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
