2000 National Championship Game

[Blueconn]

The rivalry with Tennessee was in its 6th year and each team had won 5 games. During the 2000 season each had beaten the other on its home court. Watching replays of those games is like watching physical, almost angry basketball, the likes of which only seemed to occur when these two teams collided.

But this was the game that finally showed separation between the two programs; when UConn's superior cohesion, movement, and passing stood in stark contrast to Tennessee's reliance on sheer physicality and desperate determination. When the game ended, the beauty and superiority of Connecticut's style of play was an established fact. Over the next 7 seasons there were 11 more contests and in that period UConn won 7 of the first 8 by an average of 10 ppg. The Vols, due to the dominance of Candace Parker, won the last 3 encounters, but only by 5 ppg.

By April of 2000 I had been living in Vermont for 18 years and had only watched the Huskies on TV or listened to waivering night broadcasts on WTIC. I was at work on the evening of April 1st when my brother called from Connecticut. Because it was April Fool's Day and my brother is a blankety-blank Yankee fan, I was on instant scam alert when he suggested I hustle south from Vermont and that next day we'd drive to Philly for the NC game. But it turned out that he'd scored two tickets because he knew a guy who knew a guy...who knew the CT governor !

Long story short...my first ever UConn WCBB game in person was the 2000 NC. Right behind Sue's parents, Shea's mom, and in the same row as Marciella Auriemma. And yes, we smiled confidently when we watched her sprinkle holy water on the players as they entered through the adjacent tunnel.

In the second half we watched UConn run yet another back door play. This time Tennessee blocked the cutter. Dead play ? Course not. At the exact moment the Husky with the ball was in the process of being stopped, two other Huskies started a second back door cut. The original cutter made a pin-point pass. Perfection. I remember turning to my brother and saying : "You've never seen that before." He just replied "Huh ?" I forgave him. After all, even though he's a blankety-blank Yankee fan, he is my brother...and he got us great tickets.

 

[Gus Mahler]

The rivalry with Tennessee was in its 6th year and each team had won 5 games. During the 2000 season each had beaten the other on its home court. Watching replays of those games is like watching physical, almost angry basketball, the likes of which only seemed to occur when these two teams collided.

But this was the game that finally showed separation between the two programs; when UConn's superior cohesion, movement, and passing stood in stark contrast to Tennessee's reliance on sheer physicality and desperate determination. When the game ended, the beauty and superiority of Connecticut's style of play was an established fact. Over the next 7 seasons there were 11 more contests and in that period UConn won 7 of the first 8 by an average of 10 ppg. The Vols, due to the dominance of Candace Parker, won the last 3 encounters, but only by 5 ppg.

By April of 2000 I had been living in Vermont for 18 years and had only watched the Huskies on TV or listened to waivering night broadcasts on WTIC. I was at work on the evening of April 1st when my brother called from Connecticut. Because it was April Fool's Day and my brother is a blankety-blank Yankee fan, I was on instant scam alert when he suggested I hustle south from Vermont and that next day we'd drive to Philly for the NC game. But it turned out that he'd scored two tickets because he knew a guy who knew a guy...who knew the CT governor !

Long story short...my first ever UConn WCBB game in person was the 2000 NC. Right behind Sue's parents, Shea's mom, and in the same row as Marciella Auriemma. And yes, we smiled confidently when we watched her sprinkle holy water on the players as they entered through the adjacent tunnel.

In the second half we watched UConn run yet another back door play. This time Tennessee blocked the cutter. Dead play ? Course not. At the exact moment the Husky with the ball was in the process of being stopped, two other Huskies started a second back door cut. The original cutter made a pin-point pass. Perfection. I remember turning to my brother and saying : "You've never seen that before." He just replied "Huh ?" I forgave him. After all, even though he's a blankety-blank Yankee fan, he is my brother...and he got us great tickets.

Thanks for the post. As it happens, I watched the replay this morning (for the umpteenth time). I was struck by several things. For one, it's remarkable how many all-time greats from each program were in that game. Also, it's remarkable how many UT stars just didn't show up.

Also, in addition to all the back-doors, UConn got the ball inside for an easy layup so many times it was stunning.

Oh yeah, Schumacher was really something.

 

[Blueconn]

Thanks for the post. As it happens, I watched the replay this morning (for the umpteenth time). I was struck by several things. For one, it's remarkable how many all-time greats from each program were in that game. Also, it's remarkable how many UT stars just didn't show up.

Also, in addition to all the back-doors, UConn got the ball inside for an easy layup so many times it was stunning.

Oh yeah, Schumacher was really something.

I remember thinking the Vols were so much bigger and stronger looking than our players...must have been the effect of all that orange color. Because UConn was indeed up to the mark in the paint....Shooey was laser-like intense at times (the debate continues: 9 0r 10 blocks ?). I guess neither you nor I feel the need to mention a certain #33 ? We just assume Shea's heroism that day needs no mention ?

 

[Gus Mahler]

I remember thinking the Vols were so much bigger and stronger looking than our players...must have been the effect of all that orange color. Because UConn was indeed up to the mark in the paint....Shooey was laser-like intense at times (the debate continues: 9 0r 10 blocks ?). I guess neither you nor I feel the need to mention a certain #33 ? We just assume Shea's heroism that day needs no mention ?

Well, actually I started to, along with another point or two. She made a lot of big plays and got an elbow in the solar plexus right before the half. Her body control on shots around the basket was remarkable.

Jones had a big game, too.

 

[Kaizen]

I watched 2000 NC game in a business trip at a Calgary hotel.
I remembered one of my colleague told me that she has never seen a female basketball player as pretty
as Sue Bird. She added: that is just not fair..... LOL

 

[noirwestern]

At the risk of being, "that guy", I find Mr Cosby's interest in the sport more than a little disquieting.

 

[Zorro]

Huh?

 

[ThisJustIn]

Huh?

Crosby, Philly guy, was interviewed during the game. Poster is referencing Crosby's current legal troubles.

 

[JordyG]

I've watched that game about 4x. I still can't believe a team as good as UT at that time couldn't solve that back door play. After the 5x it was just baffling. Clearly Summit never taught her team how to solve it. To this day her staff and those players must see that play in their sleep.

 

[Alydar]

I've watched that game about 4x. I still can't believe a team as good as UT at that time couldn't solve that back door play. After the 5x it was just baffling. Clearly Summit never taught her team how to solve it. To this day her staff and those players must see that play in their sleep.

The LV's have overplayed passing lanes from long before 2000 and continue to do it today. It's a big part of their pressure defense. They pressure the ball handler and try to intercept the pass. It was the basis for a lot of those LV runs that won them a lot of games. But Geno turned it against them. When a Tenn defender started to move between them and the ball handler the UConn player would cut to the basket. Easy peasy. All it takes is a team of great passers who anticipate each other's moves.

 

[alexrgct]

Couple of points:

1) I actually have an old thread I started about this game:


http://the-boneyard.com/threads/just-re-watched-the-2000-nc-game-random-thoughts.38378/#post-585101

Secondly, a bit of trivia: who were two starters from opposing teams in NC games who a) were "Aces" and b) had to sit due to injury? Answer: Ace Clement of Tennessee in 2000 and Natalie "Ace" Achonwa of Notre Dame in 2014.

 

[AdamOwe]

The LV's have overplayed passing lanes from long before 2000 and continue to do it today. It's a big part of their pressure defense. They pressure the ball handler and try to intercept the pass. It was the basis for a lot of those LV runs that won them a lot of games. But Geno turned it against them. When a Tenn defender started to move between them and the ball handler the UConn player would cut to the basket. Easy peasy. All it takes is a team of great passers who anticipate each other's moves.

Isn't ball pressure and lane overplay, "THE" fundamental for UConn 2015-16, and 2014-15 for that matter? Can't a case be made that MoJeff is the most pressure ever put on opposing point and Stewie is the most effective goal sweep, better than even Griner because of her speed and stealth? It's hard to single out the defense when the every aspect of play is so refined, but I think if you are the opposition, that is the one thing you cannot allow to beat you, you cannot turn the ball over or you will not be able to compete let alone win.

The 2000 championship is one of my favorite games, it portended the future. Wonderful to read the first hand account by Blueconn.

 

[bballnut90]

The rivalry with Tennessee was in its 6th year and each team had won 5 games. During the 2000 season each had beaten the other on its home court. Watching replays of those games is like watching physical, almost angry basketball, the likes of which only seemed to occur when these two teams collided.

But this was the game that finally showed separation between the two programs; when UConn's superior cohesion, movement, and passing stood in stark contrast to Tennessee's reliance on sheer physicality and desperate determination. When the game ended, the beauty and superiority of Connecticut's style of play was an established fact. Over the next 7 seasons there were 11 more contests and in that period UConn won 7 of the first 8 by an average of 10 ppg. The Vols, due to the dominance of Candace Parker, won the last 3 encounters, but only by 5 ppg.

By April of 2000 I had been living in Vermont for 18 years and had only watched the Huskies on TV or listened to waivering night broadcasts on WTIC. I was at work on the evening of April 1st when my brother called from Connecticut. Because it was April Fool's Day and my brother is a blankety-blank Yankee fan, I was on instant scam alert when he suggested I hustle south from Vermont and that next day we'd drive to Philly for the NC game. But it turned out that he'd scored two tickets because he knew a guy who knew a guy...who knew the CT governor !

Long story short...my first ever UConn WCBB game in person was the 2000 NC. Right behind Sue's parents, Shea's mom, and in the same row as Marciella Auriemma. And yes, we smiled confidently when we watched her sprinkle holy water on the players as they entered through the adjacent tunnel.

In the second half we watched UConn run yet another back door play. This time Tennessee blocked the cutter. Dead play ? Course not. At the exact moment the Husky with the ball was in the process of being stopped, two other Huskies started a second back door cut. The original cutter made a pin-point pass. Perfection. I remember turning to my brother and saying : "You've never seen that before." He just replied "Huh ?" I forgave him. After all, even though he's a blankety-blank Yankee fan, he is my brother...and he got us great tickets.

That 2000 title game was one of the best performances I've seen by any college basketball team. UCONN shredded Tennessee's defense and outplayed UT from start to finish. I don't think that was the "turning point" of where UCONN was a superior program. Tennessee lost their starting point guard right before the title game and despite that was a massive underdog (33/37 reporters picked UCONN to beat Tennessee prior to knowing Clement would be out.) I don't think Clement makes a major difference, but UCONN was a 35-1 team that steamrolled everyone to get to the title game, while Tennessee ground out hard fought Elite 8, and Final Four victories to advance. While both number 1 seeds, they were not equals. UCONN was the heavy favorite.

This next section will not be a popular opinion on this forum, but if you look at the history of the rivalry, UCONN obviously leads it at 13-9, but if you look at it on a season by season basis over the 13 years, you have 3 years where the programs split games, 5 years that favor Tennessee, and 5 years that favor Connecticut:
1995-UCONN won regular season and championship match
1996-Split, UCONN won in the regular season, UT won in the Final Four
1997-Split, UCONN won in regular season, UT won in the regionals
1998-UT, Tennessee won the regular season game and went on to win it all. UCONN didn't advance far enough to face UT in the tournament
1999-UT, neither team advanced far enough to meet in the tournament
2000-UCONN, regular season games were split and UCONN won in the championship
2001-Split, both teams won games at home. Neither team advanced far enough to meet in the tournament
2002-UCONN, won regular season and in the Final Four
2003-UCONN, won regular season and in the title game
2004-UCONN, won regular season and in the title game
2005-UT, won regular season game (without Candace Parker), UCONN didn't advance far enough to meet in the tournament
2006-UT, won regular season game, neither team advanced far enough to meet in the tournament
2007-UT, won regular season game, UCONN didn't advance far enough to meet in the tournament

Every year where UCONN had the better head to head record, Tennessee advanced far enough to meet in them in the post season. In 3/5 of the years where Tennessee had the better head to head record, UCONN lost too early in the tournament to match up with Tennessee. The other two years, Tennessee either made it further than UCONN or held a higher overall seed than Connecticut. Had UCONN advanced far enough to meet Tennessee in those years (1998, 2005 and 2007), Tennessee is the heavy heavy favorite in all 3 potential matchups.

Also, in regards to this statement: "The Vols, due to the dominance of Candace Parker, won the last 3 encounters"

Parker didn't play in 2005, she was out for the year with injury. In 2006, Parker only had 13 points, 1 block, 1 rebound and fouled out. It was Hornbuckle and Spencer who had huge nights to make the difference. In 2007, Parker had her monster night at UCONN (30 points, 12 boards, 6 blocks, the dunk) but she was only dominant in one of the three games. The two other wins weren't due to Parker, they were due to Tennessee outplaying UCONN both games.

In my opinion, the turning point was when Connecticut landed Maya Moore. Moore was arguably one of the best freshmen players of all time and set the stage of true dominance. She was one of the most decorated recruits ever, and was the stud from day 1. In 2008, UCONN didn't win it all but the platform was set for UCONN to elevate to a new level of dominance. Even in 2008, after 3 straight wins against UCONN, many Tennessee fans were scared to death of facing UCONN due to Moore--I know I was unbelievably relieved when they lost to Stanford. After the 2008 title game, it was a great feeling for UT fans to win Pat's 8th, but at the same time a dark cloud was coming, in the form of Tennessee clearing house (all 5 Final Four starters were gone), and UCONN returned everybody from a sterling 36-2 championship contending team. UT's cupboards were bare, and it didn't help that McMahan had to give up basketball (there goes the PG), and Vicki Baugh went down with an ACL (their best returning player.)
They had a promising recruiting class, but again missed out on the top recruit to UCONN.

On the flip side, Maya Moore was returning after establishing herself as one of the most gifted players of all time in her first year, Tina Charles was a project but had more upside than any post entering 2008-09, and Montgomery, while streaky, could be a handful. Due to those 3 and the fact that every other top team from 2008 was decimated by graduation, they were the easy choice as the consensus #1 preseason team. The stage was set for domination, and boy did they dominate.