2003-04 Season Preview
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2003-04 Season Preview THE 2003-04 HUSKIES: Defending Champs Have Sights Set on “Three-peat” BREAKDOWN BY CLASS: SENIORS (3): Maria Conlon, Diana Taurasi, Morgan Valley JUNIORS (4): Ashley Battle, Stacey Marron, Jessica Moore, Ashley Valley SOPHOMORES (4): Willnett Crockett, Ann Strother, Barbara Turner, Nicole Wolff NEWCOMERS (2): Kiana Robinson, Liz Sherwood BREAKDOWN BY POSITIONS: BACKCOURT (8): Maria Conlon, Stacey Marron, Kiana Robinson, Ann Strother, Diana Taurasi, Ashley Valley, Morgan Valley, Nicole Wolff Just when we think we know the standard for excellence in college FRONTCOURT (5): Ashley Battle, women’s basketball, Geno Auriemma and the University of Connecticut Willnett Crockett, Jessica Moore, decide to raise the bar once again. The 2003-04 season should bring much of the same, featuring the return of the entire roster for the 2003 National Liz Sherwood, Barbara Turner Champions. UConn comes off a 2002-03 season in which it changed the definition of BREAKDOWN BY HEIGHT: the word improbable. En route to the program’s fourth national 5-8 (1): Kiana Robinson championship, the Huskies set a Division I women’s record for most consecutive wins with 70 straight victories. 5-9 (3): Maria Conlon, Overall, the Connecticut tradition is four National Championships, seven Stacey Marron, Ashley Valley Final Fours, 15 straight NCAA Tournament Appearances and 24 BIG EAST 6-0 (5): Ashley Battle, Diana regular season and tournament championships. UConn has always been a Taurasi, Barbara Turner, program rich with tradition and the 2003-04 team will look to continue Connecticut’s dominance in women’s basketball. Morgan Valley, Nicole Wolff 6-2 (2): Willnett Crockett, THE SENIORS Ann Strother Leading the way will be senior guard Diana Taurasi (Chino, Calif.). Taurasi 6-3 (1): Jessica Moore was named the consensus National Player of the Year in 2003 and could become UConn’s second three-time Kodak All-American with another strong 6-4 (1): Liz Sherwood season. In the six games of the 2003 NCAA Tournament, Taurasi averaged 26.2 points per game, including a career-high 35 points in the second BREAKDOWN BY STATE: round, and enters the 2003-04 season with ALASKA (1): Jessica Moore momentum and confidence. Taurasi’s athleticism, versatility and unique court CALIFORNIA (2): Diana Taurasi, vision make her one of the most gifted Willnett Crockett players in the game today. The guard not COLORADO (2): Ann Strother, only led the team in points (17.9 ppg), Liz Sherwood rebounds (6.1 rpg), assists (4.4 apg) and blocks (1.2 bpg) but was also the emotional CONNECTICUT (1): Maria Conlon leader on the court. Taurasi has the FLORIDA (1): Kiana Robinson capability and drive to close out her MASSACHUSETTS (1): Connecticut career with staggering Nicole Wolff numbers and a third national championship under her belt. NEW MEXICO (1): Stacey Marron Joining Taurasi in the 2002-03 OHIO (1): Barbara Turner championship backcourt was guard Maria PENNSYLVANIA (1): Ashley Battle Conlon (Derby, Conn.). Conlon, a VERMONT (2): Ashley Valley, sharpshooter from outside, served as one of UConn’s top reserve guards her first two Morgan Valley seasons at Connecticut before emerging as 17 WWW.UCONNHUSKIES.COM 2003-04 Season Review a consistent starter in 2002- effective both offensively 03. The guard started 29 and defensively from her games for the Huskies as a center position scoring at junior and shared point will and keeping duties with Taurasi. She opponents off the averaged 6.9 points per boards. Moore has game and 3.4 assists per improved her shooting game, and was a major range as well as her on catalyst in UConn’s 2003 court intensity level and Championship after her should be one of the top performance of 11-points, performers in the BIG six assists and no turnovers. EAST for the 2003-04 As a senior, Conlon will be campaign. looked to for leadership and Battle, the 2002 BIG composure on the floor, as EAST Defensive Player of well as support in the the Year, was UConn’s scoring column. greatest weapon off the Just as Taurasi is the bench and was the most emotional leader on the athletic student-athlete floor, senior Morgan Valley (Colchester, Vt.) is the emotional on the floor. She raised leader everywhere else. Valley has been hampered by foot the energy level of any game the moment she entered the injuries throughout her career, but her determination and contest and was called upon for a steal or an offensive love for the game has made her an integral part of the rebound when a big play was needed. In 2002-03, she squad. Behind the scenes Valley is the model student- averaged 8.3 points per game and 5.4 rebounds per game. athlete striving to improve She had a career-high seven steals and 17 points at daily, and during the 2002- Georgetown (2/26/03) and was UConn’s defensive specialist 03 championship campaign throughout NCAA play. Battle’s speed and ball handling skills she was able to contibute make her dangerous around the perimeter, however, her more than ever before to strength also makes her a scoring threat inside. the success of the Huskies. Ashley Valley (Colchester, Vt.), the younger of the Valley Valley started in 18 games sisters, has been a reserve point guard for the last two for UConn and made seasons and continues to increase her playing time each significant contributions off year. She played valuable minutes versus Notre Dame (2/ the bench in 16 others. She 23/03) and Providence (3/1/03) and is one of UConn’s most grabbed a career-high aggressive defenders. Valley saw action in 31 games for the seven rebounds during a Huskies and is looking to become a steady contributor in strong showing versus 2003-04. Rutgers (1/8/03) and had UConn’s only walk-on, junior guard Stacey Marron a season-high nine points (Albuquerque, N.M.), has continued to improve and impress versus St. Joseph’s (12/22/ the Husky faithful. Marron sees limited time off the bench 02). Valley, who has but makes the most of her minutes with a great shooter’s improved in all areas of the touch and quick passes. Marron saw action in 28 games in game, is hoping to make the 2003-04 season her most 2002-03 and finished shooting 10-of-17 from behind the memorable yet. three-point arc. One of UConn’s hardest workers day-in and day-out, Marron plays an important role for the Huskies. THE JUNIORS The 2003-04 THE SOPHOMORES junior class is led by a UConn’s freshman class of pair of versatile student 2002-03 contributed athletes in Jessica immediately and matured Moore (Palmer, Alaska) quickly en route to its first and Ashley Battle championship at UConn. As (Pittsburgh, Pa.). Both sophomores, the four redshirted the 2000-01 student-athletes will be relied campaign and have heavily upon for continued benefitted a great deal success. from the extra year of Willnett Crockett (Harbor experience. Moore City, Calif.) is one of the started all 38 games in quickest centers in the 2002-03 and finished as country and is already relied UConn’s second leading heavily upon for her footwork scorer (10.6 ppg) and around the basket. Coming rebounder (5.9 rpg). off the bench, Crockett She was extremely picked up some of UConn’s 2003-04 UCONN WOMEN’S BASKETBALL 18 2003-04 Season Review biggest rebounds, both Moore and Crockett defensively and offensively, giving the Huskies one during the Final Four. She of the most averaged 5.7 points per game formidable frontcourts and 4.6 rebounds per game in the country. for the Huskies. Her strength Kiana Robinson and speed make her just (Brandon, Fla.) will another weapon the Huskies join UConn’s can use around the basket. backcourt as a 5-8 Ann Strother (Castle Rock, guard. Robinson is Colo.) was the only other deceptively quick and Husky besides Moore to start can score from all 38 games. She was named anywhere on the floor. to the 2003 NCAA Final Four She averaged 23 All-Tournament team for her points, seven assists outstanding play in the title and 10 rebounds per game. What the nation saw game as a senior at Strother do against the Laurinburg Tennessee for the Institute in North championship is what the Carolina. A WBCA Huskies saw day-in and day-out. Strother averaged 10.1 Honorable Mention points per game and 3.1 assists per game as the third leading All-American, Robinson’s style of play will fit nicely within scorer on the squad. She is a relentless defender and her the UConn offense. size and quickness makes her impossible to guard. Another tough scorer to guard is forward Barbara Turner THE SCHEDULE (Cleveland, Ohio). Turner averaged 10.0 points per game The Huskies will be in search of its third consecutive and 5.8 rebounds per game during her rookie campaign. national championship title when opening the 2003-04 She began the season as a spark off the bench, however, season. UConn will begin the season with four straight she started all six tournament games for the Huskies and home games beginning with Western Michigan on averaged 9.5 points per game during UConn’s title run. Turner November 23, Florida State on November 25, Holy Cross is one of the quickest and most creative scorers in the league on November 30 and finally Sienna on December 2. The and should be one of Connecticut’s top scoring threats as a Huskies will travel back out west, as they did in 2000, sophomore.