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The members of the media in attendance at Gampel Pavilion today were treated to a dunking contest between Maya Moore and Tina Charles following practice. And then we talked hair with Charde Houston. That’s right, hair. Picture this … a bunch of guys standing around Charde asking her about her new hairdo. If that sounds odd, it was. And it’s something I won’t be telling any of my closest friends either.
Fans will be in for a surprise tomorrow night when Charde takes the floor. In just one day her hair has returned to great length. Weaves can be a women’s best friend when it comes to stylin’ and profilin’.
“It comes from the fairies,’’ she said before she realized that she was actually being interviewed about her hair rather than her play on the court.
She then continued.
“I just wanted my hair braided. It’s at a point now where braids just makes it grow under my natural state. So the only way to have a different hairstyle is either braids or ‘fro. So it’s time to change it up.’’
Ketia Swanier installed the weave Monday. “She comes to me and she buys the weave and I put it in her hair,’’ Ketia said. “That’s why my nails are short. I had to cut them (Monday).’’
As for Charde’s right ankle, which she rolled in the second half at Notre Dame Sunday … It’s a non-issue. She had no trouble at practice today running up and down. She joked about that too.
“That invisible line will do it to you once in a while,’’ she said. “Actually, I was just backpedaling and somehow I just rolled my ankle. I’ve got those handy-dandy ankle braces (now) and I’m good to go.’’
In national awards news, Maya and Tina were each named to the 31-player mid-season list of Naismith Award candidates today.
Rich
It didn’t take long for Brittany Hunter to remind us how valuable she is to the Huskies Sunday night. On the very first possession of the game (10 seconds in to be exact), she had an offensive rebound that led to a 3-pointer by Maya Moore.
Brittany had missed the last three games due to further problems with her right knee. She hadn’t played since seeing a season-high 21 minutes at Louisville Jan. 19. But in five minutes in the first half Sunday at Notre Dame, she had four points, three rebounds (two offensive) and one steal.
Her final line was 11 points (5-of-8 FG) and four rebounds in 14 minutes. She is tough, territorial in the lane and thrives on making contact with anyone that comes near her.
“Fourteen minutes, 11 points in her first game,’’ coach Geno Auriemma said. “And I knew going in she was going to be really rusty because in shootaround she was just like hyperventilating. Like every time she touched it she wanted to shoot it. When you haven’t played in a while you want to hurry up. But I’ll tell you what, Brittany goes to the offensive boards better than anybody maybe since Swin Cash or Tamika Williams. Every time there’s a shot up and Brittany’s fresh … When she gets tired it’s different. But when she’s got her legs nobody goes to the offensive boards like Brittany.’’
Now that’s quite a compliment from the Hall of Famer. Cash is ranked sixth all-time in team history with 910 rebounds. Williams is 12th (763).
It’s getting dangerously close to where the Big East is going have to rename the Freshman of the Week award to the Maya Moore award. She was honored for the sixth time Monday, and for the fourth time in the last five weeks.
Maya is the eighth player in conference history (third Husky) to be honored six times. Tina Charles had six last season. Svetlana Abrosimova had six in 1997-98.
With five weeks left in the regular season, Maya stands one behind Rebecca Lobo’s record that was set in 1991-92.
By the way, the top-ranked and unbeaten Huskies are still waiting to toast their first Big East Player of the Week recipient this season.
Rich
When Idaho State senior Natalie Doma, Middle Tennessee senior Amber Holt and California junior Ashley Walker were added to the Wade Watch list Wednesday something seemed to be a bit off base. Not that any one in that trio is undeserving of being on the 29-player list, which also includes Huskies’ junior Renee Montgomery and sophomore Tina Charles.
Doma is the only player in the nation ranked in the top five in both scoring (24.7, 2nd) and rebounding (11.8, 3rd). Holt is the nation’s leading scorer (27.1). And Walker leads the eighth-ranked Golden Bears in scoring (16.3) and rebounding (9.4).
But what about Huskies freshman Maya Moore? How can there be 29 players in the country better than her? Frankly, there’s not. She leads the nation’s No. 1 team in scoring (16.8), is second in rebounding (7.0), blocks (1.7) and steals (1.8) and third in assists (3.7) and minutes (26.3).
Maya will likely be an All-American at season’s end. But she’s not among the players eligible to win one of the most prestigious individual awards in the country. That’s just it. She’s not eligible – period. This is what I learned when I went to the WBCA for some clarity on the situation.
“The reason why she is not on the list is because in the original operating code for the award it was written that freshmen are not eligible,’’ WBCA manager of awards and communications coordinator Jessica Pare said in an e-mail. “If you look at the criteria of the award technically the winner is judged in several categories (not just stats) that includes effect on the team, leadership, character, etc. I know people have an argument with her, but unfortunately code is code.’’
And the Wade Trophy just lost some credibility because of this code.
Here’s some more ridiculousness from the WBCA. It’s the 2008 Division I Superlatives. It says in the release that nominations for the superlatives were submitted through an online survey form. The top vote-getters for each superlative were then voted on through a balloting process.
So, really, there’s no telling who actually voted. Here’s a hint: Many of them were wearing orange and singing the words to “Rocky Top.’’
Most Inspirational – Kay Yow (NC State)
Most Likely to get a Technical Foul – Geno Auriemma (UConn)
Best Pep Band –Tennessee
Rising Star – Coquese Washington (Penn State)
Best Coaching Combo – Pat Summitt/Holly Warlick (Tennessee)
Most Fun to Watch (Coach or School) – Sherri Coale (Oklahoma)
Best Community Support – Tennessee
Best Tradition – Tennessee
Best Host School – Tennessee
Most Competitive Coach – Pat Summitt
Rich
Senior Brittany Hunter practiced for about 15 minutes Thursday and for another 15 to 20 minutes today. In light of missing the last three games due to further problems with her surgically repaired right knee, she said she believes that she will be able to return to the lineup Sunday at No. 16 Notre Dame.
“I think I’ll play Sunday,’’ Hunter said. “Right now I’m just working on getting in shape, which is rough. I think everything will fall into place once I feel more relaxed and get more into the thick of things. I don’t really know what I’m expecting out of myself on Sunday, but hopefully the next two days (of practice) will prepare me for that.’’
Hunter has not played since seeing a season-high 21 minutes at Louisville Jan. 19. She likened this most recent stretch to having a cavity and every time you chew you feel the same pain in the same spot. Her knee has bothered her walking or even shifting in a chair.
This is the longest stint she has been sidelined since missing four games last February 6 through Feb 17.
“It was hurting before Louisville,’’ Hunter said. “And we were under the assumption it was going to be a pain tolerance thing, but the doctor’s like, `No. It’s something you should let heal all the way.’ So that’s what we did regardless of how I felt about it. I’m feeling a lot better.’’
Senior Charde Houston, who scored all of her 15 points during top-ranked UConn’s second-half surge against No. 3 North Carolina Monday, said she will be playing with a soft cast on her left thumb Sunday.
Houston was injured going for a steal in practice. She was wearing a hard splint following practice today and she said it bothers her when she puts pressure on it and when she catches the ball. However, she was adamant that the ailment would not limit her against the Irish.
“You have players that are willing to use certain injuries as excuses, but for me I’m willing to adjust,’’ Houston said. “I know what I can do. I know what’s uncomfortable, but at the same time once you step on the court it doesn’t matter.’’
The Huskies have lost starters Kalana Greene, who was walking without the use of crutches Friday, and Mel Thomas for the season due to knee injuries. With Hunter missing time and Houston banged up, it’s given coach Geno Auriemma an uneasy feeling that the rash of injuries might catch up with the Huskies at some point.
“We’re Butch and Sundance,’’ Auriemma said. “We just keep looking behind us. You know they’re gaining on you. You just don’t know exactly where they are at this moment, but you wonder how long can you stay one step ahead of the posse given all that’s gone on.’’
Rich
Had the stakes been higher for the Huskies Monday night Brittany Hunter likely would have played against No. 3 North Carolina. But with 12 regular season games remaining and as many as three in the Big East tournament and six in the NCAA tournament, the team continues to remain steadfast that Hunter will not play if it could do more harm than it’s worth.
Hunter, who has been dogged by right knee problems throughout her career at UConn, has missed the past three games and her status for Sunday’s game at No. 16 Notre Dame is again uncertain. This is the longest stretch she has missed since sitting out four games last February.
“I don’t think there’s any change,’’ Auriemma said. “I don’t think it’s significantly different than it’s been. If that was the national championship game Brittany probably would’ve played. But then there’s a chance that she probably would have not been able to play for the next two or three weeks. But since we have a lot of games left you always want to be more cautious then just jump right in there. So, obviously, Brittany was disappointed. But she felt she wasn’t going to be able to play without it hurting and without it bothering her more than usual based on how she felt that day. That’s kind of where we’ve been. As I’ve said before with Brittany we cab get extremely lucky and have her go two weeks and play every game or we could go two weeks and her not play at all. So that’s kind of what we’re living with and there’s not much we can do about that.’’
The ever-changing doubleheader involving Ursuline Academy (and UConn-bound guard Elena Delle Donne)/Manchester High and Stonington High (and UConn-bound center Heather Buck)/Windham High has hit another snag. And this time it’s dooming. The doubleheader, which was originally scheduled to be played at Gampel Pavilion Feb. 10 before being moved to Eastern Connecticut Feb. 9, has been cancelled.
Delle Donne and the Raiders will now meet Manchester at the University of Hartford Feb. 9 (tentatively slated for 7:30 p.m.), while Stonington will host Windham that same night at 7.
The CIAC prohibited the regular season games be played at Gampel Pavilion because they fell on a Sunday. According to published reports, Eastern Connecticut deemed it to be an NCAA violation to host the event.
A source said Thursday that it is not a NCAA violation because colleges have been hosting high school tournament games for years now. It was also said that the organizers of the doubleheader have been attempting to land a facility for free. Now if UConn, Eastern Connecticut or Hartford had allowed the games to be held free of charge that would be a violation.
At this point, the organizers will be renting the Chase Family Arena at Hartford. And Stonington will have a home game against conference rival Windham.
Rich
Brittany Hunter will miss her third straight game tonight against North Carolina. A team spokesman said that her knee “did not respond the way they hoped it would.”
Maybe the season-high 21 minutes Brittany played at Lousivile Jan. 12 did more harm than was originally thought.
Tonight’s game is a sellout. It’s the first since Jan. 27, 2007 vs. Notre Dame.
Rich
It was unlike anything UConn senior Mel Thomas had felt during her career. She had dived on the floor countless times. She had dived into chairs and into masses of humanity. Each time she rose to her feet, dusted herself off and charged to the other end of the floor to get involved in the play.
But once Thomas felt her right foot go into one direction and her right knee go in another in an attempt to pass to a teammate with just over two minutes remaining in UConn’s victory at Syracuse Jan. 15, she knew something was wrong. She said that when you think of pain in your knee the news is rarely positive.
The result wasn’t good. Thomas suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament and a torn lateral meniscus. As badly as she wanted to end her career on the court at the Final Four in Tampa in April celebrating a national championship, her career abruptly ended on a cold night in upstate New York.
“I think right after it happened I was kind of joking around with all my teammates on the bus,’’ Thomas said Monday. “But once I got home and I was just laying in my bed by myself then I just kind of lost it because I just really thought like `wow, it’s really over.’ It was kind of like shock. If would’ve told me I would have never thought in a million years I would year my ACL.’’
Thomas, who met with the media while lying on a table in the training room at Gampel Pavilion, was honored prior to the showdown between the top-ranked Huskies and No. 3 North Carolina. She was presented with a commemorative ball in honor of reaching 1,000 career points. The first sellout crowd of the season showed their appreciation by showering Thomas with a deafening ovation.
Thomas underwent surgery last Friday at the UConn Medical Center in Farmington. Although the UConn medical staff has not yet told her definitively how long she will have to rehabilitate her knee, Thomas believes she’s facing six to seven months of rehabilitation.
She said that the rehabilitation is “terrible.’’ It’s twice a day and she also has to ice her knee every hour once she leaves.
“It’s been really disappointing, really frustrating,’’ Thomas said. “Especially because since I got here we kind of struggled to get on top and we were finally in that position. We were No. 1 as a senior and then to not be able to play the rest of the year is just pretty devastating. But the good thing is my team’s still playing. And if we get that (championship) ring I still get it.’’
Thomas became the second starter UConn has lost to a season-ending knee injury this season. Junior swingman Kalana Greene went down Dec. 17 against South Carolina.
“Right when I did it that night in Syracuse I was on the bus and I was like, `Kalana, you have a friend now,’’’ Thomas said. “She was like, `I didn’t want a friend.’ I said, `Well, you’ve got one now.’’’
Thomas led the Huskies in scoring with 15 points in 38 minutes that night in Syracuse and was averaging 10.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists and a team-high 28.6 minutes this season. She was the team’s third-leading scorer and its top 3-point shooter (35-of-89, .393).
She finished her career ranked 27th all-time in team history in scoring (1,098 pts.), fourth in made 3-pointers (224) and free throw shooting percentage (.816) and fifth in 3-point shooting percentage (.404) in 116 games (91 starts).
She was honored as the Big East Most Improved Player as a sophomore in 2005-06.
Thomas said she hopes to play again next fall or winter overseas.
“It’s kind of hard to just think about (my career),’’ Thomas said. “I know my career’s over, but I’m still living vicariously through all my teammates. I’m still part of this team and whatever they do I’m still part of.’’
Rich
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