What a week of hoops! As a college player and fan, my observations about the tournament mixed strong emotions (one of the stars of women’s basketball ends her college career with a 72-63 loss) with excitement for the way the final game unfolded. It is meaningful to see a new team win it all.

Why did Texas A & M win? Texas was tougher down the stretch and Notre Dame didn’t have an answer for Danielle Adams, with her strong body and soft hands. Even when Notre Dame went on runs, Texas A&M never let that shake their confidence. To win close games, you have to win the battle of the intangibles. Both teams went on runs and faced lulls. It requires focus, hustle, and toughness (mental, emotional, physical) to outlast a very evenly matched opponent.

What does it mean for other college teams? Knowing that on any night that any given team can win will make teams more competitive. In the off-season, teams will work harder and look at teams like Texas A&M, which has never won the championship, and see themselves. Players can no longer settle for mediocrity thinking it doesn’t matter because UConn or Stanford will win it anyway…

Why Maya Moore is so great: Remember the streak? 90 wins. In a row. That means showing up 90 times and being the better team.  That’s 90 times teams throw everything that they have at you – but you answer. This brings me to:

— The Exposure. Maya Moore has become a name that people in the athletic world know (maybe not as well known as Kemba Walker or Jimmer Fredette), but in a tribute to her legacy on Sunday, some of the most dominant male and female athletes in sports recognized her ability as an athlete, not simply as a “female athlete.”

— Add in The Fanbase that turns out and tunes in to UConn because people love to watch Maya Moore play (and yes, she can lead SportsCenter). But the most critical to a player like me?

—  The Competition. Moore challenges her opponents in every possession of the game. Geno Auriemma challenges coaches to find a strategy to beat his team.  Teams have put their best effort on the floor for 40 minutes because UConn demands it.  Maya Moore challenges other teams to match her greatness, which means challenging women’s basketball to be better.

Maya and Me: No, I don’t know her personally, but I see a player I strive to be like. I will not reach her skill level (not many ever will), but her work ethic, attitude, leadership and character are something every player at every level can work on. She epitomizes the right way to lead and represent your team. She puts her team on her shoulders, making sure she leaves everything on the floor. I respect that and have raised the bar for myself, trying to emulate not her skills (impossible), but the way she plays the game.

Ashleigh Sargent is a sophomore at Wellesley College majoring in Psychology and minoring in Mathematics.  She is on the varsity basketball team, a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, and a head of the Wellesley Athlete Mentor Program.

When Stanford went down 63-62 last night to Texas A & M, it took several minutes to sink in. And when TV cameras showed the UConn Huskies in the stands, well, you felt that they had been forewarned: Watch out, things can happen.

It didn’t matter. Notre Dame didn’t care that they weren’t supposed to (really) win, that the script was for them to play well, but then give way to the anointed Huskies.

In sports, as in life, underdogs are delightfully dangerous – and even though Maya Moore scored 36 points, it wasn’t enough for a team determined to dog and harass – and score their own buckets. They took it 72-63, in a stunning upset that – yes – heralds a new era for women’s college basketball.

OK, this is not the first time there have been upsets (remember 2006 when Maryland’s Kristi Toliver won it with a 3-point shot at the buzzer in overtime against Duke?)

But this is the first year there have been enough upsets (Gonzaga over UCLA and then Louisville. Texas A&M over Baylor. Tennessee out to Notre Dame) – to throw our once easy-to-complete brackets out of whack. (No one in my pool predicted a Texas A&M-Notre Dame championship game. Did anyone in America?)

We now have it –March Madness instead of the March Mandate.

Yes, you feel for Maya Moore ending her UConn career without another championship. But that failure does not diminish her as a player or what she’s accomplished at UConn. Yes, there are new names on people’s lips this morning: Skylar Diggins, Natalie Novosel, Brittany Mallory; and for Texas A & M, Sydney Colson and Tyra White.

Maya may be leaving, but don’t expect her to disappear. This woman has a future on and off the court.

But there is more reason than ever to tune in and not just “follow” women’s college basketball, but watch. Carefully. Because anything can happen.

Sometimes when you lose, you win. And whether UConn’s streak ended last night or next month – or next year, matters less than how it ended and what it has shown us.

The truth is that while UConn’s 90-game win streak is a powerful accomplishment, once you eclipse Wooden’s UCLA record, another win is just another win.

More critical is that Stanford’s 71-59 victory was a worthy finish. That’’s because despite Coach Geno Auriemma’s contention that it was “easy” to beat UConn, Stanford Coach Tara VanDerveer’s win was not dumb luck, but the spoils of a well-conceived game strategy.

They planned. They studied. They executed. There were no open looks for the great Maya Moore, who was double-teamed, hassled, and held to just 14 points. The Cardinal focused and created opportunities, none more than #23 Jeanette Pohlen who finished the night with 31 points.

So what has UConn’s winning streak demonstrated?

1.  Women’s college basketball is good entertainment – and people are getting that. Stanford players (and Moore) credited a rocking crowd (attendance was 7,329) as a factor. UConn’s win #90 over Pacific drew a sell-out crowd of 6,150 at the Spanos Center. Win #88 at Madison Square Garden (part of the Maggie Dixon Classic) drew the second largest crowd ever – 15,232 — to the garden for women’s basketball. Skilled, dynamic play is worth watching, regardless of whether men or women are wearing the uniform.

2.  We are in a NEW ERA of women’s basketball. We haven’t heard much about a lack of “parity” – the old phrase for the field in the UConn-Tennessee years – because it’s no longer about two programs grabbing all the talent. There are more good female basketball players than a decade ago (yes, there should be even more if urban girls had the same support as their male peers, but that’s another post). There are a few – like Baylor’s Brittany Griner – who have the ability to push the game to a new level. YET — Today the limiting factor is NOT just the talent pool of athletes and coaches’ ability to recruit, but the impact of how a coaching staff trains and prepares athletes to perform. The UConn-Stanford matchup showcased the heightened level of sophistication in the women’s game.

3.  Women CAN and should lead SportsCenter. Coverage of the UConn streak – and those highlights of Moore’s acrobatic drives to the basket – makes strong broadcast material. (Plus she’s crazy thoughtful in press conferences!) Just because the streak has ended doesn’t mean its time to turn off the cameras. UConn has shown that strong on-court women’s play makes worthy viewing.

It’s now 89. Officially the NCAA college basketball win-streak record. And if this team’s composure so far is any indication, the streak isn’t ending anytime soon.

What do we do with this? How does the world look different for women’s sports today? What now?

Well, for starters, let’s go with this dominance. Leading up to last night’s game on ESPN2 there were questions – should the women own this record? (good for Greg Wooden for being at the XL Center). But we can stop apologizing. Let’s not talk about the women’s NCAA college b-ball win streak record. It’s THE NCAA record.

The truth is that women’s college basketball arrived several years ago. But this event makes that clear to a wider audience. Networks, get ready. There is drama to be had (think UConn vs. Stanford at Stanford. Story line: Who will be the streak killer?)

Here’s what I saw in watching number 89:

– Let’s start by saying how refreshing it is to hear the praise for this UConn team, to see them as the lead on SportsCenter, to see President Obama’s phone call to coach Geno Auriemma). Good for the fair number of male sportswriters arguing why this streak is just as compelling at the UCLA men, countering naysayers in a detailed, smart way. They get that it is tough to be so good. And to do it consistently.

– Now there is work to be done. ESPN2 only advertised men’s basketball during timeouts. Isn’t this the moment to grow the women’s basketball audience and appeal to those viewers who want to tune in?

–  Commentator coverage for women’s basketball has improved dramatically in recent years but why ask – over and over – if UConn’s dominance is bad for the game? During Tiger’s run, did anyone worry about that? Just as Tiger at the top was thrilling to watch for the absolute skill with which he played, seeing Maya Moore (41 points against Florida State) do what she does is incredible.

– Geno may think he is a “man breaking into an old girls network” but since Title IX the number of men’s coaches of women’s sports has increased dramatically. He’s far from being alone. While Geno’s comments sometime reflect the sense that he must defend himself as a women’s coach – is he among the greatest ever or women’s greatest ever? – it’s time to get past the differentiation. UConn should schedule equally with their men’s team (not fewer games in the XL Center than the guys) and they should financially support and promote them equally as well. Kudos to Geno for calling out the bias (if they were breaking a women’s record it would be 2 paragraphs in USA Today).

Finally, #89 means that, even if only for a week, the entire nation’s attention was focused on a women’s team and their athletic prowess. On TV sets all over the world, words like “leadership” and “greatness” were used in conjunction with “young women” and “female”. Ultimately this win was not only another success for the Huskies, but a win for women in general.

By Laura Pappano

Never mind that the crowd in Madison Square Garden – 15,232 the second largest in the venue for women’s basketball — were on their feet in the final minutes chanting “Eighty-eight! Eighty-eight!”

The UConn Women’s Basketball team made it look like just another 31-point win (they beat Ohio State 81-50 box score here). After the crowd’s standing O – stands remained full at the buzzer despite the blowout because, honestly, this is what they came for – the UConn women congratulated their opponents – and OK headed to center court for a few photos.

Fans were pumped to see this team tie UCLA’s 1970’s –era record of 88 wins, but the players didn’t betray giddy excitement. In fact, with minutes on the clock and a time-out called, coach Geno Auriemma was there, pushing, perfecting. Winning is work. This is simply what it looks like.

In the week before Christmas the Maggie Dixon Classic was a like a gift to women’s basketball fans: A non-March-Madness event that drew numbers and excitement. Organizers in coming years – when there is not a streak-breaking moment at hand – should seek match-ups that showcase the competition in women’s basketball.

As loud as UConn fans were during the second of the double-header games, the first match up against an out-of-synch Rutgers and a dynamic Texas A&M (watch them come March) lacked drama. Rutgers made Texas look like UConn. (Final score: 79-50).

UConn-Ohio State (#6) was the obvious event. It started with Ohio State’s Brittany Johnson putting up two threes before UConn’s Bria Hartley was called to the free throw line. Hartley sunk two to put UConn on the boards. UConn fans, who remain standing and clap at the start of each half until the team scores, could finally sit down. For fans, it was a Garden Party.

Sure, there were turnovers and – yeeks – too many traveling calls. But UConn basketball these days is about persistence, not perfection. They execute – and when they misfire, they turn right around and attack.

What does UConn do so well? What makes this team – a team that Auriemma has pointed out is not studded with stars (save Maya Moore)?

1.     They are strong defensively. When Ohio State went up to shoot, at least two UConn defenders (and often three) were there, hands up, forcing a bad shot or flat out rejecting. UConn’s talented 6’5” freshman center, Stefani Dolson, pulled down 15 rebounds. Ohio State rarely got an open look.

2.     Maya Moore. She can shoot. She was 3 for 3 from 3-point territory (and yeah, once from the NBA  3-point line). And despite double coverage she can drive into the paint like a whirling dervish and then delicately slip the ball into the net. She scored 22 points this outing. More importantly, she can steal, distribute the ball, and lead. And credit Tiffany Hayes, who put up 24 points.

3.     The whole team knows how to pass, how to cut and surprise opponents, with ball and player arriving in the right spot at the right moment. Like a relay team with a sense of intuitive timing they cut/pass/catch/pass/cut/catch. It’s like watching a drumming solo in a rock concert. You hold your breath, riveted by the intensity and focus  until the final cymbal clash/score.

Much will be said and written about this game and Tuesday’s, in which UConn will likely overtake Wooden’s streak. Auriemma, who wouldn’t talk about the streak a few months back, is now addressing it head on. The debaters will debate. But in the end those who don’t recognize that this team’s accomplishments are as stunning as UCLA’s were in the 1970s, will simply look – well – as if history has passed them by. Expect Tuesday night being just another 30-plus-point win.

It’s time to think beyond the court.

Sure, there’s a lot of back-and-forth about whether UConn’s dominance – winning streak of 78 and beating almost all opponents by double-digit margins – is bad or good for women’s college basketball. The basic argument: Is it too boring to watch? Or will everyone tune in to see what the fuss is all about? (BTW lately looks like people are tuning in as Nielsen rating for UConn-Baylor was 2.6 or 2 million households on Sunday, more than Red Sox-Yankees or PGA Golf).

But the horse-race aspect of this debate misses what we have here: A genuine image of what women look like when they lead. In a sport in which players mostly stay for all four years of college with legitimate majors and career plans, watching how this team approaches their on-court work reveals far more than awesome ball-handling skills. I see young women I would hire – and vote for. Here’s why:

1. Preparation.  From the minute they step onto the court at practice, these players are full-out. They drill like they play (sometimes unfairly out-matched), and take seriously the details of their game. It doesn’t matter that opponents aren’t likely to measure up. They stride into the meeting, the contest, the debate fully ready.

2. Mental Toughness. It is not easy to win. Constantly. By wide margins – and not lose focus. Many athletes play to their opponents. Many people outside of sports lack the mental fortitude to stay on track when no one is challenging them to be great and do it right. That’s why inner city schools fail; why Toyota is spending a fortune on a recall.

3. Team Play. Yes Tina Charles is a superstar and so is Maya Moore. But this is not the Charles-Moore Show; it is UConn women’s basketball. This is how things –on court or off – really get done. In Congress, in companies, in the world.

4. Relentless Pursuit. Beyond the mental toughness to play to their own standards when others fall away, this team keeps it at a sustained high level so consistently that they have created a new reality, a new image of what (phenom Brittany Griner aside) women’s basketball looks like. Or should I say, women leaders playing basketball?

5. Self-Discipline. In 1995, after Connecticut won that critical title, Rebecca Lobo quipped on national TV that “now I can go back to being the worst post player in America.” It’s no secret that Geno Auriemma is tough. Tina Charles and teammates have heard and taken more “coaching” than most people could handle. They have kept cool and listened. They have stood up and worked harder. Who doesn’t want a leader who can take the guff and stay in control?

Go ahead, tune in, if you want to see what all the talk is about. But don’t forget to notice what’s happening on that court — besides basketball.

VS.?

By Laura Pappano

Baylor Coach Kim Mulkey has a number in mind: 47,492.

That’s how many fans went wild last Sunday in Houston for the men’s Baylor-Duke matchup. After her team upset Duke in a thrilling 51-48 win last night, Mulkey made the point: She wants the same support in San Antonio for her Baylor team as they head to the Final Four.

“It’s good to get back home,” she said in post-game interview with ESPN’s Holley Rowe. “I want everybody in the state to show us the same kind of a fan base we had in Houston for our men. We’re home. Come on, you are going to see the best team in the country in Connecticut if they win the next one – and let’s just go play.”

Mulkey is not the only one who thinks a UConn-Baylor contest is worth coming out – or tuning in – for. The ESPN desk jockeys (who made sure to mention that they don’t watch a much women’s basketball), nonetheless admitted that seeing Brittany Griner & Co. take on UConn is appointment viewing.

And why wouldn’t it be?

Well, because despite thrilling play (the second game last night, Xavier-Stanford was decided at the buzzer as Jeanette Pohlon released the game-winning layup as time expired) there remains an apologetic stance toward women’s basketball. Real sports fans, we hear ad-nauseam, don’t like it.

“Most of us don’t care about the women’s tournament,” wrote Dan Shaughnessy in Sports Illustrated. “Sorry. I know this is not the politically correct stance and I know there are young women all over the nation who rightfully look up to the Huskies as role models, but the fact remains that most red-blooded American fans don’t give a hoot about women’s basketball…”

What’s so funny about the don’t-make-me-watch-women-play stance is that same tired arguments (big one: slower play) might well be applied as an excuse to forgo men’s college play for the NBA. The bottom line is that, having watched my share of men’s and women’s games this month, it’s impossible to say that the men’s games are really more exciting to watch than the women’s.

It’s about the match-ups.

Sure, UConn has been dominant this season, but who doesn’t want to see if Brittney Griner (transformed from punch-throwing heathen to “freshman sensation”) can keep Tina Charles and Maya Moore from the hoop?

UConn will need some serious three-pointers because Griner (and her tenacious young teammates) are tough to beat inside (Griner has an NCAA tournament record 35 blocked shots in four games, 218 for the season – so far).

Don’t show up in San Antonio or tune in because you think you should. I believe women should support women’s sports. But this isn’t about that. This is about compelling play, the David and Goliath contest that doesn’t come along every day, but is – at the core — why we watch sports in the first place.

47,492 is the number to beat.

The big game is tonight! Before the NCAA’s D1 Women’s Basketball March to the Arch, I spoke with Cathy Inglese, former head coach at Boston College whose teams made it to the tournament six of the last eight years (plus were Big East Champions in 2004). She has spent this year visiting the nation’s top programs, watching games and practices — and getting a veteran’s courtside view of women’s D1 basketball.

FGN: What makes women’s basketball today special?
CI: What makes the women’s game so exciting to watch is the teamwork both offensively and defensively. The play is very team-oriented and this year the players are stronger, more skilled, and more athletic than ever before. For example, you’ve got players like Courtney Paris who are consistently recording double-double games – that’s double digit points and double-digit rebounds.

FGN: How does such a team-oriented game translate into to how this tournament has progressed?
CI: The most interesting thing about this year’s bracket was its parity. Besides UConn, who I think play on a level above that of the other teams, on any given night any of the top 50 teams could beat each other. What it came down to was the matchups, how each team’s particular dynamics played out against their opponent’s. It’s not always the best talent that determines the win.

FGN: What should we expect to see from University of Connecticut?
CI: UConn portrays a real team dynamic; they practice hard and really play together and mesh together as a team.

FGN: Which players should we be watching in tonight’s game?
CI: Maya Moore from UConn, for one. She is an energetic player who works hard all the time. You’ll notice in tonight’s game how unselfish she is. She’s extremely athletic, but she also meshes well with her teammates. Maya’s teammate Renee Montgomery is great point guard for the team and a big scorer. She distributes the ball very well, getting the ball to the player that’s open. She makes those people around her better. Look for Angel McCoughtry and Candyce Bingham tonight as well, playing for Louisville.

FGN: Thanks so much for your insight, Coach Inglese. So, do you plan to get back into college coaching?
CI: Absolutely. I love what I’ve been able to do during this year as far as visiting other teams and meeting coaches around the country, but being part of a team is what I’m really missing right now. I’m chomping at the bit to get back into coaching.

Savanna Johnson is a Wellesley College senior and swimmer who is a three-time NCAA qualifier and two-time NCAA Academic All-American. She holds NEWMAC conference and meet records in the 50 yard freestyle. Johnson (who also runs track) holds Wellesley College records in seven swimming and three track events.

Her player profile doesn’t mention it, but Boston College guard Ayla Brown, has a killer voice that earned her a contestant’s spot in the fifth season of American Idol. She was a regular before home games, belting out the anthem – and then stepping on the court.

Ditto for UConn phenom #23 Maya Moore and teammate #41 Kaili McLaren (okay, they did it as a tribute to the team’s seniors, but they sounded pretty good). And then Stanford forward/guard Michelle Harrison teamed up with Hookslide before the Stanford men tipped off against Cal State Bakersfield last month. I wonder how that rangy-maned shock-jock would sound…