Saturday, December 17, 2011

Baylor vs UConn-This Time The Script Is Flipped

The last time they played each other both were ranked as the number one and number two women's college b-ball teams in the nation.  

Both had their superstar players in UConn's Maya Moore and Baylor's Brittney Griner and as the Baylor Lady Bears painfully remember the then Number 2 ballers had a chance to be the team that ended UConn mammoth win streak in Storrs, CT. 

They had an eight point 56-48 lead with seven minutes to go before a late Huskie rally fueled in large part by Griner missing some crucial free throws down the stretch as part of a horrific 8 for 13 night at the line led to a narrow 65-64 loss and Baylor becoming victim number 80 of The Streak.  

It was eventually ended by Stanford and the Ogumwike sisters ten games later on December 30, 2010..

Brittney and her Lady Bears teammates are getting their wish for another shot at redemption versus a UConn team that doesn't rebuild, they reload. 

Maya Moore has taken her talents to Minneapolis and led the Lynx to a WNBA title but don't cry for the Huskies.   They may have found her replacement in freshman Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis who is leading the Huskies in scoring at 15.9 ppg and have Stefanie Dolson patrolling the lane  to anchor their defense.   

Griner this season is averaging 22.8 points, 10.7 rebounds and 4.9 blocks in just 30 minutes a game this season for the Lady Bears (10-0) and shooting 73 percent from the foul line in the runup to this titanic b-ball shootout.

So far no dunks as of yet.

Before Maya Moore departed for the WNBA she played on three NCAA championship squads while my Houston homegirl hopes to lead Baylor to their first since 2005   

Now the script is flipped and it's 10-0 Baylor with the number one ranking and the winning streak trying to defend it and a sold out Ferrell Center against 9-0 number two UConn in a prime time Sunday night matchup on ESPN.

Both teams have knocked off top ranked opponents.   Baylor has already taken down then number two Skylar Diggins led Notre Dame in Waco and Tennessee in Knoxville while UConn demolished defending national champ Texas A&M by 30 points in Madison Square Garden.. 

Should be a fun game to watch tomorrow



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