UConn's record streak will be difficult to top

STORRS, Conn. -- They've beaten powerhouses and powderpuffs, won by the slimmest of margins and by more than 60.

The Connecticut Huskies didn't just break a record with their 55th straight victory. They might have set an untoppable standard in these days of parity in women's basketball.

"To go and win 55 games, you have to have a certain mind-set mentally, and physically you have to be strong and not have any letdowns," junior All-American Diana Taurasi said. "It's hard to do, but we figured out a way to do it."

UConn (16-0) set the record Saturday with a 72-49 win over Georgetown at the Hartford Civic Center.

The Huskies broke the mark set in the early 1980s by Louisiana Tech. And they did it with only one returning starter from last year's NCAA title team -- Taurasi.

"Right now, more than anything, it's a testament of the day-to-day hard work and the way we do things and their ability to focus and treat every game as the most important game," coach Geno Auriemma said Sunday. "The longer it goes, we realize how hard it is to do that. That's why I'm really proud of this group who has to do it under the most difficult of circumstances."

In the past three seasons, the Huskies have a 123-4 record under Auriemma, who had a migraine headache and left the arena immediately after the game.

UConn's last loss was March 30, 2001, a 90-75 setback to eventual national champion Notre Dame in the NCAA semifinals. The Fighting Irish get the chance to play spoiler again when they host the Huskies today.

Notre Dame is no stranger to stopping streaks. Coach John Wooden's teams at UCLA set the Division I men's record of 88 straight wins from 1971-74, a string snapped by a 71-70 loss at Notre Dame. And Oklahoma's record 47-game winning streak in Division I football ended with a 7-0 loss to Notre Dame in 1957.

Wooden offered his congratulations to Auriemma and the Huskies.

"It's a tremendous feat in any era," the 92-year-old Wooden said. "I think they play the pure game, more so than the men. The best college basketball in my opinion is played by the better women's teams. UConn and Tennessee are two that stand out year after year."

The Huskies' streak began with last season's 39-0 national championship team that starred All-American seniors Sue Bird, Tamika Williams, Swin Cash and Asjha Jones.

The closest game during the string was a 63-62 overtime win against Tennessee two weeks ago in Hartford. The largest margin was a 112-43 rout of Pittsburgh on Jan. 2, 2002.

The biggest milestone was a 83-70 victory over Oklahoma on March 31 for the program's third national title in seven years.

UConn has steadily risen to prominence under Auriemma, now in his 18th year. His recruiting classes have included several high school players of the year, Taurasi among them.

The Huskies have made 14 straight NCAA appearances, won a combined 23 Big East regular and tournament championships and have those national titles.

Before that, Louisiana Tech broke the mark of 52 straight wins set by Delta State, a 1970s powerhouse in the AIWA. Delta State, in turn, snapped the 35-game streak set by Immaculata, a Philadelphia-area all-women's Catholic school.

"The parity certainly is greater than it's been at any time," said Hall of Fame coach Cathy Rush, whose Immaculata squad dominated the sport in the 1970s.