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I rewatched the 1995 championship game against Tennessee this afternoon. One thing that struck me is how Jen Rizzotti played in that game and what she set in motion. If UConn played with a fast pace back then, it was entirely because of her. No one has ever packed more energy and intensity into 5’5” than she did. She occasionally played out of control. But what she mainly did was keep Tennessee back on their heels, since any mistake they might make on offense, any missed pass, any long rebound could turn into a fast break in an instant.
Jen’s stat line for the game was 15 pts on 6-8 shooting, 3 rebounds, 3 steals, 3 assists and 4 turnovers and it shows the full picture. Others who followed in her footsteps may have had better numbers in one category or another, but she set the standard for the signature intensity Geno has expected from his guards ever since. And it has been a storied tradition with figures like Sue and Renee and Diana and MoJeff and Kia and Crystal and Nika to name just a few of the great ones.
When I look at the current team, I can’t help comparing KK and Ash to Jen. They bring a similar intensity to the game and we have all marveled at it. But maybe even more than them, Kayleigh seems like a closer approximation to what Jen brought to the game. She loves to push pace, to drive the lane, shoot the pop-up midrange jumper. She scraps for loose balls, and hurls herself into every scrum. She is fearless in everything she does. And she also plays out of control occasionally.
More than any other plays, the pair of length of the court drives Kayleigh used to break Tennessee’s back earlier this season was really reminiscent of what Jen did to another Tennessee team in the closing minutes of that first NC game. If she can continue to channel Jen’s intensity, the future looks bright for Kayleigh and her teammates.
Jen’s stat line for the game was 15 pts on 6-8 shooting, 3 rebounds, 3 steals, 3 assists and 4 turnovers and it shows the full picture. Others who followed in her footsteps may have had better numbers in one category or another, but she set the standard for the signature intensity Geno has expected from his guards ever since. And it has been a storied tradition with figures like Sue and Renee and Diana and MoJeff and Kia and Crystal and Nika to name just a few of the great ones.
When I look at the current team, I can’t help comparing KK and Ash to Jen. They bring a similar intensity to the game and we have all marveled at it. But maybe even more than them, Kayleigh seems like a closer approximation to what Jen brought to the game. She loves to push pace, to drive the lane, shoot the pop-up midrange jumper. She scraps for loose balls, and hurls herself into every scrum. She is fearless in everything she does. And she also plays out of control occasionally.
More than any other plays, the pair of length of the court drives Kayleigh used to break Tennessee’s back earlier this season was really reminiscent of what Jen did to another Tennessee team in the closing minutes of that first NC game. If she can continue to channel Jen’s intensity, the future looks bright for Kayleigh and her teammates.
