UConn women's basketball

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

Players and coaches rarely care about where they are sent to compete during the NCAA tournament. Most of the time just receiving one of the 64 bids is enough satisfaction.
But there was a part of UConn senior Kalana Greene tonight that was hoping the top-ranked Huskies would be sent to Norfolk Va., for the first two rounds. The site is roughly six hours from her home in Saint Stephen, S.C.
Greene got her wish. The road to a historical second straight undefeated national championship will begin Sunday when the top-ranked Huskies, who are the top overall seed in the tournament, meet 16th-seeded Southern in the first round at the Ted Constant Convocation Center (12:16 p.m.; ESPN2).
“I’m happy we’re going to Norfolk,’’ Greene said. “My family can drive up instead of buying an expensive plane ticket. I think it’s going to be fun. This is the best time of the year to play basketball. This is the time of the year that matters the most and this is the time where the good players become great and the great players become legends.’’
The announcement of the tournament field came on the 21-year anniversary of UConn’s first NCAA tournament game – a 72-63 first-round loss to LaSalle at Gampel Pavilion in 1989.
The Huskies (33-0) would meet the winner of the matchup between eighth-seeded Temple, who is coached by former Huskies’ assistant coach Tonya Cardoza, and ninth-seeded James Madison in the second round March 23 at 7 p.m. The winner of that game will advance to the regionals in Dayton, Ohio March 28 and 30.
Second-ranked Stanford (Sacramento), No. 3 Tennessee (Memphis) and No. 4 Nebraska (Kansas City) also received a No. 1 seed. It is the first time UConn and Tennessee received a No. 1 seed on the same side of the bracket since 1999.
The Huskies and Lady Vols are on track to meet in the national semifinals April 4 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. The teams have not met since Tennessee coach Pat Summit ended the series following the 2006-07 season.
“It’ll be a disservice to all the players if that game ever happens in that format,’’ UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “The other two teams that are in that are going to be disrespected. The players are going to be disrespected. It’s just going to be a … What can I tell you?’’
San Antonio was also the final stop during the Huskies’ national championship run in 2002 when they completed their first 39-0 season.
The Huskies are joined in the Dayton regional by No. 8 and second-seeded Ohio State, No. 11 and third-seeded Florida State and No. 16 and fourth-seeded Iowa State.
The Huskies are making their 22nd straight NCAA tournament appearance. It the third longest active streak behind Tennessee (29) and Stanford (23) and tied with Virginia for the fourth longest overall.
This is will be only the second time that the Huskies have to travel out of state for the first two rounds of the tournament (State College, Pa., 2006). It will mark the first time they will not play a game in-state in the tournament.
The regionals were held at the Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport in 2006.
“I’m actually happy,’’ Auriemma said. “We’re in a tournament atmosphere. Sometimes when you’re home you’re still going to class. You’re still doing the same things. So this is a real tournament feeling. I love the fact that we’re not home. Now, it’s bad for our fans that we’re not home.’’

Rich

The road to a historical second straight undefeated national championship begins Sunday in Norfolk, Va. for the UConn women’s basketball team. The top-ranked Huskies, who are the top overall seed in the 64-team field for the NCAA tournament, will meet 16th-seeded Southern in the first round at the Ted Constant Convocation Center at 12:16 p.m.
UConn would meet the winner of the matchup between eighth-seeded Temple and ninth-seeded James Madison in the second round March 23. The winner of that game will advance to the regionals in Dayton, Ohio March 28 and 30.
The Final Four, which could feature a meeting against Tennessee in the national semifinals, is scheduled for April 4 and 6 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. This was also the final stop during the Huskies’ national championship run in 2002 when they competed their first 39-0 season.
The Huskies are joined in the regional by No. 8 and second-seeded Ohio State, No. 11 and third-seeded Florida State and No. 16 and fourth-seeded Iowa State.
This is the fifth time UConn (33-0) will enter the tournament unbeaten. Three of the previous four seasons it has done so it won the national championship (1995, 2002, 2009). The only season the Huskies did not was when current assistant coach Shea Ralph tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her knee in the first round against Lehigh in 1997 and they ultimately lost to Tennessee in the Midwest regional final.
The Huskies are making their 22nd straight NCAA tournament appearance. It the third longest active streak behind Tennessee (29) and Stanford (23) and tied for the fourth longest overall with Virginia.
UConn’s total number of tournament appearances is tied for ninth all-time. However, the 71 wins by coach Geno Auriemma trails only Pat Summitt of Tennessee (104).
This is will be only the second time that the Huskies will have to travel out of state for the first two rounds on the tournament (State College, Pa., 2006). It will mark the first time they will not play a game in-state in the tournament.
The regionals were held at the Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport in 2006.
A team is prohibited by the NCAA from hosting in two straight years. The first two rounds were played at Gampel Pavilion last season.

Rich

So much for a battle of unbeatens at the Final Four in San Antonio next month. So much for two unbeaten teams entering the NCAA tournament – period. Again, the Huskies stand alone.
Third-ranked Nebraska had won its first 30 games this season. But the Huskers provided further proof today just how difficult it is to run the table over the course of an entire season when they were defeated 80-70 by No. 11 Texas A&M in the semifinals of the Big 12 tournament.
Nebraska, who trailed 39-28 at halftime, shot 37.3 percent from the field and missed 13 free throws. Star senior Kelsey Griffin also had three fouls in the first half. The Aggies shot 53.1 percent and finished with a double-digit rebounding advantage.
It will be interesting to see how the Selection Committee will view the Huskers now as far as seeding. They still are likely to get a No. 1 seed, but will it be the third or the fourth?

Rich

UConn-bound recruit Bria Hartley, a 5-foot-10 point guard from North Babylon, N.Y., has been named the Gatorade New York Player of the Year for the second straight year. She is now eligible for the Gatorade National Player of the Year, and she will be participating in the McDonald’s All-American Game in Columbus, Ohio March 31 and in the WBCA All-American Game in San Antonio April 3.
Current 2011 UConn recruits Betnijah Laney (Delaware), Kiah Stokes (Iowa) and Elizabeth Williams (Virginia Beach) were also honored in their respective states.

Huskies’ coach Geno Auriemma will appear on ESPN’s Pardon the Interruption Friday at 5:30 p.m. on ESPN.

Rich