Top Three UConn Player/Moment/Szn

[AzzisBraids]

Last year we were stacked with injuries and I was going through a rough personal time so I said if this ever happens again i would stay positive both personally and boneyardly. It's been pretty heavy in the BY these last few weeks so let's have some fun and keep it light friends

Who are your personal top 3 UConn fav players, moments or seasons and why?

Maya Moore - Kobe Bryant is my fav NBA player and she reminds me so of him more than any player. Work ethic, skillset, clutch gene, versatility. I just love everything about her and who she has grown to be as a basketball player and person.

Paige Bueckers x Caitlin Clark NCAA game: Paige was National Player, Freshman, Human of the year. Caitlin Clark led the league is points, assists and WTF moments. There was more hype around this game than any other game I can remember and two superstars and their teams collide. The game itself turned into a different show but seeing those two against each other was like a Marvel movie, you just go because it's fun.

Kelly Farris: That lady ate steel for lunch. She was one of the toughest competitors I've ever seen. She developed her scoring but she stayed on the floor because she outcompeted everyone she everyone she ever met.

wbu?

 

[TB12]

1. Rizzotti's full court drive

2. Rebecca sliding on the court like she was on a slip'n slide

3. Diana hitting the pads at Tenn

 

[bballnut90]

I like your positivity and hope you’re doing great. I generally root against UCONN so my list would differ greatly, but a few times where I was blown away and couldn’t help but be happy for UCONN players:

1. Barbara Turner’s crazy buzzer beater in 2006

2. KLS going 10-10 from 3 in 2017. That whole season UCONN was remarkable and their big 3 were unbelievably good

3. Bueckers heroic play vs SC her freshman season was pretty spectacular to watch

 

[hoophuskee]

Not in order

I prefer perimeter scoring and super individual performances vs top teams.

Diana Taurasi - The game vs Tennessee in Hartford her Jr year she hit a halfcourt shot. She hit a buzzer beater end of regulation. In OVT took the game over. Told the coach and the team during a timeout that they weren’t gonna lose. And her game vs Texas in FF. Everything she did was magical.

Maya Moore - Her big game vs LSU as a frosh in which she scored 29 points. I recall the LSU coach (former coach of WNBA Houston multi-champion) talking afterwards how special Moore's jump shot was. Then Amazing Maya in her Jr Year put team on her back with super performance in Finals vs Stanford scoring 18 points in 2nd half. She had 23 pts. For the game that was over 43% of the teams total points and she had 11 rebounds.

Paige Bueckers - Her regular season game as a freshman vs South Carolina and her game vs NC State in E8 coming back from her injury - both games were as amazing single game performances as you'll ever see.

I kind of laugh. Someone posted a podcast in which the analyst suggested that the game should be played "inside-out." Yeah right. I listened to 15 seconds and clicked out. The above 3 were prolific outside shooters/scorers. Should they have to take a backseat to a lesser player all because the teammate is taller? If you build your game around inside-out then the lesser player would be the focal point of the offense than the superstar DT, Maya, or Paige. I guess some still live in the George- Mikan-era. The beauty of hoop is that there are different ways to win. It's how this game and other sports "evolve." There is no "one-way" if you have sufficient talent. In some cases as a focal point; inside-out is definitely the way to go for certain teams. And for others, even if you have super perimeter players you can still do some inside-out. But that wouldn't be the focal point if you have far superior perimeter talent.

This is in part why I love/loved the above 3. They break the old-style conventional wisdom of George Mikan slowdown halfcourt mud-wrestling grind basketball. And they actually had/have tremendous fundamental basketball skills. A complete pleasure/amazing to watch.

 

[Puppy Love]

This is so difficult, but here are three that resonate with me:
1. Shea Ralph at the Philadelphia final four. A lot of this is simply because I was there, and that entire team was spectacular as well. Shea is my “favorite” player of all time.
2. The blizzard game.
3. This is a tossup between the Heather Buck screen on Brittney Griner and Maya Moore running down the ball against DePaul her freshman year.

 

[HuskyNan]

I like your positivity and hope you’re doing great. I generally root against UCONN so my list would differ greatly, but a few times where I was blown away and couldn’t help but be happy for UCONN players:

1. Barbara Turner’s crazy buzzer beater in 2006

2. KLS going 10-10 from 3 in 2017. That whole season UCONN was remarkable and their big 3 were unbelievably good

3. Bueckers heroic play vs SC her freshman season was pretty spectacular to watch

Maria Conlon nailing consecutive shots against Tennessee in the 2004 national championship game then forcing a turnover late.

I was happy for the kid that game

 

[Jim Facey]

Last year we were stacked with injuries and I was going through a rough personal time so I said if this ever happens again i would stay positive both personally and boneyardly. It's been pretty heavy in the BY these last few weeks so let's have some fun and keep it light friends

Who are your personal top 3 UConn fav players, moments or seasons and why?

Maya Moore - Kobe Bryant is my fav NBA player and she reminds me so of him more than any player. Work ethic, skillset, clutch gene, versatility. I just love everything about her and who she has grown to be as a basketball player and person.

Paige Bueckers x Caitlin Clark NCAA game: Paige was National Player, Freshman, Human of the year. Caitlin Clark led the league is points, assists and WTF moments. There was more hype around this game than any other game I can remember and two superstars and their teams collide. The game itself turned into a different show but seeing those two against each other was like a Marvel movie, you just go because it's fun.

Kelly Farris: That lady ate steel for lunch. She was one of the toughest competitors I've ever seen. She developed her scoring but she stayed on the floor because she outcompeted everyone she everyone she ever met.

wbu?

Moments
1) DT's back down three point play to foul out Stacey Dales and put the Oklahoma game back out of reach (2002)
2) Can't remember which one, but in one of the overtime losses to ND in 2012 or 2013, Kelly Faris made several superhuman plays in a row down the stretch.
3) Gabby Williams regular season game against ND her junior year, which was such an amazing performance that Jay Bilas was repeating for the rest of the year that she was the most complete player in all of college basketball.

Seasons
1) 2013 because they'd been written off
2) 2017 because, as heartbreaking as the FF loss was, they overacheived all season long and that was arguable Geno's best coaching job
3) 2000, because both Shea As Sveta were healthy and that team was so stacked.

Players: can't pick 3 only love almost all of them, Sveta, Carla; Tamika Williams, Kelly Faris, Nika, Annie, Barb Turner

 

[Bone Dog]

Moments:
1. MoJeff -- I don't know why, but it's always MoJeff for me -- in the SC game where she ran right through their defense, especially one length of the court sprint, after grabbing a defensive rebound under the rim, she out ran everyone to the other end of the floor. People say passing gets the ball down the floor faster, but not necessarily with MoJeff!

2. Rebecca Celebrating the first NC, racing around the court like a mad thing! That kind of joy is infectious.

3. Maya running full tilt down the floor. I just loved to see the energy she brought to the big games.

Come to think of it, all my favorite moments involve folks running... which means Jen and Kelly and Kia belong on this list for always bringing the energy!

 

[Skeets]

Geno proclaiming at halftime "I like our chances because we have Diana Taurasi and they don't". A statement forever imbedded in our vernacular.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Last year we were stacked with injuries and I was going through a rough personal time so I said if this ever happens again i would stay positive both personally and boneyardly. It's been pretty heavy in the BY these last few weeks so let's have some fun and keep it light friends

Who are your personal top 3 UConn fav players, moments or seasons and why?

Maya Moore - Kobe Bryant is my fav NBA player and she reminds me so of him more than any player. Work ethic, skillset, clutch gene, versatility. I just love everything about her and who she has grown to be as a basketball player and person.

Paige Bueckers x Caitlin Clark NCAA game: Paige was National Player, Freshman, Human of the year. Caitlin Clark led the league is points, assists and WTF moments. There was more hype around this game than any other game I can remember and two superstars and their teams collide. The game itself turned into a different show but seeing those two against each other was like a Marvel movie, you just go because it's fun.

Kelly Farris: That lady ate steel for lunch. She was one of the toughest competitors I've ever seen. She developed her scoring but she stayed on the floor because she outcompeted everyone she everyone she ever met.

wbu?

There is no question in my favorite among many UConn women’s moments. April 6th 2003 vs Texas and Stacy Stephens. It really cemented Diana Taurasi’s legend as the greatest women’s player I ever saw. UCONN was down 11 points with minutes to play and Taurasi just put the whole team on her back and eekd out a win against maybe the best Texas team I can remember. The rocket pass the full length of the court is the stuff of legend. To cap that off they advanced to the final against Tennessee and stunned Pat Summitt and her Lady Vols.

 

[fomalhaut]

My favorite player is Svetlana Abrosimova. I started following the team in January 2000 after an article in the local cable guide.

My favorite moment (well, several seconds anyway) was Breanna Stewart's three blocks on the same possession.

My favorite season was 2012-2013, Stewart's freshman season and Kelly Faris's senior season, when they won the national championship after an up-and-down season.

 

[Skeets]

I posted this before. Diligent BY people might be tired of it. My favorite player quote is by Svet. In her cute Russian accent Svet said: "Basketball is an easy game, coach makes it hard".

 

[GoUconn7961]

Diana Taurasi halftime bomb at Gampel v. TN (look it up on YouTube)
Sue Bird buzzer beater to win the BE Championship v. Notre Dame in 2001
Back to back to back to back Championships for Stewie

Honorable Mention: Screaming my fool head off so loudly when they won it all in 1995 that my neighbor knocked on my door to see if I was OK.

 

[Conndog]

My favorite is probably the corner basket at the end of a game that Molly Bent hit, set up perfectly by Saniya Chong. The whole bench erupted with joy. Don't have any video but maybe someone can find it.

 

[UcMiami]

I posted this before. Diligent BY people might be tired of it. My favorite player quote is by Svet. In her cute Russian accent Svet said: "Basketball is an easy game, coach makes it hard".

And the one that went something like 'I didn't come 6,000 miles to pass the ball!' (She was actually quite a proficient passer - 473 for her career.)

My favorite recent player is MoJeff, my favorite older player being Sveta, the one in the middle probably Faris.

Moments are just too numerous.

Seasons are just too numerous, but probably the one I like best from the non-championship years was 2016-17 carrying on the winning streak after Stewart, Tuck, and Jefferson graduated.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Some things that stand out:

Paige hitting pull-up after pull-up against a very good NC State team last year to get us to the Final Four.

Paige hitting bombs against Tennessee and South Carolina as a freshman to win the games.

Maya stealing the ball and the game at DePaul as a freshman,with the help of Ketia Swanier.

Maya hitting consecutive 3s against Rutgers to cut the lead from 9 to 3 as a freshman. I have no doubt she would have tied the game if we could have gotten the ball to her on the last possession.

In the 2010 championship game, Tina blocking a shot by either Appel or Ogwumike and passing it out to Maya, who went the length of the floor and scored over Pohlen. The two best players in the nation combining to make a big play at a key time.

Diana backing down an Oklahoma defender in the 2002 championship game, making the bucket, and fouling out Stacey Dales. As a reminder, that undefeated team never trailed after halftime. Incredible!

Diana hitting a half court bomb at halftime against Tennessee and then the game winner from the top of the key.

Dee was only imitating her mentor, as Sue Bird hit a halftime bomb against ND in the Big East championship game, then followed Geno’s instructions of “Get it and go” to make the game-winner that resulted in the “Bird at the Buzzer” book.

Any one of a number of times when Gabby leaped to get a rebound, block a shot, or steal a pass, then lead the break, and dish to a cutting teammate or an open Lou or Kia at the arc. She was Gabulous.

22 years of greatness.

 

[itsasport]

Kelly Faris- a warrior.

Mama Dolson- judged a role player at best- became an All- American. Played despite serious foot pain.

But No 1- KLM. The most non-athletic looking, great athlete in UConn history- the great shot, made herself into a tough defender. She personally crushed two Notre Dame comebacks in critical games.

She played herself to exhaustion (just like Kelly), but never showed it.

e.g. after one game, the camera was rolling as the team ran off the oourt to the locker room after an important game.

Kaleena was last in line. With a smile on her face, she yelled to her teammates, "We can stop running now, the game is over."

 

[Ozimoto]

Brianna Palido hitting a shot in the waning moments of the National Championship game.

 

[OldSchooler]

Here's 3 in 1 -- Stewie's 3 blocks on one defensive sequence.

 

[PacoSwede]

nice to see here the recognition of kelly faris -- deservedly -- even though she often didn't get it when she was playing. she was in the shadow of superstar teammates (like maya, tina and stewie's crew, plus renee, stef etc.) ... AND her brilliance was not as a scorer; heavens!.

 

[HuskyNan]

My favorite is probably the corner basket at the end of a game that Molly Bent hit, set up perfectly by Saniya Chong. The whole bench erupted with joy. Don't have any video but maybe someone can find it.

Not Molly, it was Polly Pulido. Watch the coaches - they all go bananas.

 

[Conndog]

Brianna Palido hitting a shot in the waning moments of the National Championship game.

That’s who I meant, I said Molly Bent- Saniya Chong set it up per Geno’s direction. Pulido’s shot hit nothing but net too.

 

[Woof 101]

1) DT punching the stanchion vs Tennessee.
2) Too many to separate.
3) Most any pass from Paige that resulted in a basket.

3. This is a tossup between the Heather Buck screen on Brittney Griner and Maya Moore running down the ball against DePaul her freshman year.

Nice to see Heather mentioned in a thread like this. Met her at a football game after one of the NC's shook her hand and said congratulations. She said to me "for what I did not do anything". I asked did you work out with the team and go to practice every day?
She said yes and I replied "you did a lot". This is a few years old and off topic but where she is now.

2018 | CWBHOF

www.ctwomensbasketballhalloffame.com

 

[HuskyNan]

1) DT punching the stanchion vs Tennessee.
2) Too many to separate.
3) Most any pass from Paige that resulted in a basket.


Nice to see Heather mentioned in a thread like this. Met her at a football game after one of the NC's shook her hand and said congratulations. She said to me "for what I did not do anything". I asked did you work out with the team and go to practice every day?
She said yes and I replied "you did a lot". This is a few years old and off topic but where she is now.

2018 | CWBHOF

www.ctwomensbasketballhalloffame.com

Another favorite moment. Sorry for the quality but it’s the only video I can find

 

[fomalhaut]

nice to see here the recognition of kelly faris -- deservedly -- even though she often didn't get it when she was playing. she was in the shadow of superstar teammates (like maya, tina and stewie's crew, plus renee, stef etc.) ... AND her brilliance was not as a scorer; heavens!.

Faris was the first player in NCAA history to win national championships as a freshman (Maya Moore's junior year) and a senior (Breanna Stewart's freshman year). [Doty sort of did so at the same time: she was out halfway through her freshman year and won as a 5th-year senior.]