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PRE-GAME PRIMER
The Huskies just took the floor at 6:37 to start their warmups and of course the reaction was warm and fuzzy.
This will be the first time the same two teams have met in the Big East tournament in successive seasons since UConn beat Notre Dame in the 1996 and 1997 tournaments (both at Gampel Pavilion).
With the bright red sweatshirts, it is pretty hard to miss the Louisville cheering contigent sitting behind the bench. Of course, most of the rest of those inside the XL Center are decked out in UConn blue. Go figure.
While it may be a rematch, these are hardly the same teams. Reigning tournament MVP Charde Houston (13 points and 11 rebounds in the '08 final) and Ketia Swanier (nine points and three steals) have graduated.
Other than seniors Angel McCoughtry (22 points, 11 rebounds) and Candyce Bingham (11 points, 14 rebounds, 4 blocks) the only other active Louisville players to see action in last year's Big East final are Laura Terry, Keshia Hines and Deseree Byrd who combined for five points in 31 minutes.
"We're sitting here right now and we have only two starters back from that team. Chauntise Wright tears an ACL and everybody seems to forget that, they want to talk about every other team that has injuries and seem to forget how well Chauntice was playing for us in the Big East tournament and NCAA tournament," Louisville coach Jeff Walz said. "It's a new experience of a lot of these kids but I am really excited with how they have responded to things."
Dennis DeMayo, Dee Kantner, Mark Zentz and Angie Lewis came onto the floor but not sure which one of the refs will be sitting courtside. UPDATED AT 6:55: Zentz is the one to sit this one out.
I saw Kara Wolters in the media workroom before the game so obviously she is feeling well enough to return to work as the color commentator on the UConn Radio Network. Wayne Norman filled in for Wolters on Sunday and Monday when a stomach bug kept Wolters home.
UPDATED AT 6:55: The starting lineups just went up on the scoreboard. It is the regular UConn lineup (Renee Montgomery, Tiffany Hayes, Kalana Greene, Tina Charles and Maya Moore). Louisville counters with Deseree Byrd, Tiera Stephen, Angel McCoughtry, Candyce Bingham and Gwen Rucker. I thought Becky Burke might get the start for Stephen.
This will be the first time the same two teams have met in the Big East tournament in successive seasons since UConn beat Notre Dame in the 1996 and 1997 tournaments (both at Gampel Pavilion).
With the bright red sweatshirts, it is pretty hard to miss the Louisville cheering contigent sitting behind the bench. Of course, most of the rest of those inside the XL Center are decked out in UConn blue. Go figure.
While it may be a rematch, these are hardly the same teams. Reigning tournament MVP Charde Houston (13 points and 11 rebounds in the '08 final) and Ketia Swanier (nine points and three steals) have graduated.
Other than seniors Angel McCoughtry (22 points, 11 rebounds) and Candyce Bingham (11 points, 14 rebounds, 4 blocks) the only other active Louisville players to see action in last year's Big East final are Laura Terry, Keshia Hines and Deseree Byrd who combined for five points in 31 minutes.
"We're sitting here right now and we have only two starters back from that team. Chauntise Wright tears an ACL and everybody seems to forget that, they want to talk about every other team that has injuries and seem to forget how well Chauntice was playing for us in the Big East tournament and NCAA tournament," Louisville coach Jeff Walz said. "It's a new experience of a lot of these kids but I am really excited with how they have responded to things."
Dennis DeMayo, Dee Kantner, Mark Zentz and Angie Lewis came onto the floor but not sure which one of the refs will be sitting courtside. UPDATED AT 6:55: Zentz is the one to sit this one out.
I saw Kara Wolters in the media workroom before the game so obviously she is feeling well enough to return to work as the color commentator on the UConn Radio Network. Wayne Norman filled in for Wolters on Sunday and Monday when a stomach bug kept Wolters home.
UPDATED AT 6:55: The starting lineups just went up on the scoreboard. It is the regular UConn lineup (Renee Montgomery, Tiffany Hayes, Kalana Greene, Tina Charles and Maya Moore). Louisville counters with Deseree Byrd, Tiera Stephen, Angel McCoughtry, Candyce Bingham and Gwen Rucker. I thought Becky Burke might get the start for Stephen.
posted by Jim Fuller at
6:37 PM
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