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| Ashley Battle averaged 5.4 points and 4.7 rebounds off the bench for the 2001-02 Connecticut team. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The biggest storyline of the 2009 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament is the University of Connecticut's attempt to complete an undefeated season and win its sixth national title.
This is not unchartered territory for Geno Auriemma and the Huskies, as they have accomplished perfect seasons in both the 1994-95 and 2001-02 seasons. However, a total of nine teams have entered the NCAA tournament undefeated, but only four have been able to finish the deal. The last team to achieve perfection was the 2001-02 Huskies, a team that featured seven current WNBA players, led by All-Stars Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, Swin Cash and Asjha Jones.
A key contributor for the Huskies off the bench was Ashley Battle, who averaged 5.4 points and 4.7 rebounds during her redshirt freshman season at UConn. With her alma mater attempting to complete only the fifth undefeated season in the history of women’s college basketball, we caught up with Battle to discuss the achievement, the pressure that goes along with pursuing perfection and what advice she would give this current UConn team.
WNBA.com: Can you discuss the experience of going for and completing an undefeated season? What do you remember most about that season? What memories stand out?
Battle: I remember that we didn't dominate every game as we should have and that sometimes great teams get lucky and find away to win; although the final score might not have reflected how the game actually went. I also remember how connected we were on the court. It was unbelievable. We were like a well-oiled, indestructible machine.
One memory that stands out the most is in the championship game, when Swin blocked a shot by someone from Oklahoma and screamed right in their face. Also, Asjha hit a turn-around jump shot that sealed the deal in that game.
WNBA.com: How much pressure did you feel as achieving the perfect season got closer and closer?
Battle: I never really thought about finishing the regular season perfect. We went out there every game with a chip on our shoulder because the team that we had the year before was probably the most talented team ever assembled and although we had injuries, we still thought we under achieved. The feeling of losing and not playing to your fullest potential prepared us and allowed us to flourish that following year. Just as long as we finished the NCAA Tournament perfect, it didn't matter what our record was in the regular season.
WNBA.com: What would you say to this UConn team as they attempt to complete a perfect season?
Battle: I would say to them that opportunities like this do not come very often and to take advantage of it. I would also tell them that Coach will have you prepared; he'll take all of the pressure off of you, so all you have to do is go out there and do what you've done all season. With the parity that is now evident in women's basketball I honestly didn't think it could happen again, but here I stand corrected. I’m proud of you guys. Let's do the [dang] thing!!!!!!
