Geno Auriemma had been telling Tina Charles since she arrived in 2006 that she could be one of the top players in the country. Last season she finally realized her true potential as a junior when she was named a State Farm All-American and the Final Four Most Outstanding Player after tallying 25 points and a team NCAA tournament record 19 rebounds against Louisville in the national championship game.
The season solidified Charles, who averaged 18.3 points and 11.5 rebounds and had four double-doubles in the NCAA tournament, as the top center of the decade. This season she will look to solidify herself as one of the top players in team history. Charles begins her senior season No. 10 all-time in team history in scoring (1,638 pts.) and No. 3 in rebounding (995). She will join Rebecca Lobo and Jamelle Elliott as the only players in team history with 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds and she’s expected to join Lobo as the only Huskies to total 1,500 points and 1,000 rebounds in their career.
Here is the best of the rest …
Asjha Jones was underrated during her first three seasons with the Huskies. That abruptly changed when she finished her career in grand style by averaging a career-high 14.0 points and 6.6 rebounds in 24.6 minutes during the magical season of 2001-02. She was named a third team All-American by the Associated Press for her efforts. And earlier this month Jones joined Charles and the rest of the U.S. National Team for a tournament in Russia.
Jessica Moore benefited greatly after becoming the first non-medical red-shirt in Auriemma’s tenure in 2000-01. She started 73 straight games during her sophomore and junior seasons and was a part of three straight national championship teams in her career.
Moore averaged a career-high 10.6 points in 2002-03 and 7.1 rebounds in 2003-04. And she showed her grit by playing the final 6:33 of the 2004 national championship game against Tennessee with a torn ACL in her right knee.
And the team of the decade is …. an easy decision.
Point guard Sue Bird; shooting guard Diana Taurasi; small forward Swin Cash; power forward Maya Moore; and center Tina Charles. Now that’s a formidable team if you ask me.
Caroline Doty emerged from the locker room last night following First Night festivities and asked a reporter if she had fooled him by coming out with crutches during her introduction. To recap: Doty stepped through the curtain, started to walk with crutches before throwing them aside and striking a pose just as John Travolta did on the dance floor in Saturday Night Fever.
It was a great effort by Caroline. But after listening to her speak so confidently about the condition of her surgically repaired left knee during Media Day Thursday we weren’t fooled.
The crowd last night was outstanding. Only some seats in the outer reaches of Gampel Pavilion were empty. Lastly, Moore’s final dunk of the night off a toss from Kaili McLaren was impressive.
There is a strong likelihood that Moore could dunk in a game this season too. “Coach doesn’t have a problem with it,’’ she said. “I’ve just got to find a time to do it.’’
Rich
