Uconn Women's Basketball | Women's Basketball Preview

Uconn Women's Basketball - Griner, Baylor's 6-foot-8 sophomore center, is certainly headed in that direction; Tall, talented, full of potential.
Here's the thing: What Auriemma and his top-ranked UConn women had, Griner and the Bears wanted; the nation's No. 1 ranking and the 79-game winning streak it carried into this game between the nation's top two teams. UConn still has Maya Moore. And now it has freshmen Samarie Walker and Bria Hartley.

Uconn Women's Basketball. Tiffany Hayes added 16 for UConn (2-0).
The Huskies had a 15-point lead (44-29) with 16:02 to play and watched it evaporate in a 27-4 Baylor run, spurred by Griner (19 points, nine blocks), who systematically scored and fouled out Walker and Stefanie Dolson in the process.
UConn regained possession, Kelly Faris dribbling around until Hartley finally missed a shot with 8 seconds left. Moore missed a shot with 7 seconds left and Baylor (3-1) finally took possession. UConn led 35-27 at the half and opened a 15-point lead before the Bears rallied behind Griner. Finally, freshman guard Odyssey Sims (17 points) scored with 9:06 to play and it was tied. Moments earlier, Walker had fouled out trying to deal with Griner.

Led by dynamic freshman guard Sugar Rodgers, the Hoyas emerged last season from years of relative obscurity to land in a tie for second in the league and garner a first-round NCAA tournament win.

The same warning could be sounded at West Virginia, which tied Georgetown and dropped the Big East tournament final to the Huskies, and at St. John's, though both schools have had more recent success than the Hoyas.

Liz Repella and Sarah Miles – the Big East's top defender last year – return to anchor the West Virginia backcourt.

Notre DameThe Favorite:
Connecticut – Losing the National Player of the Year, center Tina Charles, is a big blow, and the Huskies' inexperience up front and at point will hurt. But having Moore, the once and future National Player of the Year, means Connecticut, which has won its last 39 Big East games, won't be far from the top at any point in the season.

The Contenders:
Georgetown -- Coach Terri Williams-Flournoy has built an emerging power and Rogers' explosiveness makes her a potential national Player of the Year. [Uconn Women's Basketball]

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