Geno Auriemma called the Huskies together at practice last week to give them a quick glimpse at the big picture. They have not been challenged in their first nine games, winning by 45.9 points. This run includes beating then-No. 10 Texas by 25 in San Antonio Nov. 17.
Auriemma wanted to inform the players that the schedule was about to pick up. And pick up in earnest. Starting with tomorrow’s nationally televised game against No. 2 Stanford at the XL Center, UConn will play 13 of its final 21 games against teams either ranked in the Top 25 or among those receiving votes. In hearing this news, Meghan Gardler promptly rolled her eyes and said `It’s about time.’
“Even they understand,’’ Auriemma said. “It’s like, `Come on.’ It’s like you’re a boxer and you knock somebody out in the first round. It’s like `Come on, somebody hit me back would ya?’ Now you might not respond well, but you need that. You need that.
“I’m anxious. But there are things I see at practice everyday… When everybody says `they got 40 first-place votes.’ They don’t get my vote. Come to practice every day and give me a vote. I’m not necessarily voting for them every day. Some days I’m voting for them.’’
The Huskies did not come to UConn to repeatedly play teams with inferior talent. They came to play the best and to prove that they are the best in the nation. Stanford, who has six starters returning from the team that lost to UConn in the national semifinals last April in St. Louis, will significantly test the Huskies.
Led by All-American Jayne Appel, Nnemkadi Ogwumike and Kayla Pedersen up front, the Cardinal is a confident, experienced group.
“There’s that mindset that `They can’t beat us,’’’ Auriemma said. “Sure they can. And if they don’t think they can they shouldn’t show up. But I’m sure they think they can. In some ways, they’ve got everybody back and they added their point guard (JJ Hones). So they’re probably sitting there thinking, `You know what, we weren’t at full strength last year in the Final Four, and now we are. And we’re going to go out there and we’re going to kick their butts.’ If you’re (coach) Tara VanDerveer, why would you want them going out there thinking anything differently? So I fully expect for them to hit us with their best punch. And we should. It’s good.’’
Kalana Greene also believes that Stanford will come in with a ship on its shoulder, seeking redemption for last season’s defeat. But she said the Huskies will also have something to prove.
The knock on UConn is that it is not the same dominant team as it was last season with All-American Renee Montgomery in the lead. Montgomery burned Stanford with 26 points, six assists and four steals in 35 minutes last season. The Huskies will be looking to make a statement too.
“They’re going to come in here (angry),’’ Greene said. “Two years ago when we beat them in the Virgin Islands they came to the Final Four (angry … and won). And now it’s the same thing. We beat them in the Final Four last year so now they’re going to come in here with a chip on their shoulder. And I think we have an even bigger chip on our shoulder saying last year we did it with Renee. Now this year we’re trying to do it without her.’’
All-American Maya Moore finished sixth in the voting for The Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year.
Here’s the breakdown:
Serena Williams (66 votes)
Zenyatta (18)
Kim Clijsters (16)
Lindsey Vonn (15)
Diana Taurasi (14)
Maya Moore (13)
Rachel Alexandra (10)
Bridget Sloan (3)
Jiyai Shin (2)
Erin Hamlin (1)
The Huskies have been recognized by SI.com in its All-Decade package. They were ranked No. 3 in “Teams of the Decade.’’ Diana Taurasi checked in at No. 9 on the list of “Female Athletes of the Decade.“ And Auriemma was No. 7 on the list of “Coaches of the Decade.“
Rich
