2001–02 Connecticut Huskies women's basketball team

2001–02 Connecticut Huskies women's basketball
NCAA tournament National Champions
Big East tournament champions
Big East regular season champions
ConferenceBig East Conference
Record39–0 (16–0 Big East)
Head coach
Associate head coachChris Dailey
Assistant coaches
Home arenaHarry A. Gampel Pavilion
Seasons
2001–02 Big East Conference women's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
No. 1 Connecticut 16 0   1.000 39 0   1.000
Notre Dame 13 3   .813 20 10   .667
No. 21 Boston College 12 4   .750 23 8   .742
Villanova 12 4   .750 20 11   .645
Miami (FL) 10 6   .625 19 12   .613
Virginia Tech 9 7   .563 21 11   .656
Syracuse 9 7   .563 18 13   .581
Providence 7 9   .438 13 15   .464
Seton Hall 6 10   .375 15 14   .517
West Virginia 6 10   .375 14 14   .500
Rutgers 5 11   .313 9 20   .310
Georgetown 4 12   .250 12 16   .429
Pittsburgh 3 13   .188 8 19   .296
St. John's 0 16   .000 3 24   .111
2002 Big East Tournament winner
As of April 1, 2002
Rankings from AP poll

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

Round Pick Player WNBA Club
1 1 Sue Bird Seattle Storm
1 2 Swin Cash Detroit Shock
1 4 Asjha Jones Washington Mystics
1 6 Tamika Williams Minnesota Lynx

[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

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ EAGAN, MATT (February 23, 2001). "St. John's At No. 3 Uconn". Hartford Courant. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
  3. ^ Elliott, Rich (December 24, 2009). "KJ, Svet Back In The House". Hearst Communications Inc. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
  4. ^ Wheelock, Helen (September 8, 2008). "Stacey Marron – University of Connecticut". Unintentional Journalist. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
  5. ^ Eagan, Matt. "Huskies May Lose Battle". Hartford Courant. Hartford Courant. Retrieved November 26, 2020.
  6. ^ GOLDBERG, JEFF (February 22, 2005). "Moore: Forged By Mother's Strength". Hartford Courant. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
  7. ^ "2001-2002 Women's Basketball Roster". University of Connecticut. Retrieved December 31, 2012.
  8. ^ "Connecticut Women's Basketball" (PDF). University of Connecticut. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 23, 2014. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
  9. ^ "2001–02 Connecticut Huskies women's basketball stats" (PDF). UConn Huskies.
  10. ^ "WNBA Draft History".
  11. ^ "Naismith Awards - Naismith Trophy". Archived from the original on March 2, 2009. Retrieved October 30, 2013.
  12. ^ "The Wade Trophy". Women's Basketball Coaches Association. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  13. ^ "Sue Bird". Retrieved January 5, 2013.
  14. ^ "Sportswoman of the Year". Women's Sports Foundation. Archived from the original on October 31, 2015. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
  15. ^ "Past Honda Sports Award Winners". Collegiate Women Sports Awards. Archived from the original on March 22, 2012. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
  16. ^ "NCAA Tournament MVP | MOP List: March Madness Most Outstanding Player…". Archived from the original on July 14, 2011.
  17. ^ "Naismith College Coach of the Year". Atlanta Tipoff Club. Archived from the original on March 2, 2013. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
  18. ^ "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.