Sue on the infamous Notre Dame game

[ndmb]

http://www.theplayerstribune.com/sue-bird-uconn-ncaa-tournament/

 

[MilfordHusky]

Nice piece by Sue.

It was VERY painful to watch in person. It must have been agonizing to the team. While ND was very good, we helped them. As Sue notes, we panicked. We got away from the game plan and were out of character. Sue and Dee took too many threes.

But, as Sue says, it fueled the drive to 39-0 the following year. The players were pi$$ed, and that anger sustained them for the next 12 months.

I love the video of Sue's buzzer beater in the BE final. She gets a screen, receives the inbound pass from Dee, and shows some real speed. And her pull-up jumper with a soft touch falls over the front rim into the hoop. And everyone goes wild!

 

[NoelAustin]

Sue did not mention (or remember) that Ruth Riley sat out the last several minutes of the first half with two fouls. That was at least part of the reason that UConn had a 12-point halftime lead. Also, the second half opened with Sue making a three, which (one would think) negated any momentum from Alicia Ratay's three at the end of the first half. I remember thinking at that moment that UConn had wrapped up the W. I believe ND just put all the right pieces together in 2001 and had the best team.

 

[UConnNick]

Sue did not mention (or remember) that Ruth Riley sat out the last several minutes of the first half with two fouls. That was at least part of the reason that UConn had a 12-point halftime lead. Also, the second half opened with Sue making a three, which (one would think) negated any momentum from Alicia Ratay's three at the end of the first half. I remember thinking at that moment that UConn had wrapped up the W. I believe ND just put all the right pieces together in 2001 and had the best team.

They only had the best team because the best team had lost Shea Ralph and Svetlana Abrosimova to season-ending injuries. We would have smoked them and anybody we faced in the championship game with Shea and Svet playing.

 

[sarals24]

I was there. It was painful. I really wanted a Jackie Stiles vs. Uconn final.

 

[bballnut90]

They only had the best team because the best team had lost Shea Ralph and Svetlana Abrosimova to season-ending injuries. We would have smoked them and anybody we faced in the championship game with Shea and Svet playing.

Notre Dame beat UCONN by double figures when they had both Shea/Svet....

Notre Dame was really really REALLY good that year. They had an incredibly experienced starting 5 and everyone knew their role. Riley was the most dominant player in the nation that season, Ivey was arguably the best point guard that year, Ratay the best shooter and Siemon/Haney were strong supporting players who put up double figures most nights.

UCONN, on paper, was the nation's best team in 2001. They returned everyone from their outstanding 2000 squad, plus added in DT. In one of the first games of the season they looked unstoppable, clobbering Georgia by 27 at home. That said, they never had the same cohesiveness and fire that the 2000 and 2002 squads did. In 2001, Ralph was a shadow of the player she was in 2000, Taurasi had an up and down freshman season, and besides Cash, no one made big strides from 2000 to 2001. With a full lineup, UCONN lost to Notre Dame in a game that wasn't very competitive, and lost a great game against Tennessee who was without Catchings (although in UCONN's defense, Svet went down that game.)

In regards to who would've won if both teams were at full strength in the Final Four, my money would've been on Notre Dame since they had the more experienced roster, played with a greater sense of urgency than Connecticut and beat UCONN soundly when both teams were at full strength.

I haven't read this book in years, but all UCONN fans should read this book:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Same-River-Twice-Connecticut/dp/0971699909

The author followed UCONN for a season and provides a great inside look at the ups and downs of the 2000-01 Huskies.

 

[hoophuskee]

Notre Dame beat UCONN by double figures when they had both Shea/Svet....

Notre Dame was really really REALLY good that year. They had an incredibly experienced starting 5 and everyone knew their role. Riley was the most dominant player in the nation that season, Ivey was arguably the best point guard that year, Ratay the best shooter and Siemon/Haney were strong supporting players who put up double figures most nights.

UCONN, on paper, was the nation's best team in 2001. They returned everyone from their outstanding 2000 squad, plus added in DT. In one of the first games of the season they looked unstoppable, clobbering Georgia by 27 at home. That said, they never had the same cohesiveness and fire that the 2000 and 2002 squads did. In 2001, Ralph was a shadow of the player she was in 2000, Taurasi had an up and down freshman season, and besides Cash, no one made big strides from 2000 to 2001. With a full lineup, UCONN lost to Notre Dame in a game that wasn't very competitive, and lost a great game against Tennessee who was without Catchings (although in UCONN's defense, Svet went down that game.)

In regards to who would've won if both teams were at full strength in the Final Four, my money would've been on Notre Dame since they had the more experienced roster, played with a greater sense of urgency than Connecticut and beat UCONN soundly when both teams were at full strength.

I haven't read this book in years, but all UCONN fans should read this book:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Same-River-Twice-Connecticut/dp/0971699909

The author followed UCONN for a season and provides a great inside look at the ups and downs of the 2000-01 Huskies.

I disagree with a lot what you have to say.

1-- Bird was a better pg than Ivey.

2-- UCONN lost to ND on January 15, - hardly a determining factor.

3--- Their cohesiveness was good enough to beat ND at home without Sveta and only a portion of Ralph.

4-- Ralph was an outstanding player that changed her game to become more of a passer. As her assist to turnover ratio was 2.14 to 1. She was 2nd on the team in assists. Sveta was having even a better season in that she had 78 assists and just 33 turnovers over 19 games. Thus UCONN was without their 2nd and 3rd best passers. If you don';t think that matter then we disagree. As for DT- in her frosh year DT was nothing but a scorer. While she di dhave 109 assists she had 72 turnovers. So when we against ND the 3rd time we didn't have the passing required to beat them. Ball movement against a zone is crucial.

5-- I would have gladly taken your bet if UConn were full strength and confident I would have been a bit richer.