2009–10 Connecticut Huskies women's basketball team
Encyclopedia
The 2009–10 Connecticut Huskies women's basketball team represented the University of Connecticut
in the 2009–2010 NCAA Division I basketball season. The Huskies were coached by Geno Auriemma
, as the Huskies played their home games at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in the XL Center located in Hartford, Connecticut
, and on campus at the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion
in Storrs, Connecticut
. The Huskies are a member of the Big East Conference
and won their seventh NCAA championship against Stanford on April 6, 2010.
The two preseason games were wins against St. Rose College
(85–44) and Vanguard
(98–68).
The game against Texas
, played in San Antonio, the location of this season's Final Four, was expected to be competitive, as Texas was ranked tenth in the nation by the AP. However, UConn pulled out to a 21 point lead by halftime, and ended up winning by 25, 83–58.
Connecticut's next game against Holy Cross
would mark the 20th game between the two teams, an annual competition going back to the 1985–86 season. At the start of the series, the schools were competitive, with the teams splitting the first four meetings. However, UConn has not lost since, and entered the game with a 17–2 series record. UConn prevailed 87–34.
After the WBCA Classic, UConn would play Vermont
in a rematch of the previous year's NCAA opening round game. UConn won easily 84–42, on a night in which senior Tina Charles became the second leading rebounder in school history.
UConn's next opponent, Hartford
, was coached by former UConn star Jennifer Rizzotti
. Hartford had never beaten UConn, and this game would be no exception, with UConn winning 80–45 for the eleventh consecutive victory over the Hawks. In the next game, UConn easily beat Iona
90–35.
The Stanford
game was one of the most anticipated games of the season. Both teams came into the game undefeated. UConn was ranked #1 in the AP writer's poll and the ESPN Coaches poll, while Stanford was ranked #2 in each poll. Stanford's last loss was to UConn in the 2009 NCAA Final Four game, while UConn's last loss was to Stanford in the 2008 Final Four game.
UConn hadn't been behind in a game at halftime or later all season until this game, but Stanford entered halftime with a slim two point lead. However, after trading baskets early in the second half, UConn pulled out to a 22 point lead (74–52) with five minutes left in the game, and coasted to their 49th consecutive victory, all of which were won with a double digit margin.
UConn ended the calendar year with a 78–59 victory over 11th ranked Florida State
. The game was relatively close at halftime, 41–35, but UConn's Tina Charles scored 16 of her 24 points in the second half to help ensure a victory.
UConn took a break from conference games to play a home game against the University of North Carolina
(UNC). At the time, UNC was ranked seventh in the country. Despite the prospect of a close game, it was never close. Tina Charles scored 25 points in the first half, single-handedly outscoring the entire UNC team. UConn lead at halftime 56–24, and go on to win by 41 points, 88–47. ESPN's Graham Hays called "the first-half play as good as it gets".
Connecticut had played ACC
teams Florida State and North Carolina; on 18 January, they would play their third ACC team of the season, Duke
. Just as North Carolina had been ranked seventh at the time of the game, the Duke team was the seventh ranked team in the country. The margin of victory would not be as large as the UNC game, but it was still a convincing win, with UConn outscoring Duke 81–48. In contrast to the UNC game in which the first half was decision, Duke would remain reasonably close at halftime, down only ten, 38–28, but UConn would stretch out the lead in the second half. Maya Moore hit six three point field goals in the game, and Kalana Greene scored 18 points.
Connecticut faced Oklahoma
in a late, out-of-conference match-up on the 15th of February. Oklahoma was ranked 12th in the nation, but UConn had faced higher ranked opponents, and won relatively easily. Midway through the first half, it appeared UConn was heading for another easy win, as they had doubled the Sooners score 24–12. However, Oklahoma brought the game back to a two point margin at halftime, and took a one point lead in the second half. Five minutes later, UConn had opened up a ten point lead, and extended the lead to a final 16 point margin 76–60.
. The four teams participating in the three-day round robin
event were host UConn, Hofstra
, Richmond
, and Clemson
. Richmond beat Clemson 86–67 in the first game. UConn easily beat Hofstra 91–46, but the game was notable for being Auriemma's 700th career win. Auriemma reached 700 victories the fastest of any coach in Division I history, reaching the mark in his 822nd game.
The following day, Clemson defeated Hofstra 69–68, while UConn defeated Richmond 86–37. On the final day of the tournament, Richmond defeated Hofstra 42–41, while UConn won the tournament with their victory over Clemson 87–48.
on 2 Jan 2010. Most away games against Seton Hall are played on campus, but this game was played at the Prudential Center in Newark. The result was never in doubt, as UConn won 91–24, their largest margin over a Big East team in seven years. UConn's second conference game was at home against the University of South Florida
. UConn started out with an 18–2 run, but Charles and Moore got into early foul trouble, and had to sit on the bench. Nevertheless, UConn had a double-digit lead at halftime, leading coach Auriemma to quip, "This is the only place in America where you've got to apologize for being up 14 at halftime."
UConn's next game, against Cincinnati
, was notable more for the coaching match up than the game. After twelve years as an assistant coach at Connecticut and four years as a player, Jamelle Elliott
took the head coaching job at Cincinnati. This would be the first match up between Cincinnati and Connecticut since Elliot left Connecticut. UConn won easily 83–51.
UConn returned to Big east play after the UNC game with a game against Marquette
at their arena. The game outcome wasn't in doubt, as Tina Charles had a double-double (23 points, 11 rebounds) leading to a 24 point halftime lead, and a final score of 68–43. The game was unusual for a rare coaching decision near the end of the game. UConn typically declines to attempt to score if the game result is not in doubt, and they are inbounding the ball with less than 30 seconds to play, preferring just to dribble out the end of the game. However, in this game, with 72 seconds on the clock, Coach Auriemma instructed his player not to even cross half-court, deliberately accepting a shot clock violation and a turnover. The announcers were unsure of the reason at the time, but subsequent remarks by Auriemma clarified that he felt the officials were not doing enough to stop rough play, and he didn't want to "put his players into any more physical danger by crossing midcourt".
UConn's game against Notre Dame
on 16 January didn't tipoff until 9 pm, but the arena opened at 7:30 in the morning. The ESPN CollegeGame Day event, traditionally held at the campus on a men's basketball game, held its first ever College Game Day in connection with a women's basketball game. The campus, shut down for winter break, opened a day earlier than usual to allow students to return in time to attend GameDay. Thousands turned to be in the backdrop of the 10 am national coverage. Because the event occurred in the morning, the UConn team was able to participate.
The game in the evening would pit two undefeated teams—UConn , ranked #1 in the country with a 16–0 record and Notre Dame, ranked #3 in the country, with a 15–0 record. Despite the closeness of the rankings, and records, the game would not be close. UConn pulled out to a 42–19 halftime lead, and coasted to a 24 point victory, winning 70–46. Tina Charles had a double-double (23 points, 13 rebounds), leading ESPN's Mechelle Voepel to call Charles "another one of UConn's all-time greats".
UConn continued their undefeated season with a win over Villanova
, 74–35. This marked the first ever start for senior Meghan Gardler. While seniors traditionally get a starting role on senior day, the Villanova game was played near Gardler's hometown of Springfield Pennsylvania. Many friends and family members were at the game to see her play. The team, which normally would travel by plane to Pennsylvania, took the train, just for the experience.
Rutgers
is known for its defense, but UConn’s defense would prove to be superior, as UConn held Rutgers to 36 points, while scoring 73. Rutgers was the last team to beat UConn in the regular season, winning at their home in 2008, but on this day, the results would not be close. UConn next played Pittsburgh
, but the story of the game was not the game result, which UConn won easily. 98–56, but the benchmark reached by Tina Charles, as she became only the sixth player in UConn history to score 2,000 points in her career.
The next conference opponent, West Virginia
would be ranked #8 in the country at the time of the game, but had already faced strong teams this season, and had beaten West Virginia by 30 points in the previous year. This year’s final score of 80–47 would produce a wider margin, but with a halftime margin of only 12, and a lead dropping to single-digits a few minutes into the second half, the game outcome appeared more in doubt than the final score would indicate.
The last time Connecticut played Louisville
, it was for the National Championship in April 2009. That game wasn't close, but this one would be less of a challenge. UConn tripled Louisville's first half scoring, leading to a 54–18 first half score, and cruised to a final score of 84–38.
DePaul
was within nine points almost 15 minutes into the game, but Tiffnay Hayes and Tina Charles started scoring, each ending up with 19 points for the game. The halftime lead was 20, and UConn started the second half with an 11–1 run to put the game away. The final score was 95–62.
Before the game against St. John's, Tina Charles was inducted into Huskies of Honor
, to reflect her position as one of the most significant figures in the history of the team. Despite the emotion, she scored 25 points and a career high 21 rebounds to help lead UConn over the 24th ranked Red Storm in one of the closest games of the year, with a final score of 66–52. Only the 12 point win over Stanford was closer than the 14 point win against St. John's.
Connecticut did not have any trouble against Providence
on the 20th of February, quickly building a 20 point lead and extending the lead in the second half, behind a career high points total of 26 from Tina Charles and 21 from Maya Moore. UConn has now won 237 consecutive victories against unranked opponents at home. Connecticut would continue their winning streak against Syracuse
four days later, when Maya Moore had a season high 38 points and a career-high 20 rebounds in an 87–66 victory.
Connecticut played 11th ranked Georgetown
with an opportunity to clinch the Big East regular season title. Tina Charles, who had tied her season high points total a week earlier, set a new season record with 33 points, hitting 14 of 16 shot. Seniors Kaili McLaren, Meghan Gardler and Jacquie Fernandes started the game along with Charles and Greene, to follow the tradition of starting seniors in their final home game. Although Georgetown started out strong, hitting three 3-pointers to take an early 9–4 lead, and extended it to 15–9, the largest deficit UConn has faced this season, the team retook the lead later in the first half and did not trail again, winning with a final score of 84–62.
The last regular season game was a rematch against Notre Dame. The usual Big East schedule has two games against one opponent—for several seasons, that opponent was Rutgers, but this season, it was the eighth ranked Notre Dame team. UConn won easily 76–51. Tina Charles set two UConn career records in the same game, becoming the all-time scoring leader, surpassing Nykesha Sales
's record of 2,178 and became the all-time rebound leader, surpassing Rebecca Lobo
's record of 1,268.
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The game would never be close, with UConn leading at the half 44–17, and ended with a 77–41 victory. UConn's Tina Charles would tie her career high with 34 points, while Maya Moore would score the 2000th point of her career, ending the game with 16 points, 14 rebounds and 7 assists. The win would be UConn's 70th consecutive win, tying an NCAA Division I record for the longest winning streak in the history of women's college basketball, set by UConn in 2003.
's 15 points guided the Huskies to victory, and help her to earn the Most Outstanding Player award for the tournament. UConn closed the game on 27–4 run after leading 33–28 early in the second half.
, the winner of the SWAC
tournament. Southern would score the first two points, but that would be their only lead of the game. Tina Charles hit her first nine shot attempts, on her way to a 22 point game, and teammate Maya More would add 21. Others would score as well, but those two scored enough to outscore the Jaguars. UConn’s defense would hold the Jaguars to just ten second half points.
The second round game was against Temple
. The Temple team is coached by Tonya Cardoza, who was an assistant coach at UConn for 14 years, before she accepted the head coaching job at Temple prior to the start of the 2008–2009 season. The game also occurred on Auriemma’s 56th birthday. UConn outscored Temple 55–12 in the first half, hitting 78% of their field goal attempts. The starting players ended up playing no more than half the game. Auriemma described the game as “pretty incredible performance”.
The Sweet Sixteen game was against Iowa State
. The two teams last played each other in 1999, when Iowa State knocked number one seeded UConn out of the NCAA tournament. This time, the result would be quite different. Maya Moore outscored Iowa State in the first half, despite sitting more than ten minutes with two fouls. The lead would grow to 50, at which time the starters all sat for the remainder of the game, and the final margin tightened. The final score was 74–36.
In the Dayton Regional final, there was a rematch of a game earlier this season against Florida State
, and it was no contest as the Huskies rolled thanks to Maya Moore's 22 points and Tina Charles added 20 points and had 14 rebounds in a 90–50 rout of the Lady Seminoles. The win earned them a trip to the Women's Final Four and a date with Baylor
and one of the most dominant players in women's basketball, Brittney Griner.
The Final Four semi-final game against Baylor started the way many games this season have started. Despite playing a top-ranked team, Connecticut went out to leads of 11–3 and 25–8. Baylor didn’t quit, and by halftime, the 17 point lead was down to 13. UConn scored the first basket of the second half, but then Baylor scored twelve consecutive points, to cut the margin to three. Baylor’s 6’ 8” center Griner had five blocks to go along with 13 points and six rebounds. In contrast, UConn’s center Charles had two blocks along with 21 points and 13 rebounds, while Maya Moore scored 34 points, the fourth highest point total in semifinal history. The final score in favor of Connecticut was 70–50, setting up a rematch with Stanford.
The National Championship game on Tuesday was against Stanford. Stanford's last loss was to Connecticut in December 2009, and Connecticut's last loss was to Stanford, exactly two years before, in the Final Four of 2008. The game started the way many games for Connecticut have started—just over two minutes into the game, Connecticut had a 5–0 lead. However, they would not score for over ten minutes, missing sixteen consecutive shots. Stanford would lead by as many as nine points, and would go to halftime with a 20–12 lead. The twelve points scored by UConn was the lowest first half total in the history of Connecticut basketball.
Maya Moore lead the team after the half, scoring 11 of the team's first 17 points, including the basket that put Connecticut back into the lead, this time for good. Moore would end up with 23 points and 11 rebounds, and earned Most Outstanding Player honors for the Final Four. Connecticut would go on to win 53–47, ending their streak of double-digit victories, but winning their 78th consecutive game, resulting in their seventh National Championship, their second consecutive undefeated season and their fourth overall undefeated season.
Tina Charles
Maya Moore
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
in the 2009–2010 NCAA Division I basketball season. The Huskies were coached by Geno Auriemma
Geno Auriemma
Luigi "Geno" Auriemma is the head coach of the University of Connecticut Huskies women's basketball team, which he has led to seven National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I national championships...
, as the Huskies played their home games at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in the XL Center located in Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
, and on campus at the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion
Harry A. Gampel Pavilion
Harry A. Gampel Pavilion is a 10,167-seat multi-purpose arena in Storrs, Connecticut, United States. The arena opened on January 21, 1990, and is the largest on campus arena in New England. It was named after Harry A. Gampel, who donated one million dollars for the construction of the arena...
in Storrs, Connecticut
Storrs, Connecticut
Storrs is a census-designated place and part of the town of Mansfield, Connecticut located in eastern Tolland County. The population was 10,996 at the 2000 census...
. The Huskies are a member of the Big East Conference
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
and won their seventh NCAA championship against Stanford on April 6, 2010.
Offseason
- May 5: Jamelle ElliottJamelle ElliottJamelle Renee Elliott is a basketball coach, currently employed as the Head Coach of the University of Cincinnati women's basketball team.-Early life and high school:...
, a 12-year member of Geno Auriemma's coaching staff was named head coach of the University of Cincinnati Bearcats women's team. She will be the school's eighth head women's basketball coach. - May 18: Marisa Moseley was named women's basketball assistant coach at the University of Connecticut. Moseley works primarily with the post players in her new role. She spent the previous two seasons as an assistant coach on the women's basketball staff at the University of Minnesota. She also assists in all facets of recruiting and player development.
- June 8: Incoming freshman Kelly FarisKelly FarisKelly Elizabeth Faris plays guard for the UConn women's basketball team, the 2010 NCAA National Champions. She has been on a post-season championship team for five consecutive seasons, including four consecutive high school state championships and one NCAA championship.-Early life:Faris grew up...
named Indianapolis top high school female athlete. - July 2: Huskies sophomore Tiffany HayesTiffany HayesTiffany Kiara Hayes plays guard for the UConn women's basketball team, the 2009 and 2010 NCAA National Champions.-Early life:Hayes was born 20 September 1989 in Fort Polk, a town in western Louisiana to Dorothy and Renard Hayes....
scored nine points and added five rebounds as the 2009 USA Women's World University Games TeamUSA Women’s World University Games TeamThe USA Women’s World University Games Team is one of the teams under the auspices of the USA Basketball organization. The Universiade is an international, multi-sport event for university students, generally held every other year since 1959. It is second only to the Olympics in number of...
(2–0) posted a 93–59 victory over Great Britain (1–1). Senior Tina CharlesTina Charles (basketball)Tina Charles is an American women's basketball player with the Connecticut Sun of the Women's National Basketball Association and the Galatasaray Medical Park of the TWBL. Originally from Jamaica, New York, Charles was drafted 1st overall in the 2010 WNBA Draft...
contributed six points, two rebounds, a block and a steal in just 13 minutes of action. - July 25: Rebecca Lobo became the first Connecticut player named as an inductee into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, leading a class of six inductees. Lobo helped UConn to its first national championship with an undefeated season in 1995. The six individuals in the Class of 2010 will be formally inducted as members of the Hall of Fame on June 12, 2010, in Knoxville, Tenn.
- July 30: The Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCAWomen's Basketball Coaches AssociationThe Women's Basketball Coaches Association is an association of coaches of women's basketball teams at all levels.The organization was formed in 1981, with the goal of addressing the needs of women's basketball coaches.The mission of the WBCA is:...
), on behalf of the Wade Coalition, announced the 2009–2010 preseason "Wade Watch" list for The State Farm Wade TrophyWade TrophyThe Wade Trophy is an award presented annually to the best women's basketball player in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I competition. It is named after three–time national champion Delta State University coach Lily Margaret Wade. The award debuted in 1978 as the first–ever...
Division I Player of the Year. Three players from the Huskies, Tina Charles, Tiffany HayesTiffany HayesTiffany Kiara Hayes plays guard for the UConn women's basketball team, the 2009 and 2010 NCAA National Champions.-Early life:Hayes was born 20 September 1989 in Fort Polk, a town in western Louisiana to Dorothy and Renard Hayes....
and Maya MooreMaya MooreMaya April Moore is an American basketball forward for the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA and Ros Casares Valencia of Euroleague. Moore was the winner of the 2006 and 2007 Naismith Prep Player of the Year. She was selected as the John Wooden Award winner in 2009 after leading Connecticut to the...
, have been named to the 2009–10 preseason "Wade Watch" list, which is made up of top NCAA Division I student-athletes who best embody the spirit of Lily Margaret Wade. This is based on the following criteria: game and season statistics, leadership, character, effect on their team and overall playing ability. - August 14: Lorin Dixon finishes four days at Point Guard College, run by Dena Evans
- August 18: ESPN announced that Notre Dame and Connecticut would be part of the first-ever ESPN women's basketball College GameDay broadcast.
- August 21: The 2009–10 preseason candidates list for the Women’s Wooden Award was released, naming 31 student athletes. Tina Charles and Maya Moore from Connecticut were two of the candidates.
- September 22: UConn celebrated the undefeated National Championship with a dinner for the team, athletic staff and fans.
- Senior Tina Charles and Junior Maya MooreMaya MooreMaya April Moore is an American basketball forward for the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA and Ros Casares Valencia of Euroleague. Moore was the winner of the 2006 and 2007 Naismith Prep Player of the Year. She was selected as the John Wooden Award winner in 2009 after leading Connecticut to the...
were invited to the USA Basketball Women's National Team training camp, in preparation for the 2009 UMMC Ekaterinburg International Invitational. The team then will compete for the 2010 FIBA World Championship. Also on the 19 member team are former UConn players Renee MontgomeryRenee MontgomeryRenee Danielle Montgomery is an American basketball player who won a national championship with the UConn Huskies in 2009. She currently plays for the Connecticut Sun in the WNBA.-High school:...
, Swin CashSwin CashSwintayla Marie Cash , better known as Swin Cash, is an American WNBA player who plays for the Seattle Storm. A prolific scorer and rebounder, as well as a capable ball handler and defender, she helped lead the University of Connecticut women's basketball team to national titles in 2000 and 2002...
, Asjha JonesAsjha JonesAsjha Takera Jones is a professional basketball player. She plays the power forward position for the Connecticut Sun in the WNBA.-Early years:...
, Sue BirdSue BirdSuzanne Brigit "Sue" Bird is an American professional women's basketball player for the Seattle Storm and WBC Spartak Moscow Region....
and Diana TaurasiDiana TaurasiDiana Lorena Taurasi is a professional basketball player who plays for the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA and Galatasaray Medical Park from Turkey...
. The coach of the National Team is UConn coach Geno AuriemmaGeno AuriemmaLuigi "Geno" Auriemma is the head coach of the University of Connecticut Huskies women's basketball team, which he has led to seven National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I national championships...
, although the team selections are made by USA BasketballUSA BasketballUSA Basketball is a non-profit organization and the governing body for basketball in the United States. The organization represents the United States in FIBA and the men's and women's national basketball teams in the United States Olympic Committee...
. - November 3: Maya Moore and Tina Charles selected to the preseason All-American team by the AP. Moore is only the seventh ever unanimous selection.
Pre-season
The Connecticut team opened the year ranked #1 in both the ESPN Coaches poll and the AP Top 25 Poll , following a 39–0 record leading to a National Championship in the prior season. In both cases, the polling results were unanimous. UConn graduated three seniors, Renee Montgomery, Tahirah Williams and Cassie Kerns, but only Renee was a regular starter. The team added one freshman, Kelly Faris, and Caroline Doty returned to the line-up after missing most of the prior season due to injury.The two preseason games were wins against St. Rose College
The College of Saint Rose
The College of Saint Rose is a private, independent, coeducational college in Albany, New York, founded in 1920 by the Sisters of Saint Joseph. The College enrolls a total of approximately 5,000 students ....
(85–44) and Vanguard
Vanguard University of Southern California
Vanguard University is located in Costa Mesa, California, USA. During the summer of 1920, Harold K. Needham, D. W. Kerr, and W. C. Pierce opened a school to prepare Christian workers for the various ministries of the church. The new institute, Southern California Bible School, moved from Los...
(98–68).
Non-conference games
The defending national champions opened their season against Northeastern. The outcome of the game was never in doubt, with a final score of 105–35; the game was more about personal accomplishments than the game itself. Senior Tina Charles pulled down her 1000th career rebound while senior Kalana Greene scored her 1000th career point. The win would continue a consecutive streak started the previous year, then at 40 games.The game against Texas
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
, played in San Antonio, the location of this season's Final Four, was expected to be competitive, as Texas was ranked tenth in the nation by the AP. However, UConn pulled out to a 21 point lead by halftime, and ended up winning by 25, 83–58.
Connecticut's next game against Holy Cross
College of the Holy Cross
The College of the Holy Cross is an undergraduate Roman Catholic liberal arts college located in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA...
would mark the 20th game between the two teams, an annual competition going back to the 1985–86 season. At the start of the series, the schools were competitive, with the teams splitting the first four meetings. However, UConn has not lost since, and entered the game with a 17–2 series record. UConn prevailed 87–34.
After the WBCA Classic, UConn would play Vermont
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools, an honors college, a graduate college, and a college of medicine. The Honors College does not offer its own degrees; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university's seven undergraduate colleges or...
in a rematch of the previous year's NCAA opening round game. UConn won easily 84–42, on a night in which senior Tina Charles became the second leading rebounder in school history.
UConn's next opponent, Hartford
University of Hartford
The University of Hartford is a private, independent, nonsectarian, coeducational university located in West Hartford, Connecticut. The degree programs at the University of Hartford hold the highest levels of accreditation available in the US, including the Engineering Accreditation Commission of...
, was coached by former UConn star Jennifer Rizzotti
Jennifer Rizzotti
Jennifer Rizzotti is a retired American collegiate and professional basketball player, and current Division I coach. She is the daughter of Tom Rizzotti and Carol Rizzotti.-College:...
. Hartford had never beaten UConn, and this game would be no exception, with UConn winning 80–45 for the eleventh consecutive victory over the Hawks. In the next game, UConn easily beat Iona
Iona College (New York)
Iona College is located in New Rochelle, New York, 20 miles north of Manhattan in suburban Westchester County. The college occupies 35 acres on North Ave. The college also operates a Graduate Center in Pearl River, Rockland County, New York....
90–35.
The Stanford
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
game was one of the most anticipated games of the season. Both teams came into the game undefeated. UConn was ranked #1 in the AP writer's poll and the ESPN Coaches poll, while Stanford was ranked #2 in each poll. Stanford's last loss was to UConn in the 2009 NCAA Final Four game, while UConn's last loss was to Stanford in the 2008 Final Four game.
UConn hadn't been behind in a game at halftime or later all season until this game, but Stanford entered halftime with a slim two point lead. However, after trading baskets early in the second half, UConn pulled out to a 22 point lead (74–52) with five minutes left in the game, and coasted to their 49th consecutive victory, all of which were won with a double digit margin.
UConn ended the calendar year with a 78–59 victory over 11th ranked Florida State
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
. The game was relatively close at halftime, 41–35, but UConn's Tina Charles scored 16 of her 24 points in the second half to help ensure a victory.
UConn took a break from conference games to play a home game against the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
(UNC). At the time, UNC was ranked seventh in the country. Despite the prospect of a close game, it was never close. Tina Charles scored 25 points in the first half, single-handedly outscoring the entire UNC team. UConn lead at halftime 56–24, and go on to win by 41 points, 88–47. ESPN's Graham Hays called "the first-half play as good as it gets".
Connecticut had played ACC
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
teams Florida State and North Carolina; on 18 January, they would play their third ACC team of the season, Duke
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
. Just as North Carolina had been ranked seventh at the time of the game, the Duke team was the seventh ranked team in the country. The margin of victory would not be as large as the UNC game, but it was still a convincing win, with UConn outscoring Duke 81–48. In contrast to the UNC game in which the first half was decision, Duke would remain reasonably close at halftime, down only ten, 38–28, but UConn would stretch out the lead in the second half. Maya Moore hit six three point field goals in the game, and Kalana Greene scored 18 points.
Connecticut faced Oklahoma
Oklahoma Sooners women's basketball
The Oklahoma Sooners women's basketball team represents the University of Oklahoma and competes in the Big 12 Conference of NCAA Division I.-History:...
in a late, out-of-conference match-up on the 15th of February. Oklahoma was ranked 12th in the nation, but UConn had faced higher ranked opponents, and won relatively easily. Midway through the first half, it appeared UConn was heading for another easy win, as they had doubled the Sooners score 24–12. However, Oklahoma brought the game back to a two point margin at halftime, and took a one point lead in the second half. Five minutes later, UConn had opened up a ten point lead, and extended the lead to a final 16 point margin 76–60.
WBCA Classic
The WBCA Classic Tournament was held at the UConn campus 27–29 November 2009. Coach Geno Auriemma is the current president of the Women's Basketball Coaches AssociationWomen's Basketball Coaches Association
The Women's Basketball Coaches Association is an association of coaches of women's basketball teams at all levels.The organization was formed in 1981, with the goal of addressing the needs of women's basketball coaches.The mission of the WBCA is:...
. The four teams participating in the three-day round robin
Round-robin tournament
A round-robin tournament is a competition "in which each contestant meets all other contestants in turn".-Terminology:...
event were host UConn, Hofstra
Hofstra University
Hofstra University is a private, nonsectarian institution of higher learning located in the Village of Hempstead, New York, United States, about east of New York City: less than an hour away by train or car...
, Richmond
University of Richmond
The University of Richmond is a selective, private, nonsectarian, liberal arts university located on the border of the city of Richmond and Henrico County, Virginia. The University of Richmond is a primarily undergraduate, residential university with approximately 4,000 undergraduate and graduate...
, and Clemson
Clemson University
Clemson University is an American public, coeducational, land-grant, sea-grant, research university located in Clemson, South Carolina, United States....
. Richmond beat Clemson 86–67 in the first game. UConn easily beat Hofstra 91–46, but the game was notable for being Auriemma's 700th career win. Auriemma reached 700 victories the fastest of any coach in Division I history, reaching the mark in his 822nd game.
The following day, Clemson defeated Hofstra 69–68, while UConn defeated Richmond 86–37. On the final day of the tournament, Richmond defeated Hofstra 42–41, while UConn won the tournament with their victory over Clemson 87–48.
Conference games
UConn opened conference play against Seton HallSeton Hall University
Seton Hall University is a private Roman Catholic university in South Orange, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1856 by Archbishop James Roosevelt Bayley, Seton Hall is the oldest diocesan university in the United States. Seton Hall is also the oldest and largest Catholic university in the...
on 2 Jan 2010. Most away games against Seton Hall are played on campus, but this game was played at the Prudential Center in Newark. The result was never in doubt, as UConn won 91–24, their largest margin over a Big East team in seven years. UConn's second conference game was at home against the University of South Florida
University of South Florida
The University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, one of the state's three flagship universities for public research, and is located in Tampa, Florida, USA...
. UConn started out with an 18–2 run, but Charles and Moore got into early foul trouble, and had to sit on the bench. Nevertheless, UConn had a double-digit lead at halftime, leading coach Auriemma to quip, "This is the only place in America where you've got to apologize for being up 14 at halftime."
UConn's next game, against Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
, was notable more for the coaching match up than the game. After twelve years as an assistant coach at Connecticut and four years as a player, Jamelle Elliott
Jamelle Elliott
Jamelle Renee Elliott is a basketball coach, currently employed as the Head Coach of the University of Cincinnati women's basketball team.-Early life and high school:...
took the head coaching job at Cincinnati. This would be the first match up between Cincinnati and Connecticut since Elliot left Connecticut. UConn won easily 83–51.
UConn returned to Big east play after the UNC game with a game against Marquette
Marquette University
Marquette University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1881, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
at their arena. The game outcome wasn't in doubt, as Tina Charles had a double-double (23 points, 11 rebounds) leading to a 24 point halftime lead, and a final score of 68–43. The game was unusual for a rare coaching decision near the end of the game. UConn typically declines to attempt to score if the game result is not in doubt, and they are inbounding the ball with less than 30 seconds to play, preferring just to dribble out the end of the game. However, in this game, with 72 seconds on the clock, Coach Auriemma instructed his player not to even cross half-court, deliberately accepting a shot clock violation and a turnover. The announcers were unsure of the reason at the time, but subsequent remarks by Auriemma clarified that he felt the officials were not doing enough to stop rough play, and he didn't want to "put his players into any more physical danger by crossing midcourt".
UConn's game against Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
on 16 January didn't tipoff until 9 pm, but the arena opened at 7:30 in the morning. The ESPN CollegeGame Day event, traditionally held at the campus on a men's basketball game, held its first ever College Game Day in connection with a women's basketball game. The campus, shut down for winter break, opened a day earlier than usual to allow students to return in time to attend GameDay. Thousands turned to be in the backdrop of the 10 am national coverage. Because the event occurred in the morning, the UConn team was able to participate.
The game in the evening would pit two undefeated teams—UConn , ranked #1 in the country with a 16–0 record and Notre Dame, ranked #3 in the country, with a 15–0 record. Despite the closeness of the rankings, and records, the game would not be close. UConn pulled out to a 42–19 halftime lead, and coasted to a 24 point victory, winning 70–46. Tina Charles had a double-double (23 points, 13 rebounds), leading ESPN's Mechelle Voepel to call Charles "another one of UConn's all-time greats".
UConn continued their undefeated season with a win over Villanova
Villanova
Villanova may refer to:In botany:*Villanova, a genus of plants in the family Phyllanthaceae, an invalid name replaced by Flueggea, or bushweed*Villanova , a genus of plants in the family Asteraceae.In education:*St...
, 74–35. This marked the first ever start for senior Meghan Gardler. While seniors traditionally get a starting role on senior day, the Villanova game was played near Gardler's hometown of Springfield Pennsylvania. Many friends and family members were at the game to see her play. The team, which normally would travel by plane to Pennsylvania, took the train, just for the experience.
Rutgers
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
is known for its defense, but UConn’s defense would prove to be superior, as UConn held Rutgers to 36 points, while scoring 73. Rutgers was the last team to beat UConn in the regular season, winning at their home in 2008, but on this day, the results would not be close. UConn next played Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
, but the story of the game was not the game result, which UConn won easily. 98–56, but the benchmark reached by Tina Charles, as she became only the sixth player in UConn history to score 2,000 points in her career.
The next conference opponent, West Virginia
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
would be ranked #8 in the country at the time of the game, but had already faced strong teams this season, and had beaten West Virginia by 30 points in the previous year. This year’s final score of 80–47 would produce a wider margin, but with a halftime margin of only 12, and a lead dropping to single-digits a few minutes into the second half, the game outcome appeared more in doubt than the final score would indicate.
The last time Connecticut played Louisville
University of Louisville
The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...
, it was for the National Championship in April 2009. That game wasn't close, but this one would be less of a challenge. UConn tripled Louisville's first half scoring, leading to a 54–18 first half score, and cruised to a final score of 84–38.
DePaul
DePaul Blue Demons
The DePaul Blue Demons are the intercollegiate athletic teams of DePaul University, located in Chicago Illinois. The Blue Demons participate in NCAA Division I and is a member of the Big East Conference....
was within nine points almost 15 minutes into the game, but Tiffnay Hayes and Tina Charles started scoring, each ending up with 19 points for the game. The halftime lead was 20, and UConn started the second half with an 11–1 run to put the game away. The final score was 95–62.
Before the game against St. John's, Tina Charles was inducted into Huskies of Honor
Huskies of Honor
Huskies of Honor is a recognition program sponsored by the University of Connecticut . Similar to a hall of fame, it honors the most significant figures in the history of the Connecticut Huskies—the university's athletic teams—especially the men's and women's basketball teams...
, to reflect her position as one of the most significant figures in the history of the team. Despite the emotion, she scored 25 points and a career high 21 rebounds to help lead UConn over the 24th ranked Red Storm in one of the closest games of the year, with a final score of 66–52. Only the 12 point win over Stanford was closer than the 14 point win against St. John's.
Connecticut did not have any trouble against Providence
Providence College
Providence College is a private, coeducational, Catholic university located about two miles west of downtown Providence, Rhode Island, United States, the state's capital city. With a 2010–2011 enrollment of 3,850 undergraduate students and 735 graduate students, the College specializes in academic...
on the 20th of February, quickly building a 20 point lead and extending the lead in the second half, behind a career high points total of 26 from Tina Charles and 21 from Maya Moore. UConn has now won 237 consecutive victories against unranked opponents at home. Connecticut would continue their winning streak against Syracuse
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
four days later, when Maya Moore had a season high 38 points and a career-high 20 rebounds in an 87–66 victory.
Connecticut played 11th ranked Georgetown
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
with an opportunity to clinch the Big East regular season title. Tina Charles, who had tied her season high points total a week earlier, set a new season record with 33 points, hitting 14 of 16 shot. Seniors Kaili McLaren, Meghan Gardler and Jacquie Fernandes started the game along with Charles and Greene, to follow the tradition of starting seniors in their final home game. Although Georgetown started out strong, hitting three 3-pointers to take an early 9–4 lead, and extended it to 15–9, the largest deficit UConn has faced this season, the team retook the lead later in the first half and did not trail again, winning with a final score of 84–62.
The last regular season game was a rematch against Notre Dame. The usual Big East schedule has two games against one opponent—for several seasons, that opponent was Rutgers, but this season, it was the eighth ranked Notre Dame team. UConn won easily 76–51. Tina Charles set two UConn career records in the same game, becoming the all-time scoring leader, surpassing Nykesha Sales
Nykesha Sales
Nykesha Simone Sales is a former professional basketball player in the WNBA, most recently for the Connecticut Sun. Her primary position is the small forward. Her second position is shooting guard. In 1999 Sales was added to the roster of the USA FIBA Senior National Team team...
's record of 2,178 and became the all-time rebound leader, surpassing Rebecca Lobo
Rebecca Lobo
Rebecca Rose Lobo-Rushin is an American television basketball analyst and a former player in the professional Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 to 2003...
's record of 1,268.
Roster
| Number | Name | Height | Position | Class |
| 21 | Heather Buck | 6-3 | Center/Forward | RS Freshman |
| 31 | Tina Charles Tina Charles (basketball) Tina Charles is an American women's basketball player with the Connecticut Sun of the Women's National Basketball Association and the Galatasaray Medical Park of the TWBL. Originally from Jamaica, New York, Charles was drafted 1st overall in the 2010 WNBA Draft... |
6-4 | Center | Senior |
| 30 | Lorin Dixon | 5-4 | Guard | Junior |
| 5 | Caroline Doty | 5-10 | Guard | Sophomore |
| 34 | Kelly Faris Kelly Faris Kelly Elizabeth Faris plays guard for the UConn women's basketball team, the 2010 NCAA National Champions. She has been on a post-season championship team for five consecutive seasons, including four consecutive high school state championships and one NCAA championship.-Early life:Faris grew up... |
5-11 | Guard | Freshman |
| 13 | Jacquie Fernandes | 5-9 | Guard | Senior |
| 22 | Meghan Gardler | 6-0 | Forward | Senior |
| 32 | Kalana Greene Kalana Greene Kalana Lanette Greene , is a basketball guard, currently for the Connecticut Sun of the WNBA, and CCC Polkowice in Poland. She played her college career at the University of Connecticut, where the Huskies were the 2009 and 2010 NCAA national Champions.-Early life:Greene grew up in St... |
5-10 | Guard | Senior |
| 3 | Tiffany Hayes Tiffany Hayes Tiffany Kiara Hayes plays guard for the UConn women's basketball team, the 2009 and 2010 NCAA National Champions.-Early life:Hayes was born 20 September 1989 in Fort Polk, a town in western Louisiana to Dorothy and Renard Hayes.... |
5-10 | Guard | Sophomore |
| 41 | Kaili McLaren | 6-2 | Forward | Senior |
| 23 | Maya Moore Maya Moore Maya April Moore is an American basketball forward for the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA and Ros Casares Valencia of Euroleague. Moore was the winner of the 2006 and 2007 Naismith Prep Player of the Year. She was selected as the John Wooden Award winner in 2009 after leading Connecticut to the... |
6-0 | Forward | Junior |
Schedule
XLC—Veterans Memorial Coliseum at XL Center| Date | Time (EST) | Opponent / Event | Location | UConn Points | Opp. Points | Record | |
| | 5 Nov 09 | 7:30 p.m. | vs. St. Rose College ε | Storrs, CT (Gampel Pavilion) | 85 | 44 | |
|||||||
| 0 | 9 Nov 09 | 7:00 p.m. | vs. Vanguard ε | Hartford, CT (XLC) | 98 | 68 | |
|||||||
| 1 | 14 Nov 09 | 2:00 p.m. | vs. Northeastern | Storrs, CT (Gampel Pavilion) | 105 | 35 | 1–0 |
|||||||
| 2 | 17 Nov 09 | 9:30 p.m. | at Texas | San Antonio, TX (AT&T Center) | 83 | 58 | 2–0 |
|||||||
| 3 | 20 Nov 09 | 7:00 p.m. | at Holy Cross | Worcester, MA (DCU Center) | 87 | 34 | 3–0 |
|||||||
| 4 | 27 Nov 09 | 7:30 p.m. | vs. Hofstra | Storrs, CT (Gampel Pavilion) | 91 | 46 | 4–0 |
|||||||
| 5 | 28 Nov 09 | 7:30 p.m. | vs. Richmond | Storrs, CT (Gampel Pavilion) | 86 | 37 | 5–0 |
|||||||
| 6 | 29 Nov 09 | 4:30 p.m. | vs. Clemson | Storrs, CT (Gampel Pavilion) | 87 | 48 | 6–0 |
|||||||
| 7 | 3 Dec 09 | 7:30 p.m. | vs. Vermont | Storrs, CT (Gampel Pavilion) | 84 | 42 | 7–0 |
|||||||
| 9 | 10 Dec 09 | 7:00 p.m. | vs. Hartford | Hartford, CT (XLC) | 80 | 45 | 8–0 |
|||||||
| 8 | 20 Dec 09 | 6:00 p.m. | vs. Iona | Storrs, CT (Gampel Pavilion) | 90 | 35 | 9–0 |
|||||||
| 10 | 23 Dec 09 | 5:30 p.m. | vs. Stanford | Hartford, CT (XLC) | 80 | 68 | 10–0 |
|||||||
| 11 | 28 Dec 09 | 7:00 p.m. | at Florida State | Tallahassee, FL (Tully Gym) | 78 | 59 | 11–0 |
|||||||
| 12 | 2 Jan 10 | 2:00 p.m. | at Seton Hall β | Prudential Center, Newark | 91 | 24 | 12–0 |
|||||||
| 13 | 4 Jan 10 | 7:00 p.m. | vs. USF β | Hartford, CT (XLC) | 84 | 42 | 13–0 |
|||||||
| 14 | 7 Jan 10 | 7:30 p.m. | vs. Cincinnati β | Storrs, CT (Gampel Pavilion) | 83 | 51 | 14–0 |
|||||||
| 15 | 9 Jan 10 | 4:00 p.m. | vs. North Carolina | Storrs, CT (Gampel Pavilion) | 88 | 47 | 15–0 |
|||||||
| 16 | 13 Jan 10 | 8:00 p.m. | at Marquette β | Milwaukee, WI (Al McGuire Center) | 68 | 43 | 16–0 |
|||||||
| 17 | 16 Jan 10 | 7:30 p.m. | vs. Notre Dame β | Storrs, CT (Gampel Pavilion) | 70 | 46 | 17–0 |
|||||||
| 18 | 18 Jan 10 | 7:00 p.m. | at Duke | Durham, NC (Cameron Indoor Stadium) | 81 | 48 | 18–0 |
|||||||
| 19 | 23 Jan 10 | 2:00 p.m. | at Villanova β | Villanova, Pa. (The Pavilion) | 74 | 35 | 19–0 |
|||||||
| 20 | 26 Jan 10 | 7:00 p.m. | vs. Rutgers β | Hartford, CT (XLC) | 73 | 36 | 20–0 |
|||||||
| 21 | 30 Jan 10 | 2:00 p.m. | at Pittsburgh β | Pittsburgh, PA (Petersen Events Center) | 98 | 56 | 21–0 |
|||||||
| 22 | 2 Feb 10 | 7:00 p.m. | vs. West Virginia β | Hartford, CT (XLC) | 80 | 47 | 22–0 |
|||||||
| 23 | 7 Feb 10 | 12:00 p.m. | at Louisville β | Louisville, KY (Freedom Hall) | 84 | 38 | 23–0 |
|||||||
| 24 | 10 Feb 10 | 8:00 p.m. | at DePaul β | Chicago, Ill. (McGrath Arena) | 95 | 62 | 24–0 |
|||||||
| 25 | 13 Feb 10 | 5:00 p.m. | vs. St. John's β | Storrs, CT (Gampel Pavilion) | 66 | 52 | 25–0 |
|||||||
| 26 | 15 Feb 10 | 9:00 p.m. | at Oklahoma | Norman, OK (Lloyd Noble Center) | 76 | 60 | 26–0 |
|||||||
| 27 | 20 Feb 10 | 1:00 p.m. | vs. Providence β | Hartford, CT (XLC) | 85 | 53 | 27–0 |
|||||||
| 28 | 24 Feb 10 | 7:00 p.m. | at Syracuse β | Syracuse, NY (Carrier Dome) | 87 | 66 | 28–0 |
|||||||
| 29 | 27 Feb 10 | 12:00 p.m. | vs. Georgetown β | Hartford, CT (XLC) | 84 | 62 | 29–0 |
|||||||
| 30 | 1 Mar 10 | 7:00 p.m. | at Notre Dame β | South Bend, IN (Joyce Center) | 76 | 51 | 30–0 |
ε
Exhibition
β
Big East
Quarter-final
The Big East Tournament started with first round action on Friday, 5 March 2010. By virtue of being one of the top four seeds, UConn earned a double-bye, with their first game scheduled in the quarterfinals on Sunday. Syracuse beat Seton Hall on Friday, then beat Providence on Saturday to earn the match up against the number one seeded team in the tournament.The game would never be close, with UConn leading at the half 44–17, and ended with a 77–41 victory. UConn's Tina Charles would tie her career high with 34 points, while Maya Moore would score the 2000th point of her career, ending the game with 16 points, 14 rebounds and 7 assists. The win would be UConn's 70th consecutive win, tying an NCAA Division I record for the longest winning streak in the history of women's college basketball, set by UConn in 2003.
Semi-Final
UConn would break their own 70-game winning streak with a 59–44 victory over Notre Dame on March 8, 2010, earning their 71st straight victory; every single victory during their current streak has been by at least 10 points. The Huskies will play in the Big East Championship game on March 9, 2010, which will be their last game before the NCAA Tournament.Big East Championship Game
UConn defeated West Virginia, 60–32, to improve their winning streak to 72 games, and making their season record 33–0. Kalana GreeneKalana Greene
Kalana Lanette Greene , is a basketball guard, currently for the Connecticut Sun of the WNBA, and CCC Polkowice in Poland. She played her college career at the University of Connecticut, where the Huskies were the 2009 and 2010 NCAA national Champions.-Early life:Greene grew up in St...
's 15 points guided the Huskies to victory, and help her to earn the Most Outstanding Player award for the tournament. UConn closed the game on 27–4 run after leading 33–28 early in the second half.
NCAA Basketball Tournament
UConn was awarded a #1 seed (the number one overall seed) and assigned to the Dayton bracket. Their first round game was against SouthernSouthern Jaguars
The Southern Jaguars represent Southern University in NCAA intercollegiate athletics.-Conference affiliation:Southern University's athletic teams participate in the Southwestern Athletic Conference which is a part of the NCAA Division I. Football participates in the Football Championship...
, the winner of the SWAC
Southwestern Athletic Conference
The Southwestern Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, which is made up of historically black universities in the Southern United States...
tournament. Southern would score the first two points, but that would be their only lead of the game. Tina Charles hit her first nine shot attempts, on her way to a 22 point game, and teammate Maya More would add 21. Others would score as well, but those two scored enough to outscore the Jaguars. UConn’s defense would hold the Jaguars to just ten second half points.
The second round game was against Temple
Temple Owls
Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has a very long-running athletic program. The school's sports teams are called the Owls, originating from the university's early days as a night school. The current athletic director is Bill Bradshaw....
. The Temple team is coached by Tonya Cardoza, who was an assistant coach at UConn for 14 years, before she accepted the head coaching job at Temple prior to the start of the 2008–2009 season. The game also occurred on Auriemma’s 56th birthday. UConn outscored Temple 55–12 in the first half, hitting 78% of their field goal attempts. The starting players ended up playing no more than half the game. Auriemma described the game as “pretty incredible performance”.
The Sweet Sixteen game was against Iowa State
Iowa State Cyclones
The Iowa State Cyclones are the athletic teams of Iowa State University. The university is a member of the Big 12 Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding 16 varsity teams in 12 sports.*Men's sports...
. The two teams last played each other in 1999, when Iowa State knocked number one seeded UConn out of the NCAA tournament. This time, the result would be quite different. Maya Moore outscored Iowa State in the first half, despite sitting more than ten minutes with two fouls. The lead would grow to 50, at which time the starters all sat for the remainder of the game, and the final margin tightened. The final score was 74–36.
In the Dayton Regional final, there was a rematch of a game earlier this season against Florida State
Florida State Seminoles
The Florida State Seminoles are the men's and women's sports teams of Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. Florida State participates in the NCAA's Division I . FSU joined the Atlantic Coast Conference in 1991, and competes in the Atlantic Division in any sports split into a...
, and it was no contest as the Huskies rolled thanks to Maya Moore's 22 points and Tina Charles added 20 points and had 14 rebounds in a 90–50 rout of the Lady Seminoles. The win earned them a trip to the Women's Final Four and a date with Baylor
Baylor Bears
Baylor Bears refers to the sports teams of Baylor University. Baylor's men's sports teams are nicknamed the Bears, and some women's teams are nicknamed the Lady Bears. Student athletes participate in the NCAA's Division I, and Baylor is the only private school in the Big 12 Conference...
and one of the most dominant players in women's basketball, Brittney Griner.
The Final Four semi-final game against Baylor started the way many games this season have started. Despite playing a top-ranked team, Connecticut went out to leads of 11–3 and 25–8. Baylor didn’t quit, and by halftime, the 17 point lead was down to 13. UConn scored the first basket of the second half, but then Baylor scored twelve consecutive points, to cut the margin to three. Baylor’s 6’ 8” center Griner had five blocks to go along with 13 points and six rebounds. In contrast, UConn’s center Charles had two blocks along with 21 points and 13 rebounds, while Maya Moore scored 34 points, the fourth highest point total in semifinal history. The final score in favor of Connecticut was 70–50, setting up a rematch with Stanford.
The National Championship game on Tuesday was against Stanford. Stanford's last loss was to Connecticut in December 2009, and Connecticut's last loss was to Stanford, exactly two years before, in the Final Four of 2008. The game started the way many games for Connecticut have started—just over two minutes into the game, Connecticut had a 5–0 lead. However, they would not score for over ten minutes, missing sixteen consecutive shots. Stanford would lead by as many as nine points, and would go to halftime with a 20–12 lead. The twelve points scored by UConn was the lowest first half total in the history of Connecticut basketball.
Maya Moore lead the team after the half, scoring 11 of the team's first 17 points, including the basket that put Connecticut back into the lead, this time for good. Moore would end up with 23 points and 11 rebounds, and earned Most Outstanding Player honors for the Final Four. Connecticut would go on to win 53–47, ending their streak of double-digit victories, but winning their 78th consecutive game, resulting in their seventh National Championship, their second consecutive undefeated season and their fourth overall undefeated season.
Team
- The 1999–2000 NCAA champion University of Connecticut women’s basketball team was recognized with induction into the UConn Huskies of HonorHuskies of HonorHuskies of Honor is a recognition program sponsored by the University of Connecticut . Similar to a hall of fame, it honors the most significant figures in the history of the Connecticut Huskies—the university's athletic teams—especially the men's and women's basketball teams...
. This occurred at halftime of the UConn-Stanford game on December 23 at the XL Center. The Huskies of Honor program was launched in 2006.
Tina CharlesTina Charles (basketball)Tina Charles is an American women's basketball player with the Connecticut Sun of the Women's National Basketball Association and the Galatasaray Medical Park of the TWBL. Originally from Jamaica, New York, Charles was drafted 1st overall in the 2010 WNBA Draft...
- All-BIG EAST First Team (unanimous)
- Big East Player of the Year
- AP All-American(unanimous)
- U.S. Basketball Writers Association's Player of the Year.
- State Farm Coaches' All-America Team
- AP National Player of the Year
- Naismith College Player of the Year
- #1 selection in 2010 WNBA draft
- John R. Wooden AwardJohn R. Wooden AwardThe John R. Wooden Award is an award given annually to the most outstanding men's and women's college basketball players. The program consists of the men's and women's Player of the Year awards, the Legends of Coaching award and recognizes the All–America Teams.The awards, given by the Los...
winner
Maya MooreMaya MooreMaya April Moore is an American basketball forward for the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA and Ros Casares Valencia of Euroleague. Moore was the winner of the 2006 and 2007 Naismith Prep Player of the Year. She was selected as the John Wooden Award winner in 2009 after leading Connecticut to the...
- Big East Scholar-Athlete of the Year
- Academic All-America of the Year award
- AP All-American(unanimous)
- State Farm Coaches' All-America Team
- State Farm Wade Trophy Player of the Year
- Honda Sports AwardHonda Sports AwardThe Honda Sports Award is an annual award in the United States of America, given to the best collegiate female athlete in each of twelve sports. There are four nominees for each sport, and the twelve winners of the Honda Award are automatically in the running for the Honda-Broderick Cup award, as...
, basketball
Team players drafted into the WNBA
| Round | Pick | Player | WNBA Club |
| 1 | 1 | Tina Charles | Connecticut Sun |
| 2 | 1 | Kalana Greene | New York Liberty |
See also
- UConn–Rutgers rivalry
- UConn–Tennessee rivalry
- 2009–10 Connecticut Huskies men's basketball team2009–10 Connecticut Huskies men's basketball teamThe 2009–10 Connecticut Huskies men's basketball team represented the University of Connecticut in the 2009–2010 NCAA Division I basketball season. The Huskies were coached by Jim Calhoun and played their home games at the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut, and on campus at the Harry A. Gampel...
- 2009–10 Connecticut Huskies women's ice hockey season2009–10 Connecticut Huskies women's ice hockey seasonThe head coach is Heather Linstad. Assisting Linstad are Jaime Totten and Kirsti Anderson. The first time the 2009-10 women's ice hockey team took the ice was at Mark Edward Freitas Ice Forum will be in exhibition play against Dawson College on Sept. 25 at 7 p.m. The regular season began on the...