{"id":7200,"date":"2016-04-05T19:08:00","date_gmt":"2016-04-06T03:08:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/associatednews.info\/content\/uconn-powers-to-historic-ncaa-championship-win-over-syracuse\/"},"modified":"2016-04-05T19:08:00","modified_gmt":"2016-04-06T03:08:00","slug":"uconn-powers-to-historic-ncaa-championship-win-over-syracuse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/associatednews.info\/content\/uconn-powers-to-historic-ncaa-championship-win-over-syracuse\/","title":{"rendered":"UConn Powers To Historic NCAA Championship Win Over Syracuse"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-style:italic;font-size:16px\">By  <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/thetwo-way\/2016\/04\/05\/473168925\/uconn-powers-to-historic-ncaa-championship-win-over-syracuse?utm_medium=RSS&amp;utm_campaign=sports\">Laura Wagner<\/a><\/span>  <\/p>\n<div class=\"ftpimagefix\" style=\"float:left\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/thetwo-way\/2016\/04\/05\/473168925\/uconn-powers-to-historic-ncaa-championship-win-over-syracuse?utm_medium=RSS&amp;utm_campaign=sports\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2016\/04\/05\/ap_930788419586-1--c58058cc9d77c78ae0d3a956f85fd57c0730d431-s1100-c15.jpg\" title=\"UConn celebrates after defeating Syracuse in the women's Division I NCAA championship game in Indianapolis.\" alt=\"UConn celebrates after defeating Syracuse in the women's Division I NCAA championship game in Indianapolis.\"><\/a><\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p>UConn celebrates after defeating Syracuse in the women&#8217;s Division I NCAA championship game in Indianapolis. <strong>Darron Cummings\/AP<\/strong> <strong>hide caption<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>toggle caption<\/strong> <span>Darron Cummings\/AP<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>On Tuesday night in Indianapolis, top-seeded Connecticut made history, beating No. 4 Syracuse 82 to 51 to become the first NCAA Division I women&#8217;s team to win four consecutive NCAA basketball championships.<\/p>\n<p>The win also marked the 11th national championship for UConn head coach Geno Auriemma who surpassed coach John Wooden on the all-time championship win list \u2014 for both college and pro basketball. Auriemma is now tied with coach Phil Jackson for basketball championship wins.<\/p>\n<p>UConn jumped out to a 9-0 lead thanks in part to a couple of three-pointers from senior guard Moriah Jefferson and from Breanna Stewart, UConn&#8217;s towering 6-foot-4-inch senior forward who&#8217;s widely expected to be taken No. 1 in the WNBA draft.<\/p>\n<div>\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2016\/04\/05\/ap_16121730322-3c5cf3881fb40c7f77d909b48a834799a839ffc1-s1100-c15.jpg\" title=\"Syracuse's Cornelia Fondren, (center) and Connecticut's Napheesa Collier (right) battle for a loose ball as UConn's Breanna Stewart goes airborne, preparing to block a shot in the first half of the NCAA championship game.\" alt=\"Syracuse's Cornelia Fondren, (center) and Connecticut's Napheesa Collier (right) battle for a loose ball as UConn's Breanna Stewart goes airborne, preparing to block a shot in the first half of the NCAA championship game.\"><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p>Syracuse&#8217;s Cornelia Fondren, (center) and Connecticut&#8217;s Napheesa Collier (right) battle for a loose ball as UConn&#8217;s Breanna Stewart goes airborne, preparing to block a shot in the first half of the NCAA championship game. <strong>AJ Mast\/AP<\/strong> <strong>hide caption<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>toggle caption<\/strong> <span>AJ Mast\/AP<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Syracuse junior guard Brittney Sykes momentarily stemmed the tide with a smooth underhand layup to get on the scoreboard, but UConn, as they&#8217;ve done all season, upped their game.<\/p>\n<p>At the end of the first quarter, UConn led 28-13. By the end of the first half, the Huskies were up 50-23. Jefferson and Stewart alone outscored Syracuse 25-23 in the first half.<\/p>\n<p>Even casual basketball fans knew the UConn team was all but unstoppable (in fact some people even said its <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http:\/\/www.npr.org\/2016\/03\/30\/472442402\/uconn-womens-basketball-team-confronts-consequences-of-being-too-good\">dominance was bad for women&#8217;s basketball<\/a>), but the team&#8217;s seamless passes, impenetrable defense and superb shooting left some viewers in awe.<\/p>\n<div>\n<blockquote>\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Really have to appreciate what we are witnessing with this UCONN team. One of the best dynasties in sports history. Lead 50-23 at the half<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Brad Huber (@brhuber90) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/brhuber90\/status\/717524767029506048\">April 6, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<blockquote>\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The UCONN girls are crazy talented<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Sabrina Whitehouse (@sabrinaew1123) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/sabrinaew1123\/status\/717523357915291648\">April 6, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<blockquote>\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">UConn is on pace to win 112-52<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 SI College Hoops (@si_ncaabb) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/si_ncaabb\/status\/717519469103472640\">April 6, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<blockquote>\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I already knew UConn was gon dominate&#8230; No one knows how to game plan against them<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 EL FOOSAY (@SheHatesJacoby) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SheHatesJacoby\/status\/717523401099743233\">April 6, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<p>At the half, Sykes told <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http:\/\/espn.go.com\/womens-college-basketball\/boxscore?gameId=400873690\">ESPN&#8217;s Holly Rowe<\/a> that Syracuse was focused on every possession; they were going to play in four-minute segments so as to chip away at UConn&#8217;s lead. That they did, stringing together an impressive 16-0 run in the third quarter, forcing Auriemma to call a defensive timeout. But the Orange still trailed by 17, and couldn&#8217;t loosen the Huskies&#8217; grip on the lead.<\/p>\n<p>UConn stepped on the gas, blotting out Syracuse&#8217;s glimmer of hope.<\/p>\n<p>With just under two minutes left to play and the score at 80-51, Auriemma called a timeout to sub out Stewart, Jefferson and fellow Huskies senior Morgan Tuck, the three of whom made up the core of the team. UConn&#8217;s other senior, Briana Pulido, came on in the final minutes. To the delight of her teammates and the fans, she drained a shot in the game&#8217;s waning seconds, and the primarily pro-UConn arena erupted in cheers.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It was perfect,&#8221; Stewart said after the game. &#8220;To play with these guys is unbelievable.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/blockads.fivefilters.org\/\">Let&#8217;s block ads!<\/a><\/strong> <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/fivefilters\/block-ads\/wiki\/There-are-no-acceptable-ads\">(Why?)<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Source:: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/thetwo-way\/2016\/04\/05\/473168925\/uconn-powers-to-historic-ncaa-championship-win-over-syracuse?utm_medium=RSS&amp;utm_campaign=sports\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"UConn Powers To Historic NCAA Championship Win Over Syracuse\" rel=\"nofollow\">http:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/thetwo-way\/2016\/04\/05\/473168925\/uconn-powers-to-historic-ncaa-championship-win-over-syracuse?utm_medium=RSS&amp;utm_campaign=sports<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"ftpimagefix\" style=\"float:left\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/thetwo-way\/2016\/04\/05\/473168925\/uconn-powers-to-historic-ncaa-championship-win-over-syracuse?utm_medium=RSS&amp;utm_campaign=sports\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2016\/04\/05\/ap_930788419586-1--c58058cc9d77c78ae0d3a956f85fd57c0730d431-s1100-c15.jpg\" title=\"UConn celebrates after defeating Syracuse in the women's Division I NCAA championship game in Indianapolis.\" alt=\"UConn celebrates after defeating Syracuse in the women's Division I NCAA championship game in Indianapolis.\"><\/a><\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p>UConn celebrates after defeating Syracuse in the women&#8217;s Division I NCAA championship game in Indianapolis. <strong>Darron Cummings\/AP<\/strong> <strong>hide caption<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>toggle caption<\/strong> <span>Darron Cummings\/AP<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>On Tuesday night in Indianapolis, top-seeded Connecticut made history, beating No. 4 Syracuse 82 to 51 to become the first NCAA Division I women&#8217;s team to win four consecutive NCAA basketball championships.<\/p>\n<p>The win also marked the 11th national championship for UConn head coach Geno Auriemma who surpassed coach John Wooden on the all-time championship win list \u2014 for both college and pro basketball. Auriemma is now tied with coach Phil Jackson for basketball championship wins.<\/p>\n<p>UConn jumped out to a 9-0 lead thanks in part to a couple of three-pointers from senior guard Moriah Jefferson and from Breanna Stewart, UConn&#8217;s towering 6-foot-4-inch senior forward who&#8217;s widely expected to be taken No. 1 in the WNBA draft.<\/p>\n<div>\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2016\/04\/05\/ap_16121730322-3c5cf3881fb40c7f77d909b48a834799a839ffc1-s1100-c15.jpg\" title=\"Syracuse's Cornelia Fondren, (center) and Connecticut's Napheesa Collier (right) battle for a loose ball as UConn's Breanna Stewart goes airborne, preparing to block a shot in the first half of the NCAA championship game.\" alt=\"Syracuse's Cornelia Fondren, (center) and Connecticut's Napheesa Collier (right) battle for a loose ball as UConn's Breanna Stewart goes airborne, preparing to block a shot in the first half of the NCAA championship game.\"><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p>Syracuse&#8217;s Cornelia Fondren, (center) and Connecticut&#8217;s Napheesa Collier (right) battle for a loose ball as UConn&#8217;s Breanna Stewart goes airborne, preparing to block a shot in the first half of the NCAA championship game. <strong>AJ Mast\/AP<\/strong> <strong>hide caption<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>toggle caption<\/strong> <span>AJ Mast\/AP<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Syracuse junior guard Brittney Sykes momentarily stemmed the tide with a smooth underhand layup to get on the scoreboard, but UConn, as they&#8217;ve done all season, upped their game.<\/p>\n<p>At the end of the first quarter, UConn led 28-13. By the end of the first half, the Huskies were up 50-23. Jefferson and Stewart alone outscored Syracuse 25-23 in the first half.<\/p>\n<p>Even casual basketball fans knew the UConn team was all but unstoppable (in fact some people even said its <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http:\/\/www.npr.org\/2016\/03\/30\/472442402\/uconn-womens-basketball-team-confronts-consequences-of-being-too-good\">dominance was bad for women&#8217;s basketball<\/a>), but the team&#8217;s seamless passes, impenetrable defense and superb shooting left some viewers in awe.<\/p>\n<div>\n<blockquote>\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Really have to appreciate what we are witnessing with this UCONN team. One of the best dynasties in sports history. Lead 50-23 at the half<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Brad Huber (@brhuber90) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/brhuber90\/status\/717524767029506048\">April 6, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<blockquote>\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The UCONN girls are crazy talented<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Sabrina Whitehouse (@sabrinaew1123) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/sabrinaew1123\/status\/717523357915291648\">April 6, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<blockquote>\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">UConn is on pace to win 112-52<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 SI College Hoops (@si_ncaabb) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/si_ncaabb\/status\/717519469103472640\">April 6, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<blockquote>\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I already knew UConn was gon dominate&#8230; No one knows how to game plan against them<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 EL FOOSAY (@SheHatesJacoby) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SheHatesJacoby\/status\/717523401099743233\">April 6, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<p>At the half, Sykes told <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http:\/\/espn.go.com\/womens-college-basketball\/boxscore?gameId=400873690\">ESPN&#8217;s Holly Rowe<\/a> that Syracuse was focused on every possession; they were going to play in four-minute segments so as to chip away at UConn&#8217;s lead. That they did, stringing together an impressive 16-0 run in the third quarter, forcing Auriemma to call a defensive timeout. But the Orange still trailed by 17, and couldn&#8217;t loosen the Huskies&#8217; grip on the lead.<\/p>\n<p>UConn stepped on the gas, blotting out Syracuse&#8217;s glimmer of hope.<\/p>\n<p>With just under two minutes left to play and the score at 80-51, Auriemma called a timeout to sub out Stewart, Jefferson and fellow Huskies senior Morgan Tuck, the three of whom made up the core of the team. UConn&#8217;s other senior, Briana Pulido, came on in the final minutes. To the delight of her teammates and the fans, she drained a shot in the game&#8217;s waning seconds, and the primarily pro-UConn arena erupted in cheers.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It was perfect,&#8221; Stewart said after the game. &#8220;To play with these guys is unbelievable.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/blockads.fivefilters.org\/\">Let&#8217;s block ads!<\/a><\/strong> <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/fivefilters\/block-ads\/wiki\/There-are-no-acceptable-ads\">(Why?)<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7200","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sports-recreation"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/associatednews.info\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7200","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/associatednews.info\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/associatednews.info\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/associatednews.info\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/associatednews.info\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7200"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/associatednews.info\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7200\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/associatednews.info\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7200"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/associatednews.info\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7200"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/associatednews.info\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7200"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}