You read that right. 1-0-0.
Triple digits.
Century mark.
Just when we think that Geno Auriemma could not manage to make even MORE history with his University of Connecticut women’s basketball team, they prove us wrong again and again.
They did so once again this past Monday when they took on, and defeated the South Carolina Gamecocks in Storrs, Connecticut. The final score was 66-55.
It was also befitting of Auriemma and his team that the milestone victory came against another team in South Carolina, which has a former WNBA player as its head coach in Dawn Staley, and sends players to The W.
This means that the last time the Huskies lost a game continues to be back in 2014 when UConn fell to Stanford.
The number 100 is a very attractive number for obvious reasons. But in a sporting sense, it is beyond historic. As has already been mentioned in a number of channels, such a feat has never been accomplished in either women’s or men’s basketball.
Tonight, they carried the torch across the finish line to 100. It was a relay. They took the last baton and crossed the finish line.
–UConn head coach Geno Auriemma after the game
As far as the game itself was concerned, Gabby Williams finished with 26 points and Napheesa Collier contributed another 18.
As expected, the Gamecocks were a tough test for the Huskies to get to number 100. South Carolina had a 29-28 lead after one quarter and UConn only led by six at the half.
The Gamecocks only trailed by three (40-37) at one point in the third, before an 11-2 run by the Huskies that helped greatly in getting in the win column once again.
We just tried to keep our composure, and just be more confident than the other team.
–Gabby Williams
The Huskies reached the plateau in front of a sold-out crowd that included no shortage of UConn greats.
So happy I was able to be at Gampel last night for #100! To be a part of this streak and now watch as it continues is simple amazing #proud
— Breanna Stewart (@bre_stewart30) February 14, 2017
Minutes away from tip off!! Let’s goooooo @UConnWBB Goin for ? #UconnNation on @espn 2 pic.twitter.com/aVeKpr1LMx
— Maya Moore (@MooreMaya) February 14, 2017
??????
— Sue Bird (@S10Bird) February 14, 2017
USA Today’s Christine Brennan mentioned the only accomplishment that still eludes Auriemma and UConn is to eclipse 131 consecutive wins, which was set by Wayland Baptist University roughly 60 years ago.
If we win the national championship, it’s all theirs, they earned it. So, I want to focus on trying to do that, instead of all this other stuff. But this stuff is neat, don’t get me wrong.
–Geno Auriemma
Once again, for any team to accomplish 100 consecutive wins is not just a noteworthy accomplishment, it is pure history. It is pure greatness and speaks to Auriemma’s greatness as a coach. It is also gratifying to see that a women’s sport is the lifeblood of a major university’s athletic department—as was the case in the Pat Summitt days at Tennessee.
History such as this may never be accomplished again, so it is something to be appreciated while it is around—and especially to be appreciated given it once again puts women’s sports in the spotlight where it belongs.
It also continues to be a story of what happens when a team blocks out the noise. Many a critic has tried to throw cold water on UConn’s streak by saying them winning is boring or that women’s college basketball (and women’s basketball altogether) is delegitimized by UConn continuing to win.
Yet, UConn continues to win and win and win and does not pay any attention to how haters feel. If anything, it continues to raise the profile of women’s basketball that we are witnessing greatness.
Not to mention many Huskies have gone on to have great WNBA careers. Many of them were on hand for the history making night at Storrs.
Greatness is rarely, if ever, scoffed at in other sports, so why should it be scoffed at in women’s basketball? In a society that seemingly always wants to put women in a box, it is extremely gratifying to see young women like those at UConn be celebrated for something that has traditionally been a men’s realm.
But even without the gender issues, what Auriemma has accomplished and is continuing to accomplish is not simply a manner of women and men’s sports. It is sports history in general that just so happens to be accomplished by women—and only makes occasions such as these all the more worthwhile.
Congratulations to UConn!
By: Akiem Bailum (@AkiemBailum on Twitter, Instagram)
