BREAKING: UConn Streak Ends At 90

A basket by Stanford's Nnemkadi Ogwumike with a little over a minute to go gave the Cardinal a 63-55 lead at Maples Pavilion.

As a result, after made free throws, the Huskies 90-game NCAA win streak came to an end with a final score of 71-59.

Maya Moore had an uncharacteristic off-night with only 14 points- missing her only free throw on the evening.

Stanford head Coach Tara Vanderveer has now given the rest of the women's basketball world a blue print on how to take care of Geno Auriemma's team.

ESPN's Dave O'Brien called the run the "streak of a thousand days."

Auriemma said the atmosphere effected the team and they didn't play like themselves.

"They made big plays when they had to make them, and they took us out of our game completely," he said in his post-game interview. He also said he would appreciate the streak tomorrow before realizing what the streak meant for college basketball.

Vanderveer collects her 650th career win and evened her record at 6-6 against UConn. Stanford was also the last team to defeat UConn in an NCAA semi-final back in 2008- repeating the feat Notre Dame performed in knocking off UCLA in their 88-game streak on the men's side.

"We didn't play a perfect game, but I think we played really well," Vanderveer admitted. "It's December. We'll play better and they'll play better, too."

Jeanette Pohlen led Stanford with a career-high 31 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists.
"I think our team was really looking for me to get my shot. I'm just happy we got the win at Maples, and I'm just so proud of my team."

UConn shoots 33-percent from the floor on the night...

More when we know more...

UConn Breaks Consecutive Wins Record

((HT: WTNH-TV New Haven))

Maya Moore had a double-double with a career-high 41 points and 10 rebounds and Bria Hartley added 21 points for the UConn Huskies, who have not lost since April 6, 2008. That loss came in the NCAA tournament semifinals.

Only twice during the record run has a team come within single digits of UConn — Stanford in the NCAA championship game last season and Baylor in early November.

They now have the record all to themselves- breaking UCLA's 88-game streak from 1971-1974...

Here's a fan piece in lieu of highlights of Moore's 41-point performance...
Bob Wilson tried to hear himself think...

Fans react to UConn record: wtnh.com

UConn ties consecutive wins record

Maya Moore/Courtesy: Josh Wolke, Hartford Courant

And they'll probably break it in their next game. The most dominant program in Women's NCAA Basketball continued mowing down all kinds of win records after beating Ohio State 81-50 on Sunday.

The Lady Huskies have only broken a sweat a few times this season en route to a 10-0 record this season. However the bigger number is 88. 88 in a row. 88 games since they've lost. 88 times, they've taken care of business. 88 is the amount of games UCLA's men's team won in the early 70's which is by far, the all-time record of consecutive wins...until now.

The roster has turned over, most of the players are new, but they keep winning. This years team has the best player in the game, Maya Moore. The one constant is the coach, Geno Auriemma. Say what you will about him, he's not liked by everyone because he says what's on his mind, but he wins. He continues to win and shows no sign of that changing.

Check out the Hartford Courant's story about yesterday's game RIGHT HERE

One thing that came out of this game was Auriemma's rant about his team being ignored or looked down on because it's Women's Hoops. Honestly, he's not totally wrong. And anyone who looks down on this accomplishment shouldn't consider themselves a Sports fan. In any sports, what this team and program has done is nothing short of amazing and they should get the respect and coverage that an accomplishment like this deserves.

Whether the national media and the 4-letter word (ESPN) gives you the love you deserve or not, we, Coach Auriemma and Lady Huskies give you as much respect and props as we can. You've got one more game to make the record your own. Now go take care of business Tuesday against Florida State.

Your game highlights from the one and only ESPN:



Here is post-game with Coach Geno Auriemma talking about the disparity in opinions about women't basketball (I'm being more polite than he was), he may not say it the right way, but the point is vaild...and oh, so very true:

Thank You ESPN:

71

What's in a number...???

For UConn, it's a new record for consecutive wins breaking their old record of 70.

It was a 59-44 win over Notre Dame in the Big East Conference semi-finals...

There really isn't a whole lot that can be said without dropping into cliches- something the HQ detests...

We'll leave it to Rich Coppola and the Fox61 team from Hartford to give you the details... Laurie Perez follows from outside the arena for a standard fan piece...

((HT: WTIC-TV/CTnow.com))
 

No No, Geno...Don't Go There... Damn, You Did!

Sunday the machine that is the UConn Women's Hoop team battles a nice Stanford team in the Women's Final Four in St. Louis. Or as the boys and girls called it at the OSG HQ, Arch Madness. (Yes Missouri Valley Conference, we know that is your brand name for your post season tournament but Wilkie is an alum of a MVC school so it's OK.)

Geno Auriemma, never one to keep his mouth shut, opened it up at a pregame presser Saturday and here's what came out.

This from Saturday's New York Times.

Connecticut Coach Geno Auriemma offered a disclaimer before his team’s practice session Saturday. Then he offered his opinion on why some may view Stanford, Connecticut’s Final Four opponent Sunday, as soft.

“I know this is going to get played out the wrong way,” said Auriemma, who was named the Associated Press women’s coach of the year for guiding Connecticut to a 37-0 record. “But I’m going to say it anyway. And I know I’m going to get criticized for this.

“White kids are always looked upon as being soft. So Stanford’s got a tremendous amount of really good players who for whatever reason, because they don’t look like Tina Charles or Maya Moore, the perception out there is going to be, well, they must be soft.

“Well, I think that’s a bunch of bull. I watched them play and nobody goes harder to the boards. Nobody takes more charges. Nobody runs the floor as hard. Those kids are as tough as any of the kids in the country. But people on the sports world like to make judgments on people by how they look. And it’s grossly unfair.”

Those of us at the OSG HQ, being white ourselves, know where Geno is coming from. We have seen Maya Moore before her UConn days, (Collins Hill HS, Suwanee, GA) and she is one bad ass. As we all know talent has no color but when Geno says "come," you pack your bags and endure the long winter in Storrs, Connecticut plus Geno's creative coaching skills.

Photo Courtesy: AP