McCowan poses big problem for Louisville

Boston College with some extra souvenirs. The night before taking on the Eagles, the Cardinals took in a Boston Celtics game and scored access to the pregame shoot-around thanks to coach Jeff Walz.

From there, Hines-Allen played up her Montclair, New Jersey, upbringing to get the attention of Celtics guard Kyrie Irving, a fellow New Jersey native.

“He was shooting and I kept saying, ‘I’m from Jersey, I’m from Montclair,’ and he heard me,” she said. “He came over after shoot-around and gave me his sneakers he was wearing.”

Then Irving turned and left, and Hines-Allen said she didn’t speak because she didn’t know what to say. The shoes in her room, she said, are destined for a glass display case. we start going up and down, she’s over on the bike.”

Yet Dangerfield still averages 9.6 points and 28.6 minutes per game, and her 5-of-7 shooting on threepoint tries in a 21-point performance helped power the Huskies past defending national champion South Carolina in the Albany regional final.

“She’s like, ‘Yeah, I like to think I’m a big-game player’ — I’ll never forget that quote,” Auriemma said. “I didn’t realize she meant one big game a year, you know?”

Laughter followed, but Dangerfield has delivered all season. Her two late free throws helped UConn escape Texas 75-71 in mid-January in the closest game so far in a 36-0 season.

“I just want to be able to contribute as much as possible,” Dangerfield said.