2001–02 Connecticut Huskies women's basketball team
Intercollegiate basketball season
The 2001–02 Connecticut Huskies women's basketball team represented the University of Connecticut in the 2001–2002 NCAA Division I basketball season. Coached by Geno Auriemma , the Huskies played their home games at the Hartford Civic Center in Hartford, Connecticut , and on campus at the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Connecticut , and are a member of the Big East Conference . At the Big East women's basketball tournament , the Huskies won the championship by defeating Boston College 96–54. The Huskies won their third NCAA championship by defeating the Oklahoma Sooners , 82–70. The starting five of Sue Bird , Swin Cash , Asjha Jones , Tamika Williams , and Diana Taurasi are generally considered the greatest starting lineup in Women's College Basketball history.
On December 29, 2011, the team was recognized as one of the greatest in the program's history by induction into the Huskies of Honor .[ 1]
Roster changes
Five players from the 2000–01 team (Shea Ralph , Svetlana Abrosimova , Kelly Schumacher , Christine Rigby, and Marci Czel) were seniors and are no longer part of the team.[ 2] One sophomore player, Kennitra Johnson, decided to leave UConn to be closer to her mother, and transferred to Purdue .[ 3] Two freshmen joined the team: Ashley Valley, younger sister of Morgan Valley , and Stacey Marron. Although Marron had received scholarship offers from other schools, she chose to apply to UConn and attempt to make the team as a walk-on . She succeeded, and eventually earned a full scholarship, the first Connecticut walk-on to earn a basketball scholarship.[ 4]
Two other players were not new to the program, but 2001-2002 was their first full season. Ashley Battle was a freshman in the prior year, but sustained an elbow injury in the fifth game of the season, and did not play the remainder of the season.[ 5] Battle applied for a medical hardship, often called a redshirt . Jessica Moore also joined the team in the prior year, but elected not to play her first year.[ 6]
Roster
Source[ 7]
2001–02 Connecticut Huskies women's basketball team
Players
Coaches
Pos.
#
Name
Height
Year
Previous school
Hometown
G
2
Ashley Valley
5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Fr
Rice Memorial
Colchester, Vermont
G/F
3
Diana Taurasi
6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
So
Don Lugo
Chino, California
G
5
Maria Conlon
5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
So
Seymour
Derby, Connecticut
G
10
Sue Bird (C)
5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Sr
Christ the King
Syosset, New York
G
12
Stacey Marron
5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Fr
La Cueva
Albuquerque, New Mexico
F/C
15
Asjha Jones
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Sr
Piscataway
Piscataway, New Jersey
G
20
Morgan Valley
6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
So
Rice Memorial
Colchester, Vermont
F
22
Ashley Battle
6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
RS Fr
The Linsly School, WVA
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
C
31
Jessica Moore
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
RS Fr
Colony
Palmer, Alaska
F
32
Swin Cash (C)
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Sr
McKeesport
McKeesport, Pennsylvania
F
34
Tamika Williams
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Sr
Chaminade-Julienne
Dayton, Ohio
Head coach
Geno Auriemma
Assistant coach(es)
Chris Dailey Tonya Cardoza Jamelle Elliott
Legend
(C) Team captain
(S) Suspended
(I) Ineligible
(W) Walk-on
Roster Last update: 2013-08-23
Schedule
Source[ 8]
Date time, TV
Rank#
Opponent#
Result
Record
Site city, state
Regular season
November 09 * CPTV
No. 1
Fairfield
W 93–50
1–0
Harry A. Gampel Pavilion (10,027)Storrs, Connecticut
November 11 * CPTV
No. 1
Florida Int’L
W 91–47
2–0
Harry A. Gampel Pavilion (10,027)Storrs,CT
November 15 * CPTV
No. 1
North Carolina
W 94–74
3–0
Harry A. Gampel Pavilion (10,027)Storrs,CT
November 18 * CPTV
No. 1
Vanderbilt
W 69–50
4–0
Harry A. Gampel Pavilion (10,027)Storrs,CT
November 24 * CPTV
No. 1
Rhode Island
W 84–38
5–0
XL Center (16,294)Hartford, Connecticut
November 26 * CPTV
No. 1
at Wake Forest
W 88–38
6–0
Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum (1,137)Winston-Salem,NC
November 30 * CPTV
No. 1
Ball State
W 103–69
7–0
Harry A. Gampel Pavilion (10,027)Storrs,CT
December 04 CPTV
No. 1
St. John's
W 88–28
8–0
Harry A. Gampel Pavilion (10,027)Storrs,CT
December 06 * CPTV
No. 1
Holy Cross
W 97–54
9–0
XL Center (16,294)Hartford,CT
December 09 * ESPN2
No. 1
La Tech
W 74–50
10–0
XL Center (16,294)Hartford,CT
December 22 * ESPN2
No. 1
No. 3 Oklahoma
W 86–72
11–0
XL Center (16,294)Hartford,CT
December 27 * CPTV
No. 1
Cal State–Northridge
W 101–44
12–0
Harry A. Gampel Pavilion (10,027)Storrs,CT
December 29 * CPTV
No. 1
at Old Dominion
W 84–70
13–0
Ted Constant Convocation Center (5,236)Norfolk,VA
December 31 * CPTV
No. 1
Wright State
W 97–39
14–0
Nutter Center (4,762)Dayton,OH
January 02 CPTV
No. 1
Pittsburgh
W 112–43
15–0
Harry A. Gampel Pavilion (10,027)Storrs,CT
January 05 * CBS
No. 1
Tennessee
W 86–72
16–0
Thompson–Boling Arena (24,611)Knoxville,TN
January 09 CPTV
No. 1
St. John's
W 84–43
17–0
Carnesecca Arena (2,014)Queens,NY
January 12 CPTV
No. 1
Miami
W 96–50
18–0
XL Center (16,294)Hartford,CT
January 15 CPTV
No. 1
Georgetown
W 85–41
19–0
McDonough Gymnasium (2,146)Washington,DC
January 19 CPTV
No. 1
Villanova
W 93–60
20–0
The Pavilion (5,127)Villanova,PA
January 21 ESPN
No. 1
Notre Dame
W 80–53
21–0
XL Center (16,294)Hartford,CT
January 26 CPTV
No. 1
Boston College
W 79–56
22–0
Harry A. Gampel Pavilion (10,027)Storrs,CT
January 29 CPTV
No. 1
Virginia Tech
W 59–50
23–0
Cassell Coliseum (6,069)Blacksburg,VA
February 03 BETV
No. 1
Providence
W 85–61
24–0
(2,574)Providence ,RI
February 06 CPTV
No. 1
Seton Hall
W 92–40
25–0
Harry A. Gampel Pavilion (10,027)Storrs,CT
February 10 CPTV
No. 1
Virginia Tech
W 77–42
26–0
Harry A. Gampel Pavilion (10,027)Storrs,CT
February 13 CPTV
No. 1
Syracuse
W 85–55
27–0
(3,328)Syracuse,NY
February 20 CPTV
No. 1
Providence
W 106–41
28–0
Harry A. Gampel Pavilion (10,027)Storrs,CT
February 23 CPTV
No. 1
Rutgers
W 80–42
29–0
Louis Brown Athletic Center (7,223)Piscataway,NJ
February 26 CPTV
No. 1
West Virginia
W 89–60
30–0
WVU Coliseum (1,394)Morgantown,WV
2002 Big East Women's Basketball Tournament
March 03 CPTV
No. 1
Seton Hall
W 78–48
31–0
Louis Brown Athletic Center (5,332)Piscataway,NJ
March 04 BETV
No. 1
Villanova
W 83–39
32–0
Louis Brown Athletic Center (3,533)Piscataway,NJ
March 05 ESPN2
No. 1
Boston College
W 96–54
33–0
Louis Brown Athletic Center (4,278)Piscataway,NJ
2002 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament
March 16 *
No. 1
St. Francis (Pa)
W 86–37
34–0
Harry A. Gampel Pavilion (10,027)Storrs,CT
March 17 * ESPN
No. 1
Iowa
W 86–48
35–0
Harry A. Gampel Pavilion (10,027)Storrs,CT
March 23 * ESPN2
No. 1
Penn State
W 82–64
36–0
U.S. Cellular Arena (7,123)Milwaukee,WI
March 25 * ESPN2
No. 1
Old Dominion
W 85–64
37–0
U.S. Cellular Arena (6,997)Milwaukee,WI
March 29 * ESPN
No. 1
Tennessee
W 79–56
38–0
Alamodome (29,619)San Antonio,TX
March 31 * ESPN
(1 ME) No. 1
(1 W) No. 4 Oklahoma National championship
W 82–70
39–0
Alamodome (29,619)San Antonio,TX
*Non-conference game.
# Rankings from
AP Poll . (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
[ 9]
Team players drafted in the 2002 WNBA draft
[ 10]
Additionally, Diana Taurasi was also the first overall pick in the 2004 WNBA draft . In the 2005 WNBA draft , Jessica Moore was selected 24th overall, and Ashley Battle was selected 25th overall.
Awards and honors
References
^ Altavilla, John (December 29, 2011). "Auriemma Has High Praise For His 2001-02 Champions" . Hartford Courant . Tribune Corporation. Archived from the original on May 25, 2024. Retrieved December 29, 2011 .
^ EAGAN, MATT (February 23, 2001). "St. John's At No. 3 Uconn" . Hartford Courant . Retrieved January 5, 2013 .
^ Elliott, Rich (December 24, 2009). "KJ, Svet Back In The House" . Hearst Communications Inc. Retrieved January 5, 2013 .
^ Wheelock, Helen (September 8, 2008). "Stacey Marron – University of Connecticut" . Unintentional Journalist . Retrieved January 5, 2013 .
^ Eagan, Matt. "Huskies May Lose Battle" . Hartford Courant . Hartford Courant. Retrieved November 26, 2020 .
^ GOLDBERG, JEFF (February 22, 2005). "Moore: Forged By Mother's Strength" . Hartford Courant . Retrieved January 5, 2013 .
^ "2001-2002 Women's Basketball Roster" . University of Connecticut. Retrieved December 31, 2012 .
^ "Connecticut Women's Basketball" (PDF) . University of Connecticut. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 23, 2014. Retrieved January 5, 2013 .
^ "2001–02 Connecticut Huskies women's basketball stats" (PDF) . UConn Huskies .
^ "WNBA Draft History" .
^ "Naismith Awards - Naismith Trophy" . Archived from the original on March 2, 2009. Retrieved October 30, 2013 .
^ "The Wade Trophy" . Women's Basketball Coaches Association. Retrieved June 30, 2014 .
^ "Sue Bird" . Retrieved January 5, 2013 .
^ "Sportswoman of the Year" . Women's Sports Foundation. Archived from the original on October 31, 2015. Retrieved January 5, 2013 .
^ "Past Honda Sports Award Winners" . Collegiate Women Sports Awards. Archived from the original on March 22, 2012. Retrieved January 5, 2013 .
^ "NCAA Tournament MVP | MOP List: March Madness Most Outstanding Player…" . Archived from the original on July 14, 2011.
^ "Naismith College Coach of the Year" . Atlanta Tipoff Club. Archived from the original on March 2, 2013. Retrieved January 5, 2013 .
^ "Past Russell Athletic/WBCA National Coaches of the Year" . Women's Basketball Coaches Association. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved June 30, 2014 .
Venues Rivalries Culture & lore People Seasons NCAA national championships in bold; NCAA Final Four appearances in italics