UConn vs Duke: A Trip Down Memory Lane

[oldude]

Back before UConn whipped Duke eight consecutive times, leading to JPM ending the series, Duke was a perennial powerhouse in WBB, and games between the Huskies and Blue Devils were “must-see TV” with the two schools splitting their first six matchups. My favorite game in that series occurred on February 1, 2003, when UConn paid a visit to Durham, NC to face the #1 ranked Duke Blue Devils before a packed house at Cameron Indoor Arena and a national TV audience on ESPN.

The Duke student body, otherwise know as the Cameron Crazies, were loaded for bear. They cheered passionately for their Blue Devils, and derisively against the Huskies. If there was one particular target of their derision, it was Diana Taurasi (DT). While we can debate whether DT is the GOAT, one thing that is indisputable is that DT is the cockiest WBB player ever. As the Cameron Crazies road DT every time she touched the ball, DT gave as good as she got, jawing back and forth with the Duke student body.

As for the game, DT was terrific, running the show flawlessly while scoring 17 points for the Huskies. Also chipping in with 17 points and 11 rebounds was Ann Strother, who had one of her very best games at UConn. As UConn was putting the finishing touches on a 77-65 win over Duke, Geno finally took DT out of the game.

As she was leaving the court to a loud chorus of mostly jeering fans, DT turned to the Cameron Crazies, flashed one of her devilish smiles, put her hand up to her ear in a mock gesture of holding a telephone and yelled out, “CALL ME.”

It was one of those absolutely priceless moments that will lead me to adore DT forever.

 

[Blueconn]

Great post about one of our many, many signature matchups. Duke was undefeated and ranked # 1 and we were # 2. Just rewatched yesterday...Dee was fabulous and I’m guessing the game was Annie’s “coming out” party before a big national TV audience.

Note: Dave O’Brien did the play-by-play. By last year’s FF he had 15 years doing marquee
wcbb for ESPN ? Comported himself well as Doris Burke’s partner...and Doris was big on proper comportment.

 

[oldude]

My 2nd favorite UConn- Duke matchup was the Dec 2014 game before 13,000+ fans at the XL center. The Huskies destroyed the Blue Devils 83-52 with all 5 starters in double figures. Freshman Azura Stevens lead Duke in scoring.

There were two significant consequences to that game. JPM decided that she didn’t want to play UConn again and Z eventually decided that she wanted to play for UConn.

 

[CocoHusky]

She is not exactly popular on this board but Freshmen Diamond Deshields had what I thought was the second best reaction to the Cameron Crazies. In addition to dropping 30 and coming away with the win she yawned at the crazies as in "you all are boring me".
I had the same reaction as everyone's favorite referee in this picture.

 

[Frodo]

My 2nd favorite UConn- Duke matchup was the Dec 2014 game before 13,000+ fans at the XL center. The Huskies destroyed the Blue Devils 83-52 with all 5 starters in double figures. Freshman Azura Stevens lead Duke in scoring.

There were two significant consequences to that game. JPM decided that she didn’t want to play UConn again and Z eventually decided that she wanted to play for UConn.

Is this game on YouTube?

 

[Farney]

Is this game on YouTube?

 

[Frodo]

Thanks, but I was asking about the 2014 game.

 

[Farney]

Thanks, but I was asking about the 2014 game.

Sorry. How’s this?

 

[dogged1]

Back before UConn whipped Duke eight consecutive times, leading to JPM ending the series, Duke was a perennial powerhouse in WBB, and games between the Huskies and Blue Devils were “must-see TV” with the two schools splitting their first six matchups. My favorite game in that series occurred on February 1, 2003, when UConn paid a visit to Durham, NC to face the #1 ranked Duke Blue Devils before a packed house at Cameron Indoor Arena and a national TV audience on ESPN.

The Duke student body, otherwise know as the Cameron Crazies, were loaded for bear. They cheered passionately for their Blue Devils, and derisively against the Huskies. If there was one particular target of their derision, it was Diana Taurasi (DT). While we can debate whether DT is the GOAT, one thing that is indisputable is that DT is the cockiest WBB player ever. As the Cameron Crazies road DT every time she touched the ball, DT gave as good as she got, jawing back and forth with the Duke student body.

As for the game, DT was terrific, running the show flawlessly while scoring 17 points for the Huskies. Also chipping in with 17 points and 11 rebounds was Ann Strother, who had one of her very best games at UConn. As UConn was putting the finishing touches on a 77-65 win over Duke, Geno finally took DT out of the game.

As she was leaving the court to a loud chorus of mostly jeering fans, DT turned to the Cameron Crazies, flashed one of her devilish smiles, put her hand up to her ear in a mock gesture of holding a telephone and yelled out, “CALL ME.”

It was one of those absolutely priceless moments that will lead me to adore DT forever.

If on the court bravado, i.e., "cockiness" is one of the criteria for GOAT, then there is no debate possible.

 

[bballnut90]

Duke was right with Tennessee and Connecticut from 1999-2007 in terms of being a legit title threat under GG. She just couldn’t finish the job despite being so close several times. GG has winning records against BOTH Pat and Geno during her time at Duke, the only coach to do so. Not popular on this board, but the Duke comeback with Foley at the buzzer was an epic game.

Since P took over, she hasn’t been able to keep the game within 30 points despite having some very talented teams. The last time these teams met in the tournament was 2011 when Duke hung with the Huskies for part of the first half before losing 75-40. I expect a similar outcome this weekend.

 

[Bigpetunia]

Like most Boneyarders, I find beatdowns UConn puts on Coach P to be among the most satisfying of all. My favorite? It is January 21st, 2013. Duke comes into Gampel undefeated, the only undefeated team in the country. Their top player is Chelsea Gray...remember her? I suspect that wherever Chelsea is today, she still has nightmares in which an apparition of Kelly Faris keeps rearing its head. For anyone who wishes to be reminded of what a great college player Kelly was, do yourself a favor and watch the replay. It was in his press conference after this game that Geno, speaking of Kelly, said, "Over the years, we've had some great players participate in this program. But, in all those years, no player ever did more to honor this uniform than that kid did tonight!"

 

[Coler]

I miss GG. I was a big fan of Duke during the GG era. I wonder if she would be interested in Virginia?

 

[CocoHusky]

This game and that season brings up some interesting counterpoints to the "Geno doesn't play Freshmen” mantra. Well that depends on the Freshmen, doesn't it?

• One Freshman Nicole Wolff was injured and did not play in this game. Prior to be injured Wolff was a starter in every game and was averaging more than 25 minutes per game.
• Freshman Ann Strother not only started this game she started all 38 games for UCONN during this season.
• Freshman Barbara Turner and fellow Freshman Willnett Crockett dominated Duke in the post

This was a road game against the #1 team in the country at the time and Duke’s only loss of the regular season. Freshmen can and do play at UCONN.

 

[Bigpetunia]

 

[RockyMTblue2]

High lites 2013

 

[oldude]

Is this game on YouTube?

Go to UconnHuskyGames.com

 

[j66kicker]

As she was leaving the court to a loud chorus of mostly jeering fans, DT turned to the Cameron Crazies, flashed one of her devilish smiles, put her hand up to her ear in a mock gesture of holding a telephone and yelled out, “CALL ME.”

It was one of those absolutely priceless moments that will lead me to adore DT forever.

 

[eebmg]

I had forgotten how discombobulated we looked in that game. So many turnovers and a relatively poor game from Stewie and we still routed them in the end. Looking at Z in the game, what struck me was how gifted and effortless she was on the offensive end. She actually had a well rounded offensive game at Duke and she did like to go into the post (at least on drives facing the basket). Of course, defense was horrible/nonexistant and you could imagine that the Duke coaching staff must have coddled her like a precious gem which probably contributed to her transfer. I also imagine that Duke discontinuing the UConn series could have rubbed her the wrong way. Putting myself in that situation, I would probably be saying to myself " A top program like Duke is too scared to play UConn???"

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

Back before UConn whipped Duke eight consecutive times, leading to JPM ending the series, Duke was a perennial powerhouse in WBB, and games between the Huskies and Blue Devils were “must-see TV” with the two schools splitting their first six matchups.

Duke was right with Tennessee and Connecticut from 1999-2007 in terms of being a legit title threat under GG. She just couldn’t finish the job despite being so close several times. GG has winning records against BOTH Pat and Geno during her time at Duke, the only coach to do so. Not popular on this board, but the Duke comeback with Foley at the buzzer was an epic game.

I miss GG. I was a big fan of Duke during the GG era. I wonder if she would be interested in Virginia?

As a Boneyard visitor/poster since 2002, I am both flabbergasted and proud to read the comments in this thread, including those above from @oldude , @bballnut90 , and @Coler .

During the height of Beard vs. Taurasi, the two UConn-Duke games during that time (Feb. 2003, won by UConn at Duke, and Jan. 2004, won by Duke in Hartford), and the postseason performances in 2003 and 2004, there were many, many posters on this forum and on The Summitt (and the ESPN board, for those who remember that forum) who repeatedly posted a variation on: "Gail can't coach. All she can do is recruit. She is an average in-game coach at best, who can't win the big one." This was also said in Gail's later years at Duke. Not to call people out (especially since most of these people are individuals with whom I have since formed friendships or communicate regularly), but @ucbart , @EricLA , @Tonyc , @RockyMTblue2 , Oldcoach, a slew of TN fans/Summitt posters, etc. regularly shared this opinion (or a variation thereof) about Gail Goestenkors. And to be fair, she did not always deal well with the pressure (though the "can't coach" comments were harsh, even if they were hyperbolic). Oldcoach and a few others even predicted that once Beard graduated, Duke would fade into oblivion and Goestenkors would "exposed."

For your consideration, this is what Goestenkors did after Beard, the best player in Duke WBB history, graduated:

• In 2004-05, Duke lost Alana Beard, Iciss Tillis, and Vicki Krapohl (all three to graduation), Brittany Hunter (transfer), and Lindsey Harding (suspension). Duke had 8 healthy players (and had to play Wanisha Smith as the starting point guard), but went 30-5 and made the Elite Eight, where it lost to LSU (with Augustus, Fowles, and Johnson) by nine points.

• In 2005-06, Duke went 31-4 and lost, in overtime, to Maryland in the national championship game. UNC also made the Final Four that year, so that was an amazing accmoplishment given the uber-talent in the ACC. That year, Goestenkors' team blew out Tennessee (the freshman year of Hornbuckle, etc., plus very good upperclassmen) by over 20 points, then beat UConn in the Elite Eight in overtime in Bridgeport.

• In 2006-07, Duke lost Monique Currie, Jessica Foley, and Mistie Bass (all to graduation) and Chante Black (injury), but went undefeated in the regular season and finished 32-2 overall.

Gail built Duke from nothing (literally, the bottom of the ACC). She made the Elite Eight in her sixth year and made the NCAA Championship game in her seventh season. Over the last ten years of her tenure at Duke, her teams made 7 Elite Eights, 4 Final Fours, and 2 National Championship games.

And over the last seven years (2000-01, Alana Beard's first season, through 2006-07, when Gail left), these were her numbers:

Overall record: 220-25 (89.79 percent )
ACC record: 98-8 (92.45 percent )
NCAA record: 23-7 (one NCAA runner-up, three Final Fours, five years at least making the Elite Eight, all seven years at least making the Sweet 16 )
Against Top 5 Opponents: 14-14 (50.00 percent )
Against Top 10 Opponents: 25-14 (64.10 percent ), but 11-0 (100.00 percent) against teams ranked #6-#10
Against Ranked Opponents: 60-20 (80.00 percent )
Against UConn: 2-1 (both wins in the State of Connecticut )
Against Tennessee: 4-3 (including going 3-0 against the recruiting class of Candace Parker, Alexis Hornbuckle, Alex Fuller, and Nicky Anosike)

We know how the story ends. Texas courts Gail, Joe Alleva completely disrespects her and devalues all of her accomplishments, Gail leaves for Texas and cannot recruit and recreate what she did at Duke (and was hurt by her AD and Clarissa Davis-Wrightsil), and Duke hires Joanne McCallie.

This is McCallie's 11th year at Duke. She has made four Elite Eights, but also had three second round losses and missed the NCAA Tournament entirely once. In her last decade at Duke, Gail's worst finish was the Sweet 16, and she made the Elite Eight 70 percent of the time and the Final Four 40 percent of the time. In the last five years, McCallie has made the Sweet 16 twice, including this year.

Anyway, it is just extremely HEARTWARMING to see posters recognize Goestenkors and give her the respect for her accomplishments and what she was able to build at Duke.

Again, not to call anyone out or claim their opinions were somehow wrong (because they were opinions and beliefs, not facts per se). And believe me, I have been wrong MANY times (check the Full Court Press archives for my WNBA season previews and predictions over the years).

But it brought such a smile to my face to remember how great Duke used to be, how we were a national powerhouse, how Gail had brought Duke into the conversation that was exclusively UConn and Tennessee, and how Duke really was a rival to Tennessee and UConn during that time period.

I am choosing to focus on these happy memories and not dwell on the current state of the program or what will happen next season, when Brown and Greenwell are gone.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

"Not to call people out", then you go on to do so. From over a decade ago. You could easily have made your point leaving that entire sentence out. Just sayin'...

Fair point. I apologize.

 

[NEforceUConn]

No memorable trip anticipated

UConn by 23

 

[Nuyoika]

I would love another big with hands like Jessica Moore.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

If you watch the game and listen in around the 4:30 mark of the second half, you will see what is arguably the best crowd for a WBB home game. The raucous nature, the volume, the participation by the STUDENTS (which is not common at WCBB games across the country, as they do not get a large student contingent)...you will see why Duke fans are so upset over the program taking several steps back on the national stage.