The Day

UConn lost with dignity and decency

- MIKE DIMAURO m.dimauro@theday.com

GG eno Auriemma, who often does prophetic as habit and not reaction, likes to say that everything happens for a reason.

It applies to life, too. Everything happens for a reason. Often, we don't understand the reason. We may never. Sometimes, they're just not tangible enough for our simple minds to grasp. Maybe the reasons come at the behest of the universe trying to send us an otherworld­ly message.

So maybe this is the reason the UConn women were unable to win their 112th straight game as Friday night became Saturday morning deep in the heart of Texas: to show us a light for the way.

As in: Here is a lesson on how to lose from the team that never loses.

Because after you dissect the Xs and Os and emerge from the rubble ... did you see the dignity and decency with which the Connecticu­t players and coaches conducted themselves on the worst night of the season? Our state should have never been prouder, not on any national championsh­ip night even — than Auriemma on the podium after the loss to Mississipp­i State.

It was a small moment of grace, especially for those of us who see losing's residual effect in all levels of sports: blame assessment, misplaced anger, parental sniveling, media bloviating ... and on the band plays.

"Look," Auriemma said on the podium, in quotes that appeared on the ASAP Sports website, "nobody's won more than we've won. I understand losing, believe it or not. We haven't lost in a while, but I understand it. I know how to appreciate when other people win."

And that's why Auriemma made his way through the handshake line after the game with a smile. He actually shook hands. Maintained eye contact.

"I know how to appreciate when other people win."

Who knew that was even allowed anymore?

That should make every sports

fan weep tears of joy. Somebody gets it. It's not just "somebody" either. It is perhaps the greatest coach in the history of college basketball. Methinks not all of Auriemma's peers over the years would have been so graceful.

And if you know him, you know this: It was earnest. A more cynical fellow might think it's easy to be graceful after you've won 111 in a row. Maybe if you lose on some Tuesday in January. But not at the Final Four. "Obviously, you know, when you get to this point in the season, and you lose, it's the worst feeling imaginable," Auriemma said. "The excitement that was in Mississipp­i State's locker room, we've been there. We've been there lots of times. We've experience­d that probably more times than normal.

"Today, you know, they deserved to win. They beat us. We had our chances. I mean, they beat us. They took us away from the things that we like to do. We didn't have the kind of maturity that you need to win at this level at this time of the year. Some of our young guys got a little bit ahead of themselves. That's okay. We went in the locker room and we experience­d some of the things that a bunch of other kids have experience­d against us."

Again: you want to assess blame and talk Xs and Os? Free country. Just not here. This is about something bigger. This is about how to conduct yourself in the face of loss. Pretty neat trick, given how nobody wearing a UConn uniform ever dealt with losing before.

"I'm proud of our team. I'm proud of our kids. They had an incredible run. But we came up against a much better team tonight," Auriemma said. "They were just better. Things happen for a reason. I just kind of shook my head. When (Morgan William's) shot went in, it was almost like, of course. Of course, it's going to go in."

They may win another 111 in a row now. Not kidding. Wait till you see Duke transfer Azura Stevens, among others, next year. It's just comforting to know that Auriemma's program isn't merely a beacon for success. But in loss, too. This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro

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