University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies Looking for Trip to Final Four
3/26/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
PITTSBURGH (AP) - No matter if it's a scavenger hunt through the streets of a busy city, a full-court scrimmage during an off-day practice or the national championship game, the Connecticut Huskies expect to win.
Not most of the time, but all the time. Every half. Every game. Every season.
If losing isn't a banned word in coach Gene Auriemma's lexicon, it's on his short list of not-to-use phrases. Everything about the Huskies is meant to be the best - the best uniforms, the best staff, the best preparation, the best players.
``People say you're greedy if you want to win by 30 or 40 points every night, but if you're capable of doing it every night, why not?'' said Tamika Williams, who helps lead the Huskies (31-2) into Monday night's NCAA East Regional championship game against Louisiana Tech (31-4).
Why not, indeed? As favorite after favorite tumbles in the women's tournament - Tennessee here, Duke there - the defending national champion and top-seeded Huskies keep rolling, keep laughing, keep winning.
They relaxed the day before a 72-58 victory Saturday over North Carolina State with a scavenger hunt, scurrying through downtown Pittsburgh seeking policemen willing to pose for pictures. The higher-ranking the officer, the more points awarded.
On Sunday, with the most important game of the season only 24 hours away, the Huskies were equally loose and relaxed, and not just because they beat Louisiana Tech by 15 points in early January.
Auriemma seemed especially unruffled, made a joking reference to Missouri coach Cindy Stein's reference to him as ``someone to look at.''
``Sixteen years at UConn, and I'm just another pretty face,'' he said.
Freshman guard Diana Taurasi, who had 24 points in Saturday's 72-58 victory over North Carolina State, stayed with the joke when asked if Auriemma was the reason she signed with UConn.
Smiling, she said, ``I was looking at the athletic director'' - a line that drew a roar from AD Lew Perkins, who is about the size of an NFL offensive lineman.
Isn't it fun to play for a winner?
Louisiana Tech coach Leon Barmore, who has just as many national titles (2) as Auriemma and even more career victories (551-424), wasn't in such a playful mood at his news conference.
Of course, he had a legitimate excuse for his lack of one-liners - he had just scouted Connecticut on tape.
``They are very impressive,'' said Barmore, playing UConn for the first time in the NCAA tournament.
Still, his Lady Techsters would seem to match up well inside against Connecticut, which has lost its two best returning players - Svetlana Abrosimova and Shea Ralph - to injuries since that January game in Ruston, La.
With guard Brooke Lassiter adeptly working the ball inside to 6-2 Takeisha Lewis and 6-2 Ayana ``Bird'' Walker, the Techsters have taken off since the UConn loss, winning 19 in a row. Lewis has become especially dominant, with 27 points and 17 rebounds Saturday in a 78-67 victory over 10th-seeded Missouri. Walker had 14 points and 12 rebounds.
And while the Techsters are impressed with UConn's success, they aren't intimidated by it, having played in the Final Four only two years ago.
``UConn deserves all the credit they get, and they should be confident,'' Lassiter said. ``But we have reason to be confident ourselves. We just have to be ourselves and do the job we've done all year.''
Of course, talking about beating Connecticut is one thing. Doing it is another. Even without his two returning All-Americans, Auriemma thinks he has the best team in the tournament.
``I'm not afraid to say it because I believe it,'' he said. ``Now that we have a couple of players hurt, does it change the way I feel? It doesn't change it one bit. I stand by what I say.
``This time of the year isn't about Xs and Os or who has the best offense or who has the best tricks. It's about who has the ability to play big at this time of the year. That's the kind of kids we bring to Connecticut, the kids who can play big in March.''
