One to Watch

7th Final Four matchup since ‘11

CONNECTICUT VS. NOTRE

DAME: 9 p.m. Friday, TV: ESPN2. … Arguably the greatest rivalry in the women’s game will be renewed for the 50th time in Game 2 of the women’s Final Four in Tampa, Fla. It is the sixth time they’ve played in the Final Four or title game just since 2011. The Irish beat the Huskies a year ago in a semifinal, 91-89, on a buzzer-beater by Arike Ogunbowale. The Huskies got some revenge with an 89-71 win in December and lead the overall series, 37-12.

TAMPA, Fla. — There’s a different vibe around Geno Auriemma and his Connecticut Huskies at this year’s Final Four. Unlike the previous two years, they don’t have the burden of a record winning streak or an unbeaten season.

One thing is familiar for the Huskies, however: They have to beat rival Notre Dame to reach the championship.

Heading into their showdown Friday night with the rival Irish, the Huskies already have lost two games this season and don’t have, as Auriemma put it, “the fear of losing” this year.

“Our players have already experienced something different than they’ve experienced the other couple years,” he said. “Any other team in America, they lose the game, it’s in the newspaper tomorrow, probably on page 4, or can’t find it on dotcom anywhere. We lose a game, it’s at Baylor, it’s on the CBS Evening News. Our kids have experienced that dramatic feeling of, Oh, my God, we lost . ... I think there’s this sense coming out here this year, What’s the big deal?”

Auriemma said the experience has made his squad stronger mentally.

“For the first time, I can honestly say in a long time, in the UCLA, second half, and the Louisville game, I was coaching a Connecticut team that wasn’t burdened by afraid to lose and was playing to win,” he said.

Besides the losses, Connecticut had to rally a few times to pull out victories.

Seniors Napheesa Collier and Katie Lou Samuelson have been to the national semifinals in each of their four years at Connecticut as part of the Huskies’ record 12 consecutive years run to the Final Four. Both players feel a sense of urgency knowing this is their last Final Four go-round.

The Huskies will have to figure out a way to beat the defending champion Irish. Connecticut and Notre Dame have played six times in the Final Four or national championship since 2011. They have split the six meetings with the Irish, going 3-1 in the semifinals.

“I think it’s very competitive and intense. I think it is the best rivalry in women’s college basketball,” Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw said. “I think it’s one the fans and teams all look forward to.”

Baylor plays Oregon in the first game of the Final Four.

Awards

Megan Gustafson, who rewrote the women’s basketball record book at Iowa, was named The Associated Press women’s college basketball player of the year. The 6-foot3 center led the NCAA in scoring for the second season in a row, averaging 27.9 points.

Baylor’s Kim Mulkey also was honored, taking the AP coach of the year award for the second time. She has led top-ranked Baylor to a 35-1 record.