JOURNAL INQUIRER / THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 2021 A5 Huskies ready for new world UConn’s program has 11 national titles but current roster lacks postseason experience By Carl Adamec berth Sunday night when they take on Big South champion and 16th-seeded High Point (22-6) in a [email protected] first-round game. When the UConn women’s basketball team takes Juniors Christyn Williams and Olivia Nelson- the floor at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas Ododa were part of the Huskies’ run to the 2019 for its NCAA Tournament opener Sunday night, it Final Four. Redshirt junior Evina Westbrook played will be a new experience for all but three Huskies. in three NCAA Tournament games in her two years The last time coach Geno Auriemma put out a at Tennessee. team that had fewer players with NCAA Tournament Sophomores Aubrey Griffin and Anna Makurat experience was in 1989, when it was brand new to have had to wait a year for their first NCAA them all. Their game against La Salle at the Storrs Tournament experience after the COVID-19 pandem- Field House was the first of what is a run of 32 ic forced the cancellation of the 2020 event a week straight NCAA berths. before it was set to begin. The other seven players on “I did say we have a lot of young players, and they UConn’s 12-player roster are freshmen. don’t know enough to know what they don’t know,” UConn will be without Auriemma for the game Auriemma said. “They’re going into this tournament against High Point and its second-round game if it for the first time and they don’t know what is out advances as the Hall of Fame coach tested positive there. They don’t know what it means. They don’t for the coronavirus on Sunday. Associate head coach know what it’s all about. They’ve read about it and Chris Dailey will be charge and the Huskies are 10-0 heard about it. Obviously it’s something they all in the games Auriemma has missed since they arrived wanted to be in. What do they say, ignorance is bliss, in Storrs. right? I hope we’re full of bliss. I hope we have “Being one of the leaders I’m making sure nothing enough bliss to last us six games.” Associated Press changes,” Westbrook said. “We’re reiterating that UConn is the No. 2 seed overall and the top seed in UConn relies heavily on a number of freshmen, with everyone on the team, Coach may not be here, the River Walk Regional. The Big East champion including forward Aaliyah Edwards, and lacks but we prepared with him so many times that we Huskies (24-1) will begin their bid for a 12th national significant NCAA Tournament experience. championship and a 13th consecutive Final Four ■ SEE INEXPERIENCE / PAGE A15

NCAA RECORDS CHAMPIONSHIPS u RUCKING ERVICES Geno Auriemma (UConn) 11 T S Pat Summitt (Tennessee) 8 u Kim Mulkey (Baylor) 3 LANDSCAPE MATERIAL DELIVERIES Muffet McGraw (Notre Dame) 2 u TOPSOIL u SAND Linda Sharp (Southern Cal) 2 Tara VanDerveer (Stanford) 2 u MULCH u GRAVEL FINAL FOURS u STONE u STONE DUST Geno Auriemma (UConn) 20 u LAWN INSTALLATIONS Pat Summitt (Tennessee) 18 Tara VanDerveer (Stanford) 12 u OIL TANK REMOVAL & INSTALLATION Leon Barmore (Louisiana Tech) 9 Ellington, CT Muffet McGraw (Notre Dame) 9 u UNDERGROUND & BASEMENT OIL TANKS Andy Landers (Georgia) 5 860-803-3525 CONSECUTIVE FINAL FOURS u PROPANE TANK REMOVAL & INSTALLATION Geno Auriemma (2008-19) 12 u DRAINAGE WORK & REPAIR Geno Auriemma (2000-04) 5 Tara VanDerveer (2008-12) 5 u GRAVEL DRIVEWAY INSTALL & REPAIR Muffet McGraw (2011-15) 5 Pat Summitt (1986-89) 4 u SEWER & WATER SERVICE REPAIR Leon Barmore ( 1987-90) 4 Pat Summitt (1995-98) 4 u POOL REMOVAL & FILL INS Pat Summitt (2002-05) 4 u STUMP & TREE REMOVAL TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES Tara VanDerveer 35 u EXCAVATION & SKIDSTEER WORK Geno Auriemma 32 Pat Summitt 31 u BULLDOZING & JACKHAMMERING Andy Landers 31 u CONCRETE REMOVAL & DISPOSAL TOURNAMENT WINS Geno Auriemma 121 AND MUCH MORE... Pat Summitt 112 Tara VanDerveer 87 AND LANDSCAPINGSERVICES NET Muffet McGraw 67 R R . Leon Barmore 56 FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED SERVING CONNECTICUT FOR OVER 25 YEARS! LICENSED AND INSURED