
 Duke on March 29 --in St. Petersburg, Fla.

 "This is the moment, damn all the odds. This day forever, we'll hang our
 banner with the Gods. When we look back, we will always recall, that
special
moment, which brought this moment, the greatest moment of them all..."
 With Little's final words, the banner was locked into position some 50
 yards to the left of the women's 1995 championship banner.

The Huskies, standing side by side near their bench, were holding their
 navy blue caps with the "U" in red and "Conn" in white, admiring the
whole
deal.

 They seemed touched by the emotion from the song. So did the coaching
staff.
 But nothing was more special than seeing that men's national championship
 banner raised.

 It looked nice on the southside wall, just above Section 210.