Since 1995, the Uconn Huskies have captured six NCAA titles and are riding a two-year winning streak (75 games), trampling opponents by an average of 35 points a game. That makes them, arguably, the most dominant team in any American sport.
On Tuesday, the Huskies face Florida State in a regional final of the NCAA Tournament, just three wins shy of another title. They are nearing a hallowed record: The 88 straight victories the UCLA men achieved under Coach John Wooden.
When coach Geno Auriemma first arrived at Uconn, he told that first team "I'm not here to coach girls' basketball, uou're not going to play like girls. . . . you're going to play like basketball players."
The new guy established a merciless routine, his athletes practicing the same pick-and-roll, the same defensive switch over and over. Starters had to play short-handed in scrimmages, matching up four against six. "The situations we're put in seem impossible," current center Tina Charles said. "When we get into games, it's five-on-five and it's easy."
The word "perfection" gets used a lot around UConn, but not in terms of wins and losses. The Huskies think smaller. They are meticulous about each offensive possession; on defense, they're intent on stopping their opponent every time down the floor.
The team likes to quote football coach Vince Lombardi: "If we chase perfection, we can catch excellence."
(Thanks David Wharton, LA Times)
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