Talking about three-peating

[alexrgct]

What, if anything, does historical precedent tell us about teams vying for the championship three-peat? My inclination is not much. Here is what we know:

Immaculata after 1973

After winning the inaugural AIAW tourney in 1972 and repeating in 1973, the Mighty Macs survived the last three rounds of the 1974 AIAW by deficits of four, two, and five to complete the three-peat.

Delta State after 1976

Delta State succeeded Immaculata to take the AIAW tourney in 1975 and 1976, and did it again in 1977. The closest game was a four-pointer over third-place Tennessee in the semifinals.

Old Dominion after 1980

ODU won the 1979 and 1980 AIAW tourneys, but were defeated by eventual runner-up Tennessee by three points in the semis of the 1981 tourney

Louisiana Tech after 1982

La Tech won the penultimate AIAW tourney in 1981 and the inaugural NCAA tourney in 1982. In the championship round of the 1983 tourney, however, the Techsters would lose a two-point heart-breaker to USC.

USC after 1984

USC won the 1983 tourney as mentioned and repeated the following year, but would lose by three in the regional semis to surprisingly powerful 1980s program Long Beach State.

Tennessee after 1997

Tennessee won it all in 1996 and enjoyed a huge comeback in 1997 to win the NCAA tourney after 10 losses going in. Tennessee would return the nucleus of that 1997 NC-winning team and add a terrific recruiting class (including Tamika Catchings and Sameka Randall). The regional finals were close, but the Lady Vols achieved the first three-peat of the NCAA tournament era and went 39-0 in 1998.

UConn after 2003

After a shocking defense of the 2002 NC in 2003, the 2003-04 Huskies would look mostly identical. It was a tough regular season as often chronicled, but UConn gutted out the 2004 NCAA tourney to win the most recent three-peat.

Tennessee after 2008

You all know the drill. Tennessee won Pat's last two NCs thanks in large part to the heroics of Candace Parker, but struggled mightily after Parker left, even despite their stellar 2008 recruiting class. The LVs were only a 5 seed in the 2009 NCAA tourney and lost in the first round to 12-seeded Ball State.

UConn after 2010

Ugh...let's move on, shall we? Bottom line, this was a three-peat that could have actually happened.

UConn after 2014

To be determined!

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So, given all of this, is UConn 2014-15 like any previous two-time defending champion? If it is, I'm not seeing it. Of course, Uconn won't be playing the 1974 incarnation of Immaculata or the 1985 incarnation of USC or, sadly, the 2009 incarnation of the LVs (I mean, that would be entertainingly ugly). UConn plays the available field this year...and it's difficult to determine who could possibly defeat them in the NCAA tournament.

 

[chrissaran]

South Carolina looks to be the strongest contender now that DeShields has left UNC. Notre Dame will still be strong, but without McBride and Ochonwa they won't be as strong. NC will still have a strong team with McDaniels, Mavunga and the rest. Stanford falls without Chiney. Louisville falls without Schimmel and a couple of the other seniors. Tennessee could be a better team. Mercedes Russell has to be big. UConn still the favorite; a lot depends on Aja Wilson.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Oh, the 2011 season, when Maya didn't get enough help, Stef got into foul trouble, and ND found the strategy that would serve them well for the next few years. Ugh!!

 

[HGN]

IMO , UConn has a good chance to 3peat because all of the other contenders lost so much to graduation (ND; MD) and transfers( UNC) . UConn lost Dolson and Hartley but have more quality replacements coming up in Stokes , Tuck , Chong , and Ekmark.

South Carolina is rising but have they come up far enough to get to FF?

 

[Buzzyboy]

Oh, the 2011 season, when Maya didn't get enough help, Stef got into foul trouble, and ND found the strategy that would serve them well for the next few years. Ugh!!

Yeah, I remember that strategy. Plow up the middle like a bull in a china shop, hoist up a shot and wait for a whistle, even though you may have initiated the contact. Get your opponents in foul trouble, get some easy points at the foul line and frustrate everyone you play. Rely on the referees to give you the game.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I think we have one thing (probably more) going for us that the other teams didn't: the 2-time tournament MOP still has 2 years of eligibility. Oh, that sounds so good!

 

[TroyHouse66]

Mil-sky:
<<...we have one thing .... the 2-time tournament MOP ...(with) 2 years of eligibility.>>

Since we'll be needing the phrase for several years, should we just start abbreviating Stewie as:
2014... 3MOP
2015... 4MOP

 

[Tonyc]

UConn has alot going for them. Say what you want, believe what you want but opponents who see UConn on their schedule are intimidated. UConn is a mentally tuff team with 2 SuperStars in Stewart and KML. No other team has that. That is what will make them very tuff to beat. What is UConns weakness. If Stokes and Stewart get into big foul trouble against a team with size that could hurt UConn. Could UConn lose, yes if they get in foul trouble and shoot the ball poorly. Will that happen? Very little chance. Many opponents dont have a go to player and UConn has two. As good as ND was last season there is no team in WCBB this season that can compare and UConn beat ND by 20+. I do believe S Carolina is good but in no way anywhere near UConns level. Tenn once again has the talent but hasnt been able to put it together. There are alot of other very talented teams but when it comes to UConn you need more then talent. UConn may not win every game by 20+ this season but they will win. IMO so long as Breanna is at UConn they wont lose a NC.

 

[oneresult]

Tonyc
You forgot one little point [MoJeff}

 

[Jim]

Mil-sky:
<<...we have one thing .... the 2-time tournament MOP ...(with) 2 years of eligibility.>>

Since we'll be needing the phrase for several years, should we just start abbreviating Stewie as:
2014... 3MOP
2015... 4MOP

The third one is called a Bre-peat.

 

[genosguy]

Geno won't enter the repeat three peat or quad peat--because when he had Bird, Swin, Asya, Tamika, etc he promised UConn World that next year another title--NOT!!!
But Wilson as a Frosh has a lot to learn about College ball, Duke, Tenn have talent, ND still has lots of talent, the one thing they don't have is Geno . A little Indian (country) guy math major said-- stats say defense, more turn over than the other guy, and he wins. Geno may not be a math major but he's been preaching defense for 30 years or more--and he wins with it. It's nice to have OFFENSE with that defense--and geno has it. I don't believe in thumping your chest before you win--so I'll not voice an opinion. I'll just go with Geno..

 

[genosguy]

Yeah, I remember that strategy. Plow up the middle like a bull in a china shop, hoist up a shot and wait for a whistle, even though you may have initiated the contact. Get your opponents in foul trouble, get some easy points at the foul line and frustrate everyone you play. Rely on the referees to give you the game.

In the final 4 last year 13 the Refs caught on and called ND for fouls with that old trick . Leaning in and creating fouls is how Novesel, Diggins, McBride, et all got the calls--again it's against the rules , the person creating the contact created the fouls--but ND took what the stupid ignorant refs allowed, and ND won 5 games that way---Uconn helped, they were up 1 minute left in each game and failed to make intelligent decisions. (can't blame KML she was a frosh --could blame Doty she was a 5th year senior getting trapped)