1991 Dream Season
Auriemma's early years showed steady signs of progress. After going 12–15 in his first season in 1985–1986, Auriemma would lead UConn to winning seasons in 1987 and 1988. Auriemma pulled off one of his biggest and most important early recruiting successes in 1988 when he convinced an All American from New Hampshire, Kerry Bascom, to come to UConn. Bascom made an immediate impact on the UConn program. In 1989, Bascom won the Big East Player of the Year award as a sophomore and led UConn to its first ever NCAA tournament appearance in program history. UConn would also win its first Big East Regular Season and Tournament Championship. It would be Bascom's first of three Big East Player of the Year awards.
UConn under Bascom's leadership as well as a solid group of role players in Laura Lishness, Megan Pattyson, Wendy Davis, and Debbie Baer would make the NCAA Tournament in 1989 and 1990, losing in their first round both years. In Auriemma's 6th season in 1991, the program broke through in a surprising way on the national scene. UConn would end up with a 29–5 record that season and once again took home the Big East Tournament and Regular Season titles.
UConn earned their highest seed ever in the NCAA Tournament that year as a 3 seed in the East. UConn won a thrilling opening round game against Toledo at Gampel Pavilion, 81–80. UConn moved on to the regionals at The Palestra in Auriemma's hometown of Philadelphia. UConn would upset heavily favored ACC power NC State in the Sweet 16 and then defeated Clemson 60–57 to advance to their first ever Final Four. They became the first Big East school ever to advance to the Final Four.
UConn's dream season would end in the National Semi Finals at Lakefront Arena in New Orleans with a 61-55 loss to top seeded Virginia. Bascom was hit with early foul trouble and Virginia held off a late UConn rally. Bascom's career would come to an end, having set UConn's scoring record, a record that would later be broken in the controversial Nykesha Sales lay up in 1998.
Read more about this topic: Connecticut Huskies Women's Basketball
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