When I heard I would be covering the UConn women’s basketball team during the post season I was excited at the prospect of them making it to the Final Four.
For selfish reasons I was looking forward to hooking up with my brother Jeff who has lived in Denver for 22 years and I haven’t been able to visit him as often as I would like. We would get together every other year to do a little skiing but I haven’t strapped my boards to my feet in a couple years now. I also have former colleagues from the Hartford Courant living in Boulder and Golden and really wanted to see them as well.
Sunset heading to Boulder Saturday night to meet with Michael Kodas and Carolyn Moreau for dinner. Shot with iPhone 3s using Instagram app.
Inside the Pepsi Center the court awaits for teams to compete for the national title and 30,000 fans cheering on Baylor, Stamford, Notre Dame and the University of Connecticut.
Fans lined the concourse to wait for a chance to get an autograph for the Huskies, some were fortunate, some left with empty hands due to a time constraint.
Jenny Sohm, of Witchita, KS, (L) and Catherine Kello of Washington, DC, aim their cameras towards the UConn women’s team hoping to take a souvenir home of their favorite players like…
Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis who holds her 2 year old brother Xander Ali alongside teammate Brianna Banks.
When the autograph session ended the Lady huskies took to the court for a little practice for the fans.
UConn head coach Geno Auriemma gives Tiffany Hayes advice on a play during practice as associate head coach Chris Dailey, Kia Stokes, Caroline Doty and Kelly Faris listen in.
Some fans sported “net” hats and temporary tattoos as they watched teams work out.
The UConn women’s basketball team take a half-court shot as the buzzer sounds during their practice session.
Kia Stokes is serenaded by her teammates for her 19th birthday Saturday afternoon after the UConn women finished their practice, tradition calls for the birthday girl to skip around the court afterward.
There are always photos you wish you had at an event like this. One photo I wish I had been in a position to take was a meeting between UConn head coach Geno Auriemma and Tennessee head coach Pat Summit. I was on one end of the court when I saw a commotion at the other side, I wasn’t sure what it was but a small group of reporters and photographers had gathered off the baseline. By the time I realized what was going on and made my way there it was over and I missed the two coaches greeting and hugging one another. The once bitter rivals and titans of the women’s game have recently begun to mend their relationship after it was announced Summit is dealing with the effects of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
I used to beat myself up over missing a shot like that but today I realize you can’t be everywhere all the time. Be grateful for the ones you are able to capture and hope the next time you’re in the right place at the right time. I was able to follow her around for a few moments as she stopped to sign autographs for fans.
She brought smiles to the faces of many Tennessee fans as they lined up along the sidelines for a change to meet their idol.
Sunday afternoon Bria Hartley and Stefanie Dolson were the first of the Huskies to walk the walkway to the locker room before their semifinal game against Notre Dame.
The UConn marching band plays as Bria Hartley leads the Lady Huskies onto the court before a crowd of 30,000 in the first semifinal.
Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis’ 2 year old brother Xander Ali raises his arms to cheer for the team as they enter the arena.
UConn head coach Geno Auriemma, associate head coach Chris Dailey, and assitant coaches Shea Ralph and Marisa Moseley know they have a tough task at hand as they face Big East rival Notre Dame for the 8th time in 15 months.
Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw (L) and associate head coach Jonathan Tsipis (R) greet UConn head coach Geno Auriemma before tip-off.
Freshmen Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis of UConn drives through Brittany Mallory of Notre Dame during the first half of the 2012 Women’s Final Four. at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado, Sunday afternoon. KML played with assertiveness and scored 6 points in 13 minutes in the first half.
Kelly Faris of UConn splits the defense of Kayla McBride (L) and Devereaux Peters (R) of Notre Dame to hand out 4 of her first half assists.
Stefanie Dolson of UConn is double teamed by Devereaux Peters (L) and Natalie Achonwa (R) of Notre Dame in the first half but Dolson scored 12 points to help the Huskies take a 36-33 lead at the half.
Bria Hartley of UConn pushed the ball up court against Natalie Achonwa and Notre Dame during the first half scoring 10 points in 20 minutes.
(L to R) Tiffany Hayes and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis scramble for a loose ball against in the first half, Hayes had 4 points and 3 steals while Mosqueda-Lewis scored 6 points.
It was a physical game as Stefanie Dolson found out late in the first half as she tries to keep her contact lens from dropping to the floor.
The coaching staff and bench look on during the first half as Notre Dame builds a slight lead but the Huskies took a 36-33 lead at the half.
Bria Hartley drives past Natalie Achonwa of Notre Dame during the second half as the two teams exchanged baskets for most of the second half as neither one could get a lead larger than five points.
It was a very physical game as Bria Hartley gets fouled by Devereuax Peters of Notre Dame during the second half.
When Stefanie Dolson picked up her fourth foul at the 17:19 mark of the second half UConn had to put sit their starting center and play a four guard line-up and use freshmen Kia Stokes until Dolson returned with 10:09 remaining.
With Dolson in foul trouble head coach Geno Auriemma, associate head coach Chris Dailey and Kelly Faris ponder their game plan after Dolson picked up that 4th foul.
Freshmen Kia Stokes is triple teamed as she takes a shot during the second half. Stokes only scored 2 points and grabbed 2 rebounds in the second half but gave Uconn a presence inside while Dolson sat with four fouls.
Natalie Novosel helps Skylar Diggins up after drawing a charging foul against Bria Hartley during the second half of the first game keeping the Irish up by a point at the 14:28 point.
(L to R) Skylar Diggins and Bria Hartley battle for a loose ball during the second half, Diggins grabbed the ball and called timeout.
Tiffany Hayes looked for the foul as she drove to the hoop against Devereaux Peters (R) as Kayla McBride looks on during the second half.
(L to R) Kia Stokes and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis are pumped after Mosqueda-Lewis scored a basket and drew the foul late in the second half against Notre Dame. After hitting the free throw the Huskies trailed by two with 12:48 remaining.
Kelly Faris splits the defense of Natalie Achonwa (L) and Devereaux Peters (R) late in the second half to rally the Huskies.
Kelly Faris stole the ball from a stumbling Natalie Novosel with 01:22 left in regualtion. It was the beginning of a wild finish of the second half.
Caroline Doty leads the UConn bench in celebration as the Huskies close the gap at the end of regulation against Notre Dame when Kelly Faris stole the ball, drove to the hoop and was fouled.
Faris gets encouragement from Tiffany Hayes, Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis and Kia Stokes after drawing the foul and heading to the line for two free throws.
She hit them both to give UConn a 67-65 lead with :11 remaining in the game, UConn head coach Geno Auriemma had this to say about the end of regulation. “I made a huge mistake of taking Kia Stokes out of the game at that point. We went with five guards so that we could switch all their screens. And in the end one defensive rebound would have won it for us. That’s the part I’m going home with.”
With five guards on the floor the Huskies pressed and Skylar Diggins missed layup bounced off the backboard as Caroline Doty lies on the floor and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis tries to keep Natalie Novosel from the rebound…
but Novosel had the inside position on Mosqueda-Lewis and beat her to the ball with less than 5 seconds remaining…
and made the shot that tied the score at 67 forcing OT.
I used a remote mounted along the catwalk high above the basket. With all the commotion in the closing seconds of the game I didn’t have time to pick up my camera with a long lens for the far side of the court so I reached over to the remote and just pushed the trigger hoping for something. When I got the card and started to edit the images I was happier than a pig in you know what at the results. With Doty on the floor and the sequence of players streaming into the frame it captured the what ended up being the play of the game.
“The game sometimes hangs on one play,” Auriemma said. “Kelly Faris steals the ball, misses the layup and gets two free throws. If she gets the layup and the foul shot, we’re up three instead of two.”
Stefanie Dolson listens to head coach Geno Auriemma during a timeout before the start of overtime.
Auriemma pleads with Caroline Doty, Tiffany Hayes, Kelly Faris Stefanie Dolson and Kia Stokes to defend their ground in OT.
Tiffany Hayes drove to the basket against Brittany Mallory for 2 of her 10 points but she turned the ball over 6 times in 39 minutes and a couple of 3 pointers by Mallory…
Extended Notre Dame’s lead in the extra period. Mallory finished with 11 points and 5 assists in 41 minutes.
“As most games do, the game turned on one great play by a great player,” Auriemma said of Novosel. “And once we got into overtime, we just didn’t have enough. Brittany Mallory made two shots and that’s who we wanted to take them. God bless her, she stepped up and made them.”
When the final buzzer went off Stefanie Dolson wiped tears from her face as Notre Dame celebrated their 83-75 victory. Dolson finished with 20 points and 9 rebounds in 34 minutes.
Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw and her bench jump in joy after defeating UConn and earned the change to play Baylor for the national championship on Tuesday night.
Stefanie Dolson tries to compose herself as reporters ask her questions in the locker room after the 83-75 defeat. “It just sucks” she said trailing off into tears. “We worked so hard all season, and to end just end it this way, it doesn’t feel good.”
Tiffany Hayes said she was proud of her team and teammates after suffering an 83-75 loss in overtime. Many didn’t think the Huskies would make back to the Final Four but Hayes was happy they were able to be there but wished the season hadn’t ended this way.
“What can I say?” coach Geno Auriemma said. “We put ourselves into position to win.”
Pro Tip: I’ve been fortunate enough to have attended a few Final Four championships. I worked as an editor/technician for staffers Rich Messina and Bradley Clift in 1999 when the men won their first title. I was in Philly and San Antonio for the women when they won in the mid 2000′s. I went to Detroit for the men’s Final Four when they lost to Michigan State in 2005. Each time I’ve gone I have had the privilege to work with some outstanding people from the Courant, the NCAA and other newspapers and wire services. Each time time I’ve come away with new friendships and knowledge.
Tim Rasmussen, Director of Photography at the Denver Post, hooked me up with his chief photographer John Ledya. He gave me advice as to what lens to use for the overhead shots at the end of regulation. He also was able to secure a spot for me on the catwalk so I could mount my camera, next to probably 8 others from various papers and wires services. I owe a lot to them and Jamie Schwaberow ?of NCAA photos, who I met through Jay L. Clendenin, a former Courant photog. Contacts, experience and a little luck helped me to achieve the results I hoped for. I wish I could have stayed longer but hey, there’s always next year, and listening to Geno after the game, I would love to be in New Orleans next year for another go round. Until then…