What you need to know about Vermont
The UConn women's basketball team was selected as the No. 2 seed in the Seattle 3 region of the 2023 NCAA Tournament bracket.
Even with an onslaught of injuries that continuously plagued the Huskies, UConn still finished the season as the Big East regular season champions and won the Big East Tournament Title for their 10th consecutive tournament championship.
Besides UConn star Paige Bueckers out for the season due to an ACL tear, the Huskies have their healthiest roster to date and welcomed back Azzi Fudd to the lineup during the Big East Tournament.
Now, UConn will face No. 15 Vermont in the first round of the NCAA Tournament and the Huskies have an 11-0 record against the Catamounts, here's what you need to know.
Record: 25-6
When: Saturday, 3 p.m. (ABC)
Where: Gampel Pavilion
How they got here: Vermont beat Bryant, UMBC and narrowly escaped against Albany for a 38-36 victory to capture the American East Tournament championship, earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Catamounts led Bryant for the majority of the game and out-rebounded the Bulldogs 47-27. After beating Bryant 56-49, Vermont took on UMBC in the semifinal, earning a 75-63 victory. The title game was a defensive battle as it was 4-4 heading into the second quarter and 17-10 Vermont at halftime. Vermont nearly lost it in the fourth, when it
watching our team play in February. It's March you got to worry about.”
Auriemma walked the crowd through the past 10 months of leading the women's program through another roller coaster-like season: from first evaluating his team last June when they all met on campus to begin summer conditioning to the gutting loss of Paige Bueckers' ACL injury two months later and every injury afterward.
For the second-straight season, 10 of UConn's 12 roster players have missed at least one game or more due to injury or illness.
“It kind of devastated our guys, especially the young guys who were all looking forward to playing with her,” Auriemma said of Bueckers' injury. “And then it just kept going, just kept adding and kept building and building to where it culminated in a point where we had to cancel a game against DePaul because we didn't have enough healthy players to be able to play in that game.”
The Huskies' struggle with consistency reached its peak in February. UConn not only lost backto-back games for the first time in nearly 30 years but ended the season with 10 straight games finishing within 10 points or fewer than its opponent.
Yet, Auriemma praised his team for remaining calm under the pressure.
“We get to February, and we probably play our worst basketball of the year during pretty much that whole month,” Auriemma said. “But playing that worst basketball put us in a lot of close games, put us in a lot of tough situations. And the pressure to play at UConn is so intense because you're never the favorite. I mean, you're never the underdog. You're always the favorite. You always have to win. And if the other team wins, it's your fault.
“It's not because they were really good that night. It's because you were really bad. So, they live with that every day. … They deal with that all the time and somehow or another they manage it, and they keep winning. And they keep bouncing back from tough stuff that happens.” was outscored by Albany 19-8.
About the season: Vermont began the season on the wrong foot, losing three of their first four, although one of those losses was to nationally-ranked Indiana. Then the Catamounts went on a sixgame win streak and it looked like Vermont had found itself before losing three of its next four. But Jan. 1 loss to UMBC proved to be Vermon's last loss as the Catamounts went on a 17-game win streak the rest of the way.
Player to watch: Emma Utterback leads the team at 14 points per game. The 5foot-8 senior guard was very active in the American East Tournament with 21 points and six assists against UMBC and 18 points with six rebounds in the Catamount's tournament championship game. Utterback, a first-team all NEC selection, is Vermont's first option on offense and the Catamounts will look to her for production.
Up next: A win over Vermont means UConn would face the winner of the No. 7 Baylor vs. No. 10 Alabama match-up. The Nicki Collen-led Bears are the favorite to win and will most likely face the Huskies in the second round. The Crimson Tide ended their season on a fourgame losing streak. Collen, by the way, knows the state as a former Connecticut Sun assistant under Curt Miller.
Looking way ahead: Ohio State, the No. 3 seed, will probably advance to the Sweet 16 and will be a tough opponent. The Buckeyes had a 19-0 start until Iowa, led by Caitlin Clarke, handed the Buckeyes their first loss on January 23. The Buckeyes went on a slight skid, losing five of their next seven games. With six players averaging double figures in points, including Taylor Mikesell (17.3), the Buckeyes will be a force in the Sweet 16.
Auriemma says winning the Big East Tournament was the highlight of the season thus far. It was the first time since November, that his team was whole and played like it too. With the return of Azzi Fudd (who missed 21 games total with a right knee injury), the Huskies outscored opponents by 23.3 points across three games to win their 10th straight conference tournament title.
Despite having the second-best NET ranking in the country (under only top-ranked South Carolina), the Huskies were selected as a No. 2 seed for the NCAA Tournament and not a No. 1 seed. While the difference won't affect how the Huskies finish the year on the court, Auriemma says his team embraces the chance to be doubted and considered an “underdog” in the postseason.
“If we were called something other than UConn, we would have been a number one seed, right, because our record says that we should be,” Auriemma said. “But it's better that we're not No. 1, because, again, now it gives our kids like a chance, last year it was the same thing, to be somewhat sort of, kinda the underdog and they relish that. They love that.”
The Hall of Fame coach then took questions and comments from the crowd.
“My family and I are huge fans of Lou Lopez Sénéchal,” one member said.
“As you should be,” Auriemma replied instantly.
Auriemma was asked about Lopez Sénéchal's impact in the WNBA this summer, the recent parity in women's college basketball, Maya Moore's official retirement from basketball, Nika Mühl playing point guard, his incoming freshman and how Dorka Juáhsz and Aaliyah Edwards have led the frontcourt.
He answered each question, including saying that Bueckers continues to attack rehab just as hard as she attacks every game when she's playing.
“She's working harder than she's ever worked,” he said. “It's a shame because when she got hurt, she was in the best shape of her life. And now she's (working) every day, every day, every day, every day. While other kids are doing whatever they're doing, she's working. It's like a full-time job for her. … And right now, the look on her face, you can tell this is when it's really (hard). You know, NCAA Tournament time, this is what you play for at Connecticut. She's played in two Final Fours and now she doesn't get to play at all. So, this is really killing her right now.”
A nurse in the back of the crowd asked Auriemma how he learned to lead his team through fatigue this season amid all the injuries.
“Well, at the end of your shift or the end of your workday or at home, whatever it is, OK, when you finish and you go home whether you're fatigued or not, you either did your job or you didn't,” he said. “… So, at the end of a game or at the end of a workday you have a choice: Do you want to feel good about yourself and be fatigued? Or do you want to be fatigued and feel lousy about yourself? Because either way, the fatigue is not going away. You just have a choice of what you're going to do with that fatigue.
“… I was the big culprit I think a lot of time because I started treating them differently because I was worried that we would overdo it and push them too hard and all this other stuff. And they basically said, ‘Coach, you need to stop worrying about what we want, and you need to start doing what we need.' … What's the line from back in the day and if you remember back in the old western movies? They said, ‘The dogs will bark, but the caravan moves on,' right?”
The Huskies' job this season isn't done.
Their biggest challenge of the year begins this weekend with every game forward now win-or-gohome. The pressure is tenfold with the expectations having also intensified.
But after another season of filled with adversity at every turn, Auriemma and the Huskies are ready for the NCAA Tournament.
“And now to March, the best month of the year for basketball fans,” Auriemma said.
From page B1
“The soft part of a baby's head that closes seemed larger,” Megan said. “Because there was a twin right there, it didn't seem typical. The doctor agreed and sent us to a specialist. That was the six-month check up. It kind of came out of nowhere. Thankfully, he was born healthy.” Michael stands 4-4. Jack stands 5-9. Jack is 10 minutes older and he likes to joke that it was the best 10 minutes of his life.
It is here that he turns serious.
“Michael is a little guy,” Jack Linder said. “But he has a big heart.”
They played soccer and basketball. In Little League, Michael played second base. They played lacrosse. Michael turned to wrestling. Jack only did it for a year. Jack played “A” level hockey and Michael “B.” And, of course, they played street hockey.
At the youth level, Michael would go from a wrestling meet to a hockey game. Headed into his freshman year, the decision which winter sport to play was essentially made for him.
“I wasn't big enough for the smallest weight class (106 pounds),” he said. “I weighed about 70 pounds.”
That's OK. His passion is hockey. It is Jack's passion, too.
Jack is a Washington Capitals fan. He loves Alex Ovechkin.
Michael is a Bruins fan, although he says favorite player is Sydney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
I tell him I thought he was going to say Brad Marchand.
“Yeah,” Michael said, “a lot of people expect to hear that.”
Obviously, as the teenage boys grow larger and checking is allowed, the challenges are much bigger. Michael, a 100-pound forward, played a little more last year and saw ice time on a line with his brother in the fall club season. As this season has gone on, as Branford turned from a struggling team into a Division II power, his ice time dwindled.
“On his one goal, I did assist, “Jack said. “That was special. It is really cool watching him go out there every day, especially being way shorter than everyone else. It takes big heart to go out there and compete against kids who are a foot and a half taller than you. Sometimes two feet taller. We have a kid 6-7 on our team.”
Branford has some strong performers like Matt Morgan, Dante DeLegge and Sean Bosworth. Jack's strength has been in his versatility.
“I normally play offense,” Jack said. “I played defense the last 10 games. I play everywhere. It's a pretty smooth transition. Even last year and sophomore year, I transitioned between offense and defense whenever they needed.”
He also is recognized as a non-stop talker on the ice.
“Jack has had a breakout season, forward, defense, wherever the coach wants,” Dennis said. “He'll double, even triple shift. Our expectations for Michael have been nothing but realistic. Jack realizes he has a special relationship with his brother on the ice.
“The whole group looks out for Michael. He has been checked hard once or twice and they have left the message that it's not a good idea. Whether it's Jack taking a Superman fly at a kid last year or one of the other boys.”
The twins both will play lacrosse for Branford in the spring.
Make no mistake.
When the field is leveled, Michael is an athletic force. He counts more than 20 medals from National and World Dwarf Games. There's soccer, basketball, flag football, various individual sports. There is no ice hockey or wrestling. Hasn't stopped him for a minute. He has been all over North America competing and plans to continue as an adult.
“It's really fun,” Michael said. “I get to see all my friends every year. Being 4-4, has its ups and downs. Obviously, as far as hockey, it would be a lot better if I wasn't 4-4. One good thing is I get to travel all around and meet people.”
It's also a chance for Jack to do the watching.
“Michael is very athletic,” Dennis said. “Jack has been amazingly supportive. He goes to the games and cheers him on.”
Michael will attend Coastal Carolina next year to major in sports management. Jack is still deciding.
“Through all this,” Megan said, “I do think the twinship was only a good thing,” Megan said.
“It's special going for a state championship,” Jack said, “especially playing with your twin brother. It's a different type of connection.”
In a story a couple of years ago, Michael was quoted as saying that being shorter sometimes requires working twice as hard.
And obviously a big, big heart.