UConn will play the Georgetown/Syracuse/Seton Hall-winner in the Big East tournament quarterfinals Sunday at the XL Center at 2 p.m.
Here are the seedings for the tournament, which will be held in Hartford Friday through March 8 …
1. UConn
2. DePaul
3. Notre Dame
4. Rutgers
5. Marquette
6. Louisville
7. St. John’s
8. Georgetown
9. Syracuse
10. West Virginia
11. Providence
12. Pittsburgh
13. South Florida
14. Villanova
15. Cincinnati
16. Seton Hall
Rich
There is just one possible candidate for Big East Coach of the Year other than Coach Geno, and that- I can’t believe I’m saying this- is C. Vivian Stringer. It’s incredible that her Rutgers team has actually finished fourth in the Big East and drawn a double-bye into the quarter-finals.
Don’t know how Rutgers did it. They could create a lot of trouble down the road, and with a top 25 RPI, they could a lot of trouble. Ominously, Rutgers could take on Connecticut again in the Big East.
Congratulations to UConn on an undefeated Big East regular season! But never forget, this season’s young team only added 12 straight wins to the 39 straight double digit wins from Renee, Tina, Kalana, and Maya, and to the 38 straight double digit wins and 1 single digit win from Tina, Kalana, and Maya.
Make no mistake about it, this season’s team pales in comparison to the last 2. It has been a remarkably successful year for the entire UConn coaching and training staff. Geno Auriemma obviously deserves the NCAA coach of the year award.
I hope Maya can put this team on her back and lead UConn to a 3rd straight NCAA championship. Maya has won 2 NCAA championships with the help of All-American Renee and Player of the Year Tina. Diana Taurasi carried 2 UConn teams on her back to NCAA titles with no such help. Maya needs to carry only 1.
Congratulations to UConn. Three starters from last year’s team gone, a promising freshman leaving for UK, and they enter the Big East tournament with only one loss and set an NCAA winning streak that should hold up for a very long time. I’m so glad that I’ve lived long enough to see the remarkable Miss Maya play for 4 years. Just as remarkable as her amazing basketball skills are her academic accomplishments. Add to that a genuine modesty and values instilled by a loving family, she is exceptional in every sense of the word.