University of Connecticut Athletics
Husky Hoops Opens Friday
10/31/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
FRIDAY'S GAME
Tonight's game features the Huskies of the University of Connecticut in an exhibition contest against the Melbourne Tigers, an all-star team based out of Victoria, Australia. This is the first of two exhibition games in 2002-2003 for the Huskies.
DEFENDING CHAMPS
The Huskies enter the 2002-2003 season as the defending national champions after going undefeated with a 39-0 record en route to the title. UConn returns just one player from the 2002-2003 starting five, junior All-American Diana Taurasi.
THE COACHES
The head coach of Connecticut, in his 18th season with the Huskies, is Geno Auriemma. Auriemma will enter the 2002-2003 season with a career record of 464-98 in 17 seasons of collegiate coaching. He has led the Huskies to three National Championships and has earned four National Coach of the Year honors. Paul Simpson is the head coach of the Melbourne Tigers squad.
PLAYERS TO WATCH FOR UCONN
Junior guard Diana Taurasi is UConn's only returning starter from last season's 39-0 squad. The All-American was named a 2002-2003 Preseason Naismith Player of the Year candidate and the BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year. She ranked second for the Huskies in scoring last season with 14.5 points per game and added 4.1 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game. Sophomores Jessica Moore (center) and Ashley Battle (forward) as well as junior Maria Conlon (guard) round out the key returnees for UConn. Freshman guard Ann Strother was named the 2002-2003 Preseason BIG EAST Rookie of the Year.
PRESEASON PICKS
Despite going wire-to-wire atop the national polls last season and earning a national championship, picking UConn’s fate for 2002-2003 seems to be no easy task. Prognosticators have the Huskies ranked anywhere from as high as third to as low as 12th in the preseason. Here’s rundown of who has UConn where: All-School Girl’s Report- UConn 3rd; Athlon Magazine- UConn 8th; Basketball News- UConn 6th; Lindy’s Magazine- UConn 4th; Street & Smith- UConn 12th; Women’s Basketball News Service- UConn 5th; Slam Magazine- UConn 5th; GBall Mag.com- UConn 3rd. Seven of the eight media outlets picked Duke to win it all, while Lindy’s went out on a limb and chose Tennessee as the preseason favorite. The first Associated Press Poll is set to be released on Monday, Nov. 4.
TAURASI TOPS PRESEASON LISTS
Although the team’s fate is somewhat uncertain, one thing is for sure, the Huskies have in their starting lineup one of the top players in the country. Junior guard Diana Taurasi was one of the top four vote-getters for the preseason Naismith Player of the Year award. The All-American was also a Naismith finalist as a sophomore last season. She has also been named a consensus preseason First Team All-American.
PRESEASON LEAGUE PICKS
As UConn’s fate in the national polls fluctuates, one constant is the Huskies dominance in the BIG EAST. Connecticut has won nine consecutive BIG EAST regular season and tournament titles and holds a total of 23 BIG EAST titles. UConn was once again picked as the preseason favorite, tying with Notre Dame for the most votes with seven apiece. Taurasi was named the 2002-2003 Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year, while UConn newcomer Ann Strother was named the 2002-2003 Preseason BIG EAST Rookie of the Year. The BIG EAST Coaches’ Preseason Poll looks like this:
TEAM (First place votes) Points
1. Connecticut (7) 161
Notre Dame (7) 161
3. Boston College 143
4. Villanova 128
5. Virginia Tech 110
6. Rutgers 107
7. Miami 104
8. West Virginia 101
9. Seton Hall 69
Syracuse 69
11. Georgetown 64
12. Providence 33
13. Pittsburgh 29
14. St. John’s 15
"FRIENDLY" GAMPEL
For the past nine seasons, the Huskies boast a record of 143-3 (.979) in Gampel Pavilion (19-0 in 1993-94, 18-0 in 1994-95, 18-1 in 1995-96, 17-0 in 1996-97, 16-0 in 1997-98, 12-1 in 1998-99, 15-1 in 1999-00, 14-0 in 2000-01 and 14-0 in 2001-02). Overall, the Huskies have had 66 straight sellouts in Gampel dating back to an 82-69 win over Rutgers on December 31, 1997, and UConn boasts an advance sellout for all six Gampel games in 2002-2003.
WRIGHT STATE- THE BANNER DAY
The University of Connecticut women’s basketball team will add its third championship banner to the rafters when the Huskies raise the 2002-2003 NCAA Division I National Championship banner in Gampel Pavilion prior to UConn’s season opener versus Wright State on Friday, November 22. The banner raising ceremony will begin at approximately 7:30 p.m. and will be seen live on CPTV.
HUSKY STREAKS
After UConn’s 2001-2002 first and second round NCAA wins over St. Francis and Iowa, respectively, the Huskies enter the 2002-2003 season with a 48-game winning streak at home (both Gampel and Civic Center) dating back to a 72-71 loss versus Tennessee on Feb. 2, 2000. In Gampel, UConn has won its last 33 contests dating back to the Tennessee loss in 2000. In the Civic Center, UConn has won its last 25 contests dating back to a 62-47 loss to St. John’s on Feb. 22, 1986. UConn is riding a 38-game regular season win streak since a 92-88 loss to Tennessee on February 1, 2001. UConn boasts a 94-game conference win streak at home. UConn’s last home loss to a conference team was a 64-62 decision to Georgetown on February, 27, 1993. The Civic Center has sold out its last 13 games.
NEXT ON THE SCHEDULE
UConn will play its final exhibition contest of the season on Wednesday, Nov. 13, when the Huskies host the Houston Jaguars at 7:30 p.m. in Gampel Pavilion. The Jaguars consist of former collegiate athletes and several current WNBA players such as Laneisha Caulfield (Oklahoma/Utah Starzz) and Tamicha Jackson (Louisiana Tech/Portland Fire). The squad is coached by Kevin Cook, an assistant coach for the WNBA's Houston Comets. The Huskies will begin defense of its national title on Friday, Nov. 22, when they host Wright State at 7:30 p.m. in Gampel Pavilion. UConn's newest championship banner will be raised prior to the Wright State contest.
FIRST ROAD TRIP
After facing Wright State on Nov. 22, the Huskies will hit the road immediately to compete in the inaugural Women’s Basketball Jimmy V Classic. The event, scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 24, will feature preseason favorites Duke versus Tennessee at 2 p.m. followed by your defending champs against NC State at 4:30 p.m. Both contests are being played at the RBC Center in Raleigh, NC and will be shown live nationally on ESPN.
ALOHA ROAD TRIP
After UConn’s short stint in North Carolina, the Huskies will return to Hawaii for the first time in seven years for the 24th annual University of Hawaii Wahine Classic. This is UConn’s third appearance in the prestigious tournament. The Huskies captured the title in 1995 and finished runner-up to host Hawaii in 1991. UConn will begin play on Friday, Nov. 29, at 7 p.m. Hawaii Time (midnight eastern time) versus the University of Denver. Connecticut will next play either Hawaii at 11 a.m. HT or Gonzaga at 3:20 p.m. HT on Saturday, Nov. 30, depending on the outcome of both the UConn/Denver game and the Hawaii/Gonzaga game. (Hawaii has designated game times- there is no win/loss bracket). All games will be played in the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, HI.
