Unfortunately, this has been a question University of Connecticut Coach Geno Auriemma has had to answer all too many times lately. He has made an important observation, if his team were a men’s team he wouldn’t be asked this. Did John Wooden have to answer this question on his teams? 78 wins in a row, that’s pretty impressive. I don’t care if it was men or women. It’s impressive.
Obviously, this win streak points out a divide in women’s college basketball. Beating teams by an average of double figures (32.7 point average to be exact), only trailing opponents for 115 minutes in the first half and 9:10 in the second half…in 2 years. Uconn never plays a schedule full of fluff teams either, each year they take on the best teams across the country. The Stanford’s, the North Carolina’s, the Duke’s, the Rugter’s, the Oklahoma’s all the Women’s basketball powerhouse’s have all fallen. The one name that is missing from this list is Tennessee, but I have a feeling that even Pat Summit’s young team would have been no match for the giant that is Uconn.
Unlike the Men’s college game currently, the best women’s teams are only getting better. Teams like Maryland and Baylor have joined the powerhouses like North Carolina, Duke, Uconn, Tennessee, Stanford but the top teams remain the top teams. They all have 2 things in common: great coaching and women’s players are required to remain in college longer than the men. This gives players a chance to develop and allows top programs to remain on top because they don’t have to refill their roster every year. Year after year the top schools are adding High School All-Americans to teams already filled with former High School All-Americans. Sometimes it just doesn’t seem fair. There is a reason the top players want to come to a university like Uconn; besides the strength of the academics at the university, the coaching and program history plays a huge roll. Players know they are coming in good players and will leave great players.
Coaching has everything to do with how great the women of Uconn have become. Coach Auriemma has always been a master motivator, able to get the absolute best from his players. Much like any coach, motivating and winning is his job and he just so happens to be great at it. Auriemma has always had an unfair advantage that few coaches could claim; top, elite players every year. It can be argued that only Pat Summit at Tennessee has had the level of talent Auriemma has had in his career at Uconn. Currently, Uconn has 9 players playing in the WNBA and 22 in total. Names like Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Swin Cash, Rebecca Lobo all flourished under Auriemma and have used the knowledge gained under him to becomeNCAA Champions, WNBA champions, Olympic Gold Medalist’s, and World Champions. Always known to be an arrogant man, Auriemma once famously stated before the 2003-2004 Women’s College Basketball Championship game, “We have Diana, and you don’t.” It’s not that he had Diana and others didn’t, he has had Bird, Maya Moore, Tina Charles, Lobo and others didn’t and he got the absolute best from them all.
This is a couple years old, but the point is well taken
There was a moment amongst the celebrating last night that was very telling of the relationship Auriemma has with his players. He expects the best and often gets it from his players, but when his expectations aren’t met the player knows. Over the years he has broken down the best of players, only to build them back up better. One of the biggest examples is Tina Charles. A talented player who didn’t always live up to her talent and Auriemma let her know every time. Charles had tremendous potential and may never have lived up to this had Auriemma not been her coach. He was always hard on her and like most coaches he never gave her more than she could handle. But often came close to crossing that line. Last night, the camera caught Auriemma and Charles in a touching embrace. Uncontrollable tears streamed from Charles’ eyes as she gave the hug one would save for father. In many ways he has been a father figure to his players; teaching, nurturing, and scolding. He is all this and more to his players. By the way, Charles is the 2010 Naismith Trophy winner and sure to be the number 1 pick at Thursday WNBA draft. Not all because of Auriemma, but mostly.
4 undefeated seasons, 7 national titles, 78 straight wins. I would say Auriemma and the University of Connecticut are doing pretty well for Women’s basketball. Eventually, it becomes about pride. Teams have to get the mindset that Connecticut “WILL NOT BEAT US!” and out prepare, out hustle, out play Uconn. That will be no easy task and will provide for some very competitive basketball to come. You know, once teams stop losing by 30 points to them.
So, the short answer is NO 78 consecutive wins isn't bad for Women's Basketball.
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