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Well, maybe not quite so recent…
Anyway, here's a little filler while we're waiting for the dance to begin.
There have been many important moments in UConn history, but in more recent times I think the most important moment was the span from the last TV timeout to the half in the 2013 semifinal game against Notre Dame. This game, and in particular this stretch of this game, was important for two reasons; it was the game where Connecticut reasserted its dominance of women’s college basketball and thus restored the natural order of the universe, and it was also where Breanna Stewart established herself as the best player in the sport. This would be, as Dave O’Brien would say later in the game, Breanna’s coming out party on the national stage.
Remember, we had been told over and over by sports talking heads that Notre Dame had Connecticut’s number, they had won the last three and I think seven of the last eight, that with Baylor knocked out (in more ways than one) by Louisville, Notre Dame was the presumptive favorite to win their second National Championship.
On this night, Connecticut would correct all these misconceptions.
Doris Burke [*] correctly pointed out in the open, “The win column has tilted heavily in the favor of the Notre Dame Irish, but the reality is there has not been much separation in game.” She could not have been more on point – in the three previous games, Connecticut had lost on a missed three by the greatest three point shooter in history, had lost in triple overtime, and then lost the last Big East Championship on a stolen inbound pass. These games rightfully went into the records as Notre Dame wins, but any objective fan knew that only by the best of luck was Notre Dame 3-0 over Connecticut going in to the tournament.
So, coming out of the final TV timeout with Notre Dame leading by one, Doris [*] sets up the next four minutes. The first thing she says is, “This is an important stretch…the best teams close halves on good momentum.”
Nothing could have been truer. Connecticut would go into this stretch down one and come out up ten; the game was theirs. Notre Dame would close to within single digits for several stretches, but from this point on Notre Dame would always be chasing Connecticut – for the rest of this game, and for every game since. As would every other team in women’s college basketball.
I won’t get into breaking down this run play-by-play – this is already too long. But there are some things to watch:
As it was, this wasn’t even the most devastating UConn Run® in this tournament – that would be two days later. But this was the most important, so sit back, relax and marvel at this run. Or better yet, go back and watch the entire game. Enjoy!
[*] – Mandatory pause required so our friends from the Hudson River Valley can go off about Doris Burke. Because they will…
Anyway, here's a little filler while we're waiting for the dance to begin.
There have been many important moments in UConn history, but in more recent times I think the most important moment was the span from the last TV timeout to the half in the 2013 semifinal game against Notre Dame. This game, and in particular this stretch of this game, was important for two reasons; it was the game where Connecticut reasserted its dominance of women’s college basketball and thus restored the natural order of the universe, and it was also where Breanna Stewart established herself as the best player in the sport. This would be, as Dave O’Brien would say later in the game, Breanna’s coming out party on the national stage.
Remember, we had been told over and over by sports talking heads that Notre Dame had Connecticut’s number, they had won the last three and I think seven of the last eight, that with Baylor knocked out (in more ways than one) by Louisville, Notre Dame was the presumptive favorite to win their second National Championship.
On this night, Connecticut would correct all these misconceptions.
Doris Burke [*] correctly pointed out in the open, “The win column has tilted heavily in the favor of the Notre Dame Irish, but the reality is there has not been much separation in game.” She could not have been more on point – in the three previous games, Connecticut had lost on a missed three by the greatest three point shooter in history, had lost in triple overtime, and then lost the last Big East Championship on a stolen inbound pass. These games rightfully went into the records as Notre Dame wins, but any objective fan knew that only by the best of luck was Notre Dame 3-0 over Connecticut going in to the tournament.
So, coming out of the final TV timeout with Notre Dame leading by one, Doris [*] sets up the next four minutes. The first thing she says is, “This is an important stretch…the best teams close halves on good momentum.”
Nothing could have been truer. Connecticut would go into this stretch down one and come out up ten; the game was theirs. Notre Dame would close to within single digits for several stretches, but from this point on Notre Dame would always be chasing Connecticut – for the rest of this game, and for every game since. As would every other team in women’s college basketball.
I won’t get into breaking down this run play-by-play – this is already too long. But there are some things to watch:
- Classic Connecticut basketball – look how rarely the ball hits the floor (something our newest point guard still needs to work on). Every player on the floor scores except Kaleena, who was in for only the last twenty seconds or so.
- Doris [*] points out, “…they’re keeping themselves in this game, Notre Dame, by the free throw line.” Wasn’t that what all of us had been saying about Notre Dame and their flops all season?
- Kelly Faris. A couple of weeks ago someone posted that Kelly was a mediocre defender and couldn’t blow up plays. Watch the best defender in Connecticut history blow up Notre Dame on consecutive plays, stealing from McBride for a layup and then blocking Diggins. Boom. Boom.
- Kelly driving off a Dolson screen, splitting the zone and freezing two defenders, then feeding Briana for an uncontested three. Perfect recognition, perfect team play by all three.
- Breanna smiling. After all her uncertainties through the latter part of the season, she had started to reassert herself as the best player in the game. In this span, her confidence restored, she was able to relax and play freely. The rest is history.
- Muffet calling two timeouts in the span of less than a minute. Strangely, both were after Bria Hartley baskets.
As it was, this wasn’t even the most devastating UConn Run® in this tournament – that would be two days later. But this was the most important, so sit back, relax and marvel at this run. Or better yet, go back and watch the entire game. Enjoy!
[*] – Mandatory pause required so our friends from the Hudson River Valley can go off about Doris Burke. Because they will…
