CHAPTER ONE
The UCONN Record AD DT. (after Taurasi)
UCONN vs the Top 20
What kind of record vs Top 20 teams over the past 3 years would be required for a team to be known as an elite program? How many of you realize what UConn's record is vs Top 20 teams since Diana left Storrs? It may surprise you. So take a guess before you read onUConn had a tough year in 2005 - some could characterize it as terrible The Huskies played 10 games vs Top 20 foes winning two
2005 UConn schedule link
North Carolina L, 65-71
at Arizona State L, 50-61
Michigan State at HCC L, 51-67
TENNESSEE (HCC) L, 67-68 CBS
NOTRE DAME * (GP) L, 59-65
at Rutgers * L, 62-76
at Boston College * L, 48-51
vs. No. 2 seed Stanford (NCAA Regional Semifinals) L, 76-59
UConn did beat Rutgers and Notre Dame in rematches during the Big EastTournamentand they won a game with Texas (This particular UConn schedule/results does not supply the national rankings of opponents)Let's be generous not knowing the ranking of RU and ND and call this record 2 wins and 8 losses
2006 UConn schedule link
#7/8 NORTH CAROLINA (HCC) L, 54-77
at #1/1 Tennessee L, 80-89
#3/3 LSU (HCC) W, 51-48
at #12/11 DePaul* W, 84-75
RUTGERS* (GP) L, 56-60
at Rutgers* L, 42-48
vs. Georgia in Bridgeport W, 77 to 75
vs. Duke L, 61-63, NCAA Regional in Bridgeport
So the record vs Top 20 teams in 06 was 3 wins vs 5 losses
2007 Schedule Link
9/9 Purdue at Gampel Pavillion W 66 - 55
4/4 TENNESSEE (HCC) L, 64-70
2/2 at North Carolina L, 76-82
23/25 RUTGERS (GP) W, 60-50
at 7/7 LSU W, 72-71
at 21/22 Rutgers W, 70-44
vs. 19/19 Rutgers (HCC) L, 47-55
vs. 12/11 LSU (NCAA Regional) L, 50-73
Now we are aware from the colorcoded schedule comparisons that UConn plays a lot of uncompetitive teams and relative to Tennessee few Top 20 teams The 2007 win loss record vs Top 20 teams is 4 wins and 4 losses even though RU was not ranked in the Top 20 for that win at Gampel Pavillion.
The answer to the question is 9 wins vs 17 losses to Top 20 teams in 3 years with only 2 of those 9 wins coming outside the state of Connecticut - at DePaul and at LSU by 1
Since Diana left Storrs Coach Geno's accomplishments include gaudy records
32 and 4
32 and 5
25 and 8
89 and 17 Total
Vs opponents of equal or near equal ranking in the Top 20 the record is 9 & 17
So here are a few questions to consider:
Is Geno really the greatest WCBB coach as UConn fans claim?
When Geno doesn't have the vaunted TASS force or the great Diana Taurasi and is forced to play with HS All American's like Strother, Wolff, Crockett, Thomas, Turner, Houston, Hunter and Charles can he take those teams and mold a real winner that can compete and beat competent competition?
Perhaps some of us were aware of this record vs the Top 20 - I wasn't because I hadn't looked at it as a body of work. I found the results to be surprising.
