UConn women's basketball

The approach will be the same as it’s been all season for the Huskies. They were not distracted by their pursuit of their then-NCAA-record 70-game winning streak. They contend that they won’t be distracted by the opportunity to become the first women’s team to complete back-to-back undefeated seasons.
“You can’t look at it like we’re making history,’’ senior Kalana Greene said. “We’re just trying to win games and win a national championship. And beat Southern. So you’ve got to win all these games coming up to say we made history because it’s fragile. You could lose. Teams you’ve never played before … you’re not familiar with them. It’s so easy to lose. It would be hard for a team to beat us, but it’s so easy for us just to lose if we slip up, miss a box out or a real off shooting night. It’s easy to lose. We know it’s fragile. So, history, we can look at it after whenever the last game is.’’
Maya Moore said the Huskies will not change anything they’ve done up to this point just because it’s the NCAA tournament. As cliché as it might sound, they have taken things one day at a time, one game at a time. Coach Geno Auriemma is a short-term type of guy, and the players have bought into this philosophy.
“You don’t change at this point in the year,’’ Moore said. “You go with what you’ve worked so hard for. You either have it or you don’t. And I feel like we’re coming to a point in the season where it’s coming together and we’re just trying to sharpen up on the things we’re already good at and try to cover up on the areas we’re that we’re not as sharp at. But you don’t really do a lot of change. You just keep doing what you’re doing. We’re going to have to continue to do a good job of keeping our blinders up and playing one game at a time.’’
The only thing that will change for the Huskies as they enter the tournament will be the fact that they are no longer chasing a national championship that had eluded them since winning the last of three straight championships in 2004.
Aside from having won 72 straight games, UConn is now hunted for being the defending national champion too.
“This is water we’ve never been in … coming off of a national championship and having people want more than anything to beat you and people tired of hearing about us,’’ Moore said. “People just wanting to see Connecticut go down. And knowing that they’re coming after you that way, it absolutely makes you have to be more focused. I think we’re going to have to be even more focused this year because we’re not really chasing that first national championship. We’re trying to do something we’ve never done before and that’s going to require a lot more of us than it did last year.’’

Rich

The Huskies still lead the nation in field goal shooting percentage at 51.6. They are still second in the nation scoring offense at 81.5 (Oral Roberts, 86.1). But they did not look like an offensive juggernaut during the final two games of the Big East tournament against Top 10 foes Notre Dame and West Virginia.
UConn averaged a combined 59.5 points and shot 43.6 percent from the field (36.7 percent in the first half). It was the only time this season that the Huskies failed to score 70 points in consecutive games and it was just the fourth time they shot below 50 percent in consecutive games.
All-American Maya Moore averaged 10.5 points on 26.7 percent shooting (8-of-30 FG; 3-of-13 3-pointers) in the two games. But as UConn heads into the NCAA tournament this weekend in Norfolk, Va. there is no concern on behalf of the players that this will continue.
“We get good shots,’’ senior Kalana Greene said. “You’re either going to make it or miss it. But it’s what we do after that. And I think the end of the Big East tournament, and in practice, if we’re not making shots we’re going out and getting the offensive boards and we’re finding different ways to score. So I think not making shots is just all part of the game. You’re not expecting to make every shot, but it’s what we do when we’re not making shots. So I’m not really concerned about that. We always know we’re going to score and we always know we’re going to hold teams to not a lot of points.’’
The Huskies averaged 85.0 points and shot 52.5 percent in last season’s national championship run.

With the sophomore backcourt of Caroline Doty and Tiffany Hayes, comparisons can be drawn to UConn’s 2000 national championship team that featured sophomore Sue Bird at point guard. Here is coach Geno Auriemma’s take.
“We had 10 players, and I think what helped Sue was obviously Sue much more mature than her years,’’ Auriemma said. “But we also had Shea (Ralph) and Sveta (Abrosimova). So you’ve got two juniors who are All-Americans. That would be the closest I could come to it. And I remember Sue played great in Philadelphia (during the Final Four) as did Shea and as did Sveta. So if Caroline can be Sue and Maya and Tiffany can be Shea and Sveta … And Maya Moore and Tina Charles can be Swin (Cash) and Asjha (Jones), we’ve got it locked.’’
The Huskies defeated Hampton, Clemson, Oklahoma, LSU, Penn State and Tennessee by a combined 31.2 points to win the program’s second national championship in 2000.

For those who are fortunate enough to be making the trip to Norfolk this weekend, UConn will hold its open practice from noon to 1 p.m. tomorrow. Temple and former Huskies’ assistant coach Tonya Cardoza will practice from 2:10: to 3:10 at the Ted Constant Convocation Center.

Rich

The Huskies are making their 22nd straight NCAA tournament. When they began the run with a 72-63 first-round loss to LaSalle March 15, 1989 at Gampel Pavilion, Kelly Faris, Heather Buck, Tiffany Hayes, Caroline Doty, Maya Moore and Lorin Dixon were not yet born.
It the third longest active streak behind Tennessee (29) and Stanford (23). It is tied with Virginia for the fourth longest overall. Don’t expect UConn coach Geno Auriemma or any of the players that it gets old.
Each year it is a predominately a different team competing in the tournament. The Huskies were screaming with excitement when certain teams were revealed Monday night. This is nothing but fun for all of those involved.
“We liked the first one so much we decided to keep doing it,’’ Auriemma said. “People think, `Doesn’t it get old, the same thing all the time?’ And, actually, not. Let’s say you were doing it with the same team all the time then I would say there’s going to reach a point where you just go, `So what.’ But it’s never going to get old. Never. Ever. I’ll tell you when you’ll stop thinking it gets old if we go a couple years and we don’t make it. Then everybody will go, `I wish we had that old NCAA tournament back.’’’
Auriemma said his approach to playing the tournament has changed over the years. And it has to do with his lucrative salary.
“I used to think that all the time early on that if we didn’t make the NCAA tournament every year that I’m not doing a good job,’’ Auriemma said. “But then I remember what I was getting paid back then and I thought, `you don’t deserve any more than what you’re paying me.’ So now I’ve got to win a national championship because what they’re paying me anything less than a national championship then they’ll think I’m overpaid.’’

The expectation next season is that Bria Hartley, a 5-foot-10 high school All-American from North Babylon, N.Y, will start at point guard for the Huskies. This would allow both Caroline Doty and Tiffany Hayes to play off the ball more, which would play to their strengths.
Assistant coach Shea Ralph recently brought up the subject with Doty. Being the fierce competitor that she is, Doty made is clear that she is not ready to concede anything at this point.
“The other day I said something to her about, `Next year we are bringing in Bria Hartley so you don’t have to worry so much. We will be able to put you back out on the wing more,’’’ Ralph said. “She was like, `I want to be the point guard next year.’ So I like the fact she has kind of come out of her shell a little bit. She’s learning how to be more vocal and direct traffic. She’s learning a lot about the game, and I think it will make her a much stronger player.’’

Rich

Geno Auriemma is one of four finalists for the Naismith Women’s College Coach of the Year award, it was announced today by the Atlanta Tipoff Club. He is joined by Tennessee’s Pat Summitt, Stanford’s Tara VanDerveer and Nebraska’s Connie Yori.
The finalists were voted on by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s National Voting Academy based on player performances this season. The winner will be announced early next month.
Here is the brief look at the finalists that was provided in the release:
Geno Auriemma: Auriemma, who has won sixth Naismith Awards, has led the Huskies to their sixth perfect regular season amidst an NCAA-record 72-game winning streak. He shared Big East Coach of the Year honors for the third straight year and won the award for the ninth time overall. UConn earned its 18th outright regular-season championship in 2009-10, went undefeated in league play for the eighth time in program history and became the 10th league team to accomplish the feat. In 25 seasons at UConn he has a 729-122 record and his squad has been ranked number one by the Associated Press for 41 straight weeks, a poll record.

Pat Summitt: The Volunteers won their 15th SEC regular season title and 14th SEC Tournament title this year, pushing Summitt’s career record to 1,035-195 (.841 overall). The five-time Naismith Women’s Coach of the Year has led UT to all 29 NCAA Tournaments, the only school to achieve that feat, and earned a number one seed for the 20th time.

Tara VanDerveer: Stanford went 18-0 to win their 10th consecutive Pac-10 regular-season title, and followed that up by winning the conference tournament. The Cardinal (31-1) is making its 23rd consecutive appearance in the NCAA tournament and 24th overall. The top seed in the Sacramento region, Stanford seeks its third consecutive Final Four appearance.

Connie Yori: The 2010 Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year has led Nebraska (30-1, 16-0 Big 12) to the best season in school history. The Huskers tied the Big 12 record with a 30-game winning streak, shattering the school record (23) in the process. The Huskers are also the nation’s most improved team, winning 15 more games than the previous season. Nebraska became the first Big 12 Conference team to finish a regular season with an unbeaten record (29-0), and just the second Big 12 team to go 16-0 through league play. Yori’s record at Nebraska (eight seasons) is 151-98 and her overall career mark is 346-238 in 20 seasons.

Rich

Another award … Three players are again in the running. This time Tina Charles, Kalana Greene and Maya Moore are among 22 players on the final ballot for the Women’s John R. Wooden Award All-American Team and Player of the Year, which is presented to the nation’s top female player.
Moore won the award last season.
All players on the ballot have proven that they are making progress toward graduation and are maintaining a cumulative 2.0 GPA.
Voting will conclude at 3 p.m. March 30. The winner will be announced at the 34th annual Wooden Award ceremony April 9.

Rich

Seniors Tina Charles and Kalana Greene and junior Maya Moore were named to the All-Region I team today, it was announced by the WBCA. St. John’s sophomore and former Trinity Catholic star Da’Shena Stevens also named.
In all, 52 players were honored in eight regions across the nation. They are nominees for the State Farm Coaches’ All-America Team. The list will be cut to 40 March 23, with the All-America Team being revealed at the Final Four in San Antonio April 3.
Huskies’ coach Geno Auriemma was named the Region I Coach of the Year. He is now a finalist for the WBCA National Coach of the Year.

Rich

The path to what would be an historical second straight unbeaten national championship and the seventh overall for the Huskies was laid out last night as the team watched with excitement and anticipation inside the team’s locker room. But when coach Geno Auriemma walked into his office to check his e-mail following the Selection Special he was greeted with sad news – Seton Hall coach Phyllis Mangina had stepped down after 25 seasons.
Auriemma and Mangina were hired the same year. Their career paths have, obviously, taken off in entirely different directions. That, however, has not altered the way Auriemma’s thoughts of his colleague and someone he considers to be a friend in a success-based business.
“I’ve got to give her a call (today),’’ Auriemma said. “It’s kind of a sad time for me. We both got our jobs at the exact same time. So I’ve known her for 25 years and she’s a great, great person, really passionate about her job and her kids and Seton Hall. She played there. So it must have been really, really hard for her to do this. It must have been a real gut wrenching decision for her to walk away from this. But there comes a time when you just say, `Hey, I can’t do this anymore.’ And that must have been the time for Phyllis.
“(Villanova’s) Harry Perretta and I are the only coaches left now when I started coaching here in the Big East. That makes you think, `Wow. How many people have passed through our league in 25 years? How many people have come and gone? Won a lot of games? Not won a lot of games?’ You’re constantly reminded, and every time you’re reminded how long you’ve been here you’re probably also reminded, `Yo, that’s going to be you someday soon.’ People will be reading that in the e-mail: `Geno Auriemma out as UConn coach. Forced out.’ Lose in the regional finals. Out.’’
Seton Hall finished 9-21 this season, including 1-15 in the Big East. Mangina was 352-368 during her tenure. The Pirates made back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances in 1994 (Sweet 16) and 1995, but had not been back since then. The Pirates did compete in the WNIT in 2003, 2004 and 2007.
“I will forever cherish my time as the women’s basketball coach at Seton Hall,’’ Mangina said in a statement. “I have had the chance to develop so many special relationships over the years, and I could not be prouder of the success my players and I have shared on the court and in the classroom.’’
Mangina’s departure also provided Auriemma with a reminder of how difficult coaching can be at other schools across the country. He has had the luxury of coaching numerous elite players, which has yielded incredible success during his 25 seasons at UConn.
Auriemma will enter the NCAA tournament with a record of 729-122 (.857) and standing just six wins away from solidifying a fourth unbeaten season. He is 71-15 in the NCAA tournament through his first 21 appearances, including 10 trips to the Final Four.
“Coaches live under this constant scrutiny,’’ Auriemma said. “When we went to go play Syracuse (men’s basketball coach Jim) Boeheim and I went to go get some lunch and we were sitting there. And he was talking about the stresses of the job and how tough coaching Division I men’s basketball is and how tough it is in our conference. And I was trying to explain to him, `Yeah, this is a pressure packed business.’ And he looked at me … `Well, not for me. For everybody else. I’m not speaking for me.’ He goes, `Right. What kind of pressure do you have? Where to go to lunch? What to order? What do you have to worry about.’ I think about it. I’ve been really fortunate because this isn’t the way it is in the real world. Real life coaching is not the way it is here at Connecticut. I think we’ve been spoiled as coaches here because of the players that we get and the environment that we get to do it in. When you look back you look at all the people that aren’t as fortunate to work in places like this or have the players that I have and they’re constantly worried about their jobs, constantly worried about their future. That’s all they think about. That’s all they talk about. (DePaul coach Doug) Bruno was on the phone the other day. `How many days did you give your kids off?’ I said, `We took Wednesday, Thursday and Friday off. What are you going to get ready to do? `I’m getting ready to practice.’ And I go, `Why?’ `Why do you think?’ And he hangs up. Because he’s fighting to get into the NCAA tournament. `You’re worried about when the parade is. And I’m fighting to get in the NCAA tournament.’ So sometimes we don’t live in the same world.’’

Rich