bballnut90- - - - The title game matchup would have been a good one with Purdue. Purdue was VERY very good that year. Douglas was sensational as the senior leader, Camille Cooper was a great post player, Kelly Komara was a seasoned point guard and Notre Dame had 2 outstanding freshmen in Shereka Wright and Shalicia Hurns. Hurns was an absolute beast inside, and Wright was so quick and could score on you in a hurry. They were also without their starting point guard Erika Valek who was very good, she tore her ACL in the regional. Purdue was an underrated 3 seed, they led Notre Dame the entire way until the last few minutes when Riley and Co. took over. Realistically, I think UCONN would have won, but that Purdue team had a lot of fight and as a team they could compete with anyone.
bballnut90- - - -Yes you're right about Purdue but I think Geno and The Muffett believed the winner of the UCONN/ND semi would beat either Purdue or SMS from the other semi! They were the powers the whole year and ND had beaten UCONN during the season, so his girls would have been sky high after "beating ND!" (UCONN of course beat ND in BE Finals on Bird's basket at the buzzer!) And without his 1/2 time tirade they were winning by 15 points, they most likely would have coasted to a 15 to 20 point victory over such a tough rival would have been the push needed! If they weren't shell shocked, DT wouldn't have had to go crazy shooting those 3's she never made!
Shoulda, coulda, woulda, never happened but to Geno and Sue Bird at least, this was the one that got away! And IF they did win in 2001 that would have given UCONN 5 straight, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, & 2004! DT would have had the 4 Stewie & MoJeff seek in 2016!
AAAAAHHHHHH! Isn't it wonderful to dream?