A History Lesson

[RockyMTblue2]

In depth look at the historic Lady Techsters. Very informative and entertaining.

How Tech's '82 title team revolutionized women's basketball

 

[Sonny44]

They certainly had better unis.

 

[JordyG]

I'm glad he supports the legacy of his team, and the importance of this team is undeniable. But to say his team could beat UConn 3 of 5 is drinking special Kool Aid. The reality is this current UConn team, under today's rules, would run them off the floor by 50, every game.

 

[alexrgct]

La Tech's 54-game winning streak was compiled by virtue of going 34-0 in 1980-81 and 20-0 to start 1981-82. The Lady Techsters would go on to win the inaugural 1982 NCAA tourney, but the streak was set st 54. It remained the longest streak until UConn snapped it in 2003. UConn has also exceeded it in 2010 and 2016. In other words, La Tech is the only program not named UConn with a top-five longest winning streak in wcbb. They still get all the credit for setting the bar.

 

[alexrgct]

I'm glad he supports the legacy of his team, and the importance of this team is undeniable. But to say his team could beat UConn 3 of 5 is drinking special Kool Aid. The reality is this current UConn team, under today's rules, would run them off the floor by 50, every game.

And the trio of Stewie, Mo, and Tuck, would destroy La Tech. They're not even Cheryl Miller and USC from a season later, with all due respect to the program of the 1980s.

 

[Bigpetunia]

Before Geno became Geno, before Pat became Pat and Muffett became Muffett, the Techster teams of those days literally put WCBB on the map...they were that good. The entire exercise of trying to compare teams of different eras is fruitless, inherently flawed and ultimately silly. What that once mighty program accomplished stands on its own merit, undiminished, as does the current UConn glory train. Who would beat whom? Well, I can understand Barmore's pride, but that is a question best avoided altogether...just as is similar speculation about topics like, for example, 1995 Huskies vs. 2016 Huskies. The biggest takeaway from the Techster era is a bitter lesson, one that we may now be seeing play out in Knoxville...the slide from dominance into potential obscurity can be a pretty slippery slope! Anyone who imagines that it can't happen here is delusional. Let's enjoy the current magic carpet ride while we can.

 

[RegisteredUconn]

Wonderful article. So many similarities to our current situation you could leave out the team name (and some of the specifics that would give it away) and people would assume the story was about us. Try these quotes:

• The **** were that good, and it was evident to everyone.
  
• “I remember **** saying **** should be ranked one and two (in the national polls) and then the rest of it start from there,”
  
• **** was ranked No. 1 every single week of the season.
• won games by an average of 33 points. Fifteen of the wins came against Top 25 teams with seven over Top 10 teams...
• “It was a complete package,” said **** [of the head coach and associate head coach], a Kodak All-America during the **** season. “One without the other would be very difficult for us to be as successful as we were.”
  
• Wade Trophy winner
  
• “There we sat in little ol' ****, **
  
• **** didn’t shy away from the top competition.
  
• Coming off an undefeated record and a national championship, expectations were through the roof in ****
• Practices were the blueprint for success.
  
• “We always said our practices were tougher than the games,” **** said.
  
• The loss served as a wake-up call.

Leon Barmore said it: They were UConn before we were UConn.

 

[drweo]

But wasnt all that dominance bad for WCBB??

 

[alexrgct]

But wasnt all that dominance bad for WCBB??

I dunno-askDan Shaunessy. Or Kim Mulkey.

 

[BroadwayVa]

In depth look at the historic Lady Techsters. Very informative and entertaining.

How Tech's '82 title team revolutionized women's basketball

La-Tech as they were known were good. The 82 team--according to Barrmore could beat Uconn 3 out of 5. Maybe the 82 Uconn team--this years team?? Last years team??????? Home town comment--and that's good --talk up your achievements. When Uconn played La Tech--it was rarely an easy game--it's a shame the program stopped be a top 10 team--it only proves even the greatest must fall, sometime.
Right Rocky--Entertaining!! Nice to read about the greats of WBB.

 

[BroadwayVa]

But wasnt all that dominance bad for WCBB??

You can't deny a huge 54 game streak!! Sounds tiny today--super large then. But it was bad--even Pat said they should be ranked 1 and 2---if so wouldn't Stew and company be 1 thru 10???? Maybe 30.

 

[Plebe]

This part sure sounds eerily familiar:

The Techsters ran through their schedule, even against elite competition. They won 35 games by an average of 33 points. Fifteen of the wins came against Top 25 teams with seven over Top 10 teams, and they broke the 100-point barrier in 11 of the 35 wins.

 

[JordyG]

And the trio of Stewie, Mo, and Tuck, would destroy La Tech. They're not even Cheryl Miller and USC from a season later, with all due respect to the program of the 1980s.

Man, I didn't even want to mention them. Glad you did.