What To Look For Along UConn Women's Journey
Before leaving to begin his part-time job as coach of the U.S. women's basketball team, Geno Auriemma reminded Husky Nation that he does not view this UConn season as an attempt to defend the national championship.
"We're not defending anything," UConn's coach said. "No one is going to break in and steal it from us."
So along the way, here are some things to watch:
Maya Moore's knees: The national player of the year as a sophomore apparently has had cranky knees for a very long time, which explains all the ice wrapped around them after games. Still, they were never a real nuisance until this summer, when she sprained the right one practicing for the World University Games. Moore seems fine now. But the season is long and arduous and the vigil to keep her healthy will be great.
Who's the point guard? Renee Montgomery, one of the great guards in school history, will be playing professionally with Lithuania. She left a void so large Auriemma will try to fill it with a combination of four players: junior Lorin Dixon, sophomores Tiffany Hayes and Caroline Doty and freshman Kelly Faris.
Keep eye on Charles: It's been an interesting few months for senior center Tina Charles. She transitioned from Most Outstanding Player in the Final Four to a standout on the U.S. gold medal World University Games team to one of 13 players in Russia this weekend for the U.S. national team.
Post play: The original plan was for Charles to get support from three places in the post: senior Kaili McLaren, redshirt freshman Heather Buck and sophomore transfer Jessica McCormack, who was to make her UConn debut after the end of the winter term. But McCormack is no longer with the program. So it's left to McLaren and Buck, one of the most celebrated Connecticut high school players of the last decade. After missing last season because of complications resulting from mononucleosis, she is back.
Record-breaking performances: The time has come for the most notable individual record in UConn history to be broken. Charles enters the season with 1,638 points, 541 shy of Nykesha Sales' career record 2,178. Charles scored 642 last season, so it seems attainable. Only five players in program history — Sales, Kerry Bascom, Diana Taurasi, Kara Wolters and Rebecca Lobo — have ever scored 2,000. But if Charles does it, who knows how long it will stand? Moore already has 1,432 points and could become the first junior in school history to reach 2,000.
Motivation: The Huskies come into the season on a 39-game winning streak. Although you can never tell how things will develop, the competition this season, save for Stanford and North Carolina, perhaps Oklahoma and Notre Dame, doesn't seem as ominous. Could the Huskies double-dip as undefeated national champions? Could they break their own record of 70 consecutive wins?
Future glory: On Friday, the nucleus of what may be the next generation of UConn All-Americans will be sitting in Gampel Pavilion watching First Night festivities. Samarie Walker, Stefanie Dolson, Lauren Engeln and Michala Johnson, all committed for next season, will be there. Bria Hartley, a 5-foot-10 guard at North Babylon (N.Y.) High, and Chiney Ogwumike, a 6-foot-3 forward/center at Cy-Fair High in Cypress, Texas, are also expected, as well as Kaleena Lewis, the junior guard from Mater Dei High in Santa Ana, Calif.
