Results: Connecticut 93, Louisville 60
Player of the Game: Fr. F Breanna Stewart (23p, 9r, 3a, 3s, 3b, 30m)
Defensive Player of the Game: Sr. G Kelly Faris (8dr, 2s, 1b, 33m)
Freshman Player of the Game: Fr. F Breanna Stewart (23p, 9r, 3a, 3s, 3b, 30m)
Stat of the Game: 3pt. Shooting: UConn 13-26 (50%), Louisville 5-23 (21.7%)
Summary: UConn is back on top. Led by Fr. Breanna Stewart, it might be a while before they relinquish that spot. Stewart scored 18 of her 23 points in a superb first half and Connecticut won its 8th NCAA WBB National Championship with a 93-60 rout of Louisville. It was the most lopsided victory in a title game (men's or women's). The title tied Auriemma and the Huskies with Pat Summitt and Tennessee for the most in women's basketball history. It might not take long for Auriemma to pass Summitt the way Stewart and the rest of his Huskies played. His star freshman was unstoppable, hitting shots from everywhere on the court to earn Most Outstanding Player honors for the Final Four (the first Fr. to win since 1987) after scoring a career-high 29pts. (most in Final 4 game by a Fr.) against Notre Dame in the National Semifinals on Sunday.
"The fact that I tied Pat Summitt's record puts you in the category of the greatest women's basketball coach that ever lived," Auriemma said. "I'm just thrilled for our seniors. This team accomplished an amazing feat this last month."
Senior Kelly Faris and 5th-year Seniors Caroline Doty/Heather Buck conclude their careers with their 2nd and 3rd NCAA titles, respectively. Faris was simply amazing in the Final 4 shutting down whomever she was in charge of guarding. Her defensive abilties and her heart/hustle is a thing of beauty. She will be missed by many (and by me especially). That girl is SPECIAL!!! I am so happy the world got to see just how special and that she got to go out on top. She is going to make some WNBA team very, very happy with their selection in this Monday's upcoming 2013 WNBA Draft.
The loss ended an unprecedented tournament run by Louisville. The Cardinals became the first No. 5 seed to make the championship game, pulling off the greatest upset in tournament history when they beat Brittney Griner and the defending champion Baylor Lady Bears in the regional semifinals. Jeff Walz's team then beat Tennessee in the regional final before topping Cal in the Final Four. The Cardinals just didn't have enough to beat their Big East foe. Louisville was trying to become just the second school to win both the men's and women's championship in the same season and the first since UConn in 2004.
2012-13 NCAA Women's Basketball National Champions!!!
2013 Final Four All-Tournament Team:
Sr. G Kelly Faris, Connecticut
Jr. G Bria Hartley, Connecticut
So. W Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, Connecticut
Fr. F Breanna Stewart, Connecticut (Most Outstanding Player)
Jr. W Antonita Slaughter, Louisville
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