We spoke of this before. I think Mulkey's decision to finally stop playing powderpuffs AND playing almost everything in Waco is the best move she's ever made. IF UConn makes it to the FF, Baylor will be waiting, I'm sure.
I don't think Baylor came in overconfident. They came in appropriately confident, and that's the first step in beating an Auriemma led squad. Most teams walk in thinking doomed from the start. That was, again, to Mulkey's credit. As I've said to you before, I've been critical of Mulkey's on court behavior and sometimes questionable on court decisions. I think they've cost her teams points and games. I've said to you she's a world class recruiter and a very good, not great coach. But my respect for Mulkey as a person and basketball mind has grown beyond old proportions. I've said she's the type of person I wouldn't mind being in a foxhole with. I still believe that. I also have respect for Karen Aston, another fine person.
Yet when you and I watch these UConn players, both of us have to agree we've never quite seen a team so willing to walk the razor's edge with a shrug. Looking at Lou, did Geno know this young lady had it in her, or was he just willing to annex that talent and roll the dice? Clearly he knew Gabby and Collier were competitors and would scrap to the end. But Lou? I don't think even her parents thought she had this Minotaur within her lying within that California maze. But it's there. For Baylor to beat this steadily improving and young UConn team it will take a team effort of Baylor ladies willing to sell out just as much. That's going to be a hard job for Mulkey with such a deep, young, talented team that has faced only one real challenge, not the multitude that UConn has faced. I know you think she can do it. I think she'd better do it now or next year all is lost.