2008–09 Connecticut Huskies women's basketball team
Encyclopedia
The 2008–09 Connecticut Huskies women's basketball team represented the University of Connecticut
in the 2008–2009 NCAA Division I basketball season. Coached by Geno Auriemma
, the Huskies played their home games at the Hartford Civic Center in Hartford, Connecticut
, and on campus at the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion
in Storrs, Connecticut
, and are a member of the Big East Conference
. They enjoyed an undefeated season and won their sixth NCAA championship by defeating the Louisville Cardinals
, 76–54.
Both major pre-season polls ranked the Huskies number 1, each just one vote shy of unanimous. The AP Top 25 poll included all but one vote for Connecticut, with a single vote for Stanford, and the ESPN/USA Today Poll had all but one vote for Connecticut, with a single vote for Tennessee. The team returned much of the previous year's team. Of the departing seniors, only Brittany Hunter started more than half the team's game, although Mel Thomas failed to reach that mark due to a career-ending injury.
The Huskies started with a pair of triple digit scoring pre-season games. The first game was against Division II Stonehill College
in nearby North Easton, Massachusetts. It was the first chance for fans to see freshman Caroline Doty, Tiffany Hayes
, and Heather Buck in action. Caroline and Tiffany both scored in double-digits, and Heather had three rebounds and a blocked shot. The final score was in favor of UConn, 100-49. The second pre-season game was even more lopsided, with UConn prevailing over Team SRP 103-37.
, a team unranked in the pre-season. The game would be tied at halftime, with Connecticut pulling ahead late to win by eleven points 82-71. Connecticut would win their next three games easily, beating San Diego State and Rhode Island at home, and BYU in Utah, each win by at least 45 points.
The following game would bring #4 ranked Oklahoma to Connecticut. Characterized as a "significant test" by ESPN's Graham Hays, Connecticut would win easily by 32 points, 106-72. UConn would then play nearby Holy Cross
, winning easily 96-37. In this game Caroline Doty would hit her tenth consecutive three-point goal, a UConn school record, and four off the national record.
On December 14, the Huskies competed in the Maggie Dixon Classic at Madison Square Garden and defeated Penn State by a score of 77-63. From December 18 to the 21, the Huskies competed in the Caribbean Classic held in Cancun, Mexico. The Huskies were undefeated at the tournament. After returning from Mexico, the Huskies traveled to South Carolina for their fifth consecutive road game. The team shot 57% form the field, and held their opponents to under 40%. Tina Charles
has 21 points and 14 rebounds, helping lead the Huskies to their eleventh victory of the season.
Connecticut hosted Hartford
on New year's Eve. The Hartford Hawks
, coached by former UConn star Jen Rizzotti
, were no match, falling behind by 33 at halftime. Renee Montgomery
hit 9 of 11 in the first half, and did not return in the second half after taking an elbow to the mouth. LSU came to Connecticut for the first game of the new year. Both teams had been to the prior Final Four, each losing in the semi-final round. However, LSU had graduated five seniors, so the Lady Tigers were not expected to be as strong as the previous year's team. The pollsters concurred, not giving LSU a single vote for a top 25 position in either of the two major polls. LSU played stronger than their ranking, losing by 13 for the third closest match of the season to that date. Renee Montgomery's six assists, brought her to 1500 points and 500 assists for her career, a mark reach by only two other UConn players, Diana Taurasi
and Jen Rizzotti
.
USF would go on to win the WNIT
this season, but UConn was far too strong on this day. USF was one of the nation's best scoring team, scoring over 100 on five occasions, including 126 against Grambling State. UConn decided to work on defense, and held USF to just over 25% from the field. USF scored only 11 points in the second half.
The next game would be against West Virginia, in West Virginia, the home of UConn senior Renee Montgomery. In her first game in West Virginia, two years prior, she scored seven points. This time she would lead the team in points (28), assists(5), and steals(2) to lead UConn to a 30 point victory in front of her home town crowd. Three days later, UConn would play at home against DePaul. UConn built a 15 point lead by halftime against the unranked team, but despite falling another ten points behind, DePaul would play them even in the second half. The final score was 77-62, in favor of UConn.
Maya Moore entered the game on 17 January 2009 against Syracuse 29 points shy of 1,000 for her career. She would score 40 to easily surpass that mark, reaching the plateau faster than any other female in UConn history. However, the game would also be notable for a season ending injury to starter Caroline Doty, reported at the time to be a knee injury. Doty would score 17 points before halftime, but just before halftime, she injured her knee during a fast break. It was the same knee she injured in 2007. Moore's forty points is only the second forty point performance in UConn women's history; the other is Nykesha Sales' 46 against Stamford in 1997. UConn would win the game 107-53.
The following game was a highly anticipated showdown between the #1 and # 2 ranked teams in the nation. Both Connecticut and North Carolina entered the game 17-0 on the season. Connecticut had the higher ranking, but would need to replace starter Carolyn Doty. Her knee injury in the prior game would turn out to be a season-ending ACL tear. The result would be anti-climatic, as UConn reached a double-digit lead early in the game, extended to a 46-30 halftime lead, and finished with a 30 point victory, 88-58. The five starters, including Lorin Dixon in a her first start of the season, would each score in double digits, led by Renee Montgomery with 21.
The next game against Cincinnati would be even more lopsided. UConn outscored the Bearcats in the first half 39-7. The seven points allowed in the first half were only one point off the school record of six in a half. While Cincinnati would outscore the Huskies in the second half 27-26, the outcome was not in doubt.
The 26 January game against Louisville would pit UConn against the team they beat by only six in the previous year's Big East Tournament title game. Louisville was ranked 10th in the nation, and still had Angel McCoughtry
, winner of the Big East Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Year
in 2007. Angle would live up to her reputation with 24 points and 14 rebounds, but it wasn't enough, as Maye Moore scored 27 to lead UConn to a 93-65 win.
The next game was against unranked Georgetown. UConn would win by 19, with five players scoring in double-digits, but the game was surprisingly close, given that the average margin of victory for UConn was 34 at that point. The following game was against Rutgers, a team that has often given UConn a strong challenge, winning half of the last ten meetings. Rutgers would stay close in the first half, entering the half down only six 34-28, but UConn would pull away in the second half behind a double-double by Moore (24 points, 10 rebounds).
Marquette would endure another double-double by Moore(22 points, 10 rebounds), in their 83-49 loss to UConn on 7 February. The following game against unranked St. John's on 11 February, started as if it would be another rout. UConn led by 15 at halftime, and increased the lead to 20. The St. John's team responded and cut the lead to seven, before UConn regrouped and finished with a 13 point victory, 77-64. Maya would contribute another double-double (20 points, 10 rebounds), while Renee Montgomery and Tina Charles each scored 21 points.
The next game would be the last game of the season at Gampel Arena. The game itself would be anticlimactic, as UConn easily beat Pittsburgh 95-42. The highlight of the evening would be the induction into the Huskies of Honor for Renee Montgomery, kept a secret from her until the announcement. One of her first reactions, after the shock of the announcement, was the regret that her parents wouldn't see it, but seconds later, her parents would walk onto the floor. They had been in town, but shared the secret. Renee is the first active player at UConn to be so honored. She would go on to score a team high 20 points.
On the 18th of February, Connecticut played Providence in Providence. The Huskies scored the first eleven points, and never trailed. The Huskies started the second half in even more impressive fashion, scoring the first 25 points of the half. UConn would win easily 75–39.
The following game was against Notre Dame, ranked 24th at the time. The Notre Dame Irish would give Connecticut their toughest match of the year. The Irish lead most of the first half. Although UConn would go to the half with a three point lead, Notre Dame out scored UConn in the initial minutes of the second half, with a lead of 43–41 at one time. Prior to this game the Huskies had trailed for only a combined 27 minutes all season. Connecticut would retake the lead, and finished the game with a ten point margin, the closest game of the season to that date.
On the 24th of February, UConn hosted Villanova. Tina Charles had a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds to lead UConn to the win 74-47. Four days later, Seton Hall came to Hartford, for the last regular season game of the year. As a surprise for the departing seniors, Maya Moore and Kaili McLaren sang the national anthem. Moore then went on to score 18 points, to help lead UConn to an 81–50 win, and guarantee a share of the Big East regular-season title.
On 2 March 2009, UConn played its last regular season game against rival Rutgers. UConn moved out to a 16 point halftime lead 36–20, but Rutgers out scored UConn the second half to make the final score ten points, tied for closest result of the season. The win leaves the Huskies still undefeated on the season, now 30–0.
The second tournament game was against Villanova, a team UConn had beaten by 27 points less than two weeks earlier. However, the game was tied at 25 apiece, with under six minutes to go in the first half. Maya Moore then helped lead the team on a 23–2 run to put the game out of reach. The Huskies won 72–42.
The final game, on 10 March, for the Big East Tournament Championship, was against Louisville, ranked #7 in the country. The Cardinals who would go on to play in the Finals of the NCAA tournament, were no match for UConn on this day. Maya Moore left the game with eight minutes to go, having scored 28 points. St that time the Louisville team had scored 27. UConn would win the game in convincing fashion, 75–36.
Connecticut won its sixth National Championship and completed its third perfect season. They won every game by double digits for the first time in NCAA history.
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
in the 2008–2009 NCAA Division I basketball season. Coached by Geno Auriemma
Geno Auriemma
Luigi "Geno" Auriemma is the head coach of the University of Connecticut Huskies women's basketball team, which he has led to seven National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I national championships...
, the Huskies played their home games at the Hartford Civic Center in Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
, and on campus at the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion
Harry A. Gampel Pavilion
Harry A. Gampel Pavilion is a 10,167-seat multi-purpose arena in Storrs, Connecticut, United States. The arena opened on January 21, 1990, and is the largest on campus arena in New England. It was named after Harry A. Gampel, who donated one million dollars for the construction of the arena...
in Storrs, Connecticut
Storrs, Connecticut
Storrs is a census-designated place and part of the town of Mansfield, Connecticut located in eastern Tolland County. The population was 10,996 at the 2000 census...
, and are a member of the Big East Conference
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
. They enjoyed an undefeated season and won their sixth NCAA championship by defeating the Louisville Cardinals
Louisville Cardinals
The Louisville Cardinals are the athletic teams representing the University of Louisville. A member of the Big East Conference since 2005, they are known nationally as traditional powers in men's basketball, women's volleyball, and dance team...
, 76–54.
Pre-season
The Huskies started with a pair of triple digit scoring pre-season games. The first game was against Division II Stonehill College
Stonehill College
Stonehill College is a private Roman Catholic college located in Easton, Massachusetts, United States, founded in 1948. Situated in North Easton, Massachusetts, a suburban community of 23,329 people, Stonehill is located south of Boston on a campus, the original estate of Frederick Lothrop Ames...
in nearby North Easton, Massachusetts. It was the first chance for fans to see freshman Caroline Doty, Tiffany Hayes
Tiffany Hayes
Tiffany Kiara Hayes plays guard for the UConn women's basketball team, the 2009 and 2010 NCAA National Champions.-Early life:Hayes was born 20 September 1989 in Fort Polk, a town in western Louisiana to Dorothy and Renard Hayes....
, and Heather Buck in action. Caroline and Tiffany both scored in double-digits, and Heather had three rebounds and a blocked shot. The final score was in favor of UConn, 100-49. The second pre-season game was even more lopsided, with UConn prevailing over Team SRP 103-37.
Non conference opener
The regular season opening game was against Georgia TechGeorgia Tech Yellow Jackets women's basketball
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets women's basketball team represents the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in NCAA Division I basketball. The team plays its home games in Alexander Memorial Coliseum.-Players:...
, a team unranked in the pre-season. The game would be tied at halftime, with Connecticut pulling ahead late to win by eleven points 82-71. Connecticut would win their next three games easily, beating San Diego State and Rhode Island at home, and BYU in Utah, each win by at least 45 points.
The following game would bring #4 ranked Oklahoma to Connecticut. Characterized as a "significant test" by ESPN's Graham Hays, Connecticut would win easily by 32 points, 106-72. UConn would then play nearby Holy Cross
College of the Holy Cross
The College of the Holy Cross is an undergraduate Roman Catholic liberal arts college located in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA...
, winning easily 96-37. In this game Caroline Doty would hit her tenth consecutive three-point goal, a UConn school record, and four off the national record.
On December 14, the Huskies competed in the Maggie Dixon Classic at Madison Square Garden and defeated Penn State by a score of 77-63. From December 18 to the 21, the Huskies competed in the Caribbean Classic held in Cancun, Mexico. The Huskies were undefeated at the tournament. After returning from Mexico, the Huskies traveled to South Carolina for their fifth consecutive road game. The team shot 57% form the field, and held their opponents to under 40%. Tina Charles
Tina Charles (basketball)
Tina Charles is an American women's basketball player with the Connecticut Sun of the Women's National Basketball Association and the Galatasaray Medical Park of the TWBL. Originally from Jamaica, New York, Charles was drafted 1st overall in the 2010 WNBA Draft...
has 21 points and 14 rebounds, helping lead the Huskies to their eleventh victory of the season.
Connecticut hosted Hartford
Hartford Hawks
The Hartford Hawks are the athletic teams of the University of Hartford. The school sponsors 18 varsity sports , all of which compete in the Division I America East Conference. The Hawks' colors are scarlet and white.-Teams:...
on New year's Eve. The Hartford Hawks
Hartford Hawks
The Hartford Hawks are the athletic teams of the University of Hartford. The school sponsors 18 varsity sports , all of which compete in the Division I America East Conference. The Hawks' colors are scarlet and white.-Teams:...
, coached by former UConn star Jen Rizzotti
Jennifer Rizzotti
Jennifer Rizzotti is a retired American collegiate and professional basketball player, and current Division I coach. She is the daughter of Tom Rizzotti and Carol Rizzotti.-College:...
, were no match, falling behind by 33 at halftime. Renee Montgomery
Renee Montgomery
Renee Danielle Montgomery is an American basketball player who won a national championship with the UConn Huskies in 2009. She currently plays for the Connecticut Sun in the WNBA.-High school:...
hit 9 of 11 in the first half, and did not return in the second half after taking an elbow to the mouth. LSU came to Connecticut for the first game of the new year. Both teams had been to the prior Final Four, each losing in the semi-final round. However, LSU had graduated five seniors, so the Lady Tigers were not expected to be as strong as the previous year's team. The pollsters concurred, not giving LSU a single vote for a top 25 position in either of the two major polls. LSU played stronger than their ranking, losing by 13 for the third closest match of the season to that date. Renee Montgomery's six assists, brought her to 1500 points and 500 assists for her career, a mark reach by only two other UConn players, Diana Taurasi
Diana Taurasi
Diana Lorena Taurasi is a professional basketball player who plays for the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA and Galatasaray Medical Park from Turkey...
and Jen Rizzotti
Jennifer Rizzotti
Jennifer Rizzotti is a retired American collegiate and professional basketball player, and current Division I coach. She is the daughter of Tom Rizzotti and Carol Rizzotti.-College:...
.
Beginning of conference play
The Big East opening game would be against South FloridaUniversity of South Florida
The University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, one of the state's three flagship universities for public research, and is located in Tampa, Florida, USA...
USF would go on to win the WNIT
Women's National Invitation Tournament
The Women's National Invitation Tournament , formerly the National Women's Invitation Tournament, is a college basketball tournament with a preseason and postseason version played every year...
this season, but UConn was far too strong on this day. USF was one of the nation's best scoring team, scoring over 100 on five occasions, including 126 against Grambling State. UConn decided to work on defense, and held USF to just over 25% from the field. USF scored only 11 points in the second half.
The next game would be against West Virginia, in West Virginia, the home of UConn senior Renee Montgomery. In her first game in West Virginia, two years prior, she scored seven points. This time she would lead the team in points (28), assists(5), and steals(2) to lead UConn to a 30 point victory in front of her home town crowd. Three days later, UConn would play at home against DePaul. UConn built a 15 point lead by halftime against the unranked team, but despite falling another ten points behind, DePaul would play them even in the second half. The final score was 77-62, in favor of UConn.
Maya Moore entered the game on 17 January 2009 against Syracuse 29 points shy of 1,000 for her career. She would score 40 to easily surpass that mark, reaching the plateau faster than any other female in UConn history. However, the game would also be notable for a season ending injury to starter Caroline Doty, reported at the time to be a knee injury. Doty would score 17 points before halftime, but just before halftime, she injured her knee during a fast break. It was the same knee she injured in 2007. Moore's forty points is only the second forty point performance in UConn women's history; the other is Nykesha Sales' 46 against Stamford in 1997. UConn would win the game 107-53.
The following game was a highly anticipated showdown between the #1 and # 2 ranked teams in the nation. Both Connecticut and North Carolina entered the game 17-0 on the season. Connecticut had the higher ranking, but would need to replace starter Carolyn Doty. Her knee injury in the prior game would turn out to be a season-ending ACL tear. The result would be anti-climatic, as UConn reached a double-digit lead early in the game, extended to a 46-30 halftime lead, and finished with a 30 point victory, 88-58. The five starters, including Lorin Dixon in a her first start of the season, would each score in double digits, led by Renee Montgomery with 21.
The next game against Cincinnati would be even more lopsided. UConn outscored the Bearcats in the first half 39-7. The seven points allowed in the first half were only one point off the school record of six in a half. While Cincinnati would outscore the Huskies in the second half 27-26, the outcome was not in doubt.
The 26 January game against Louisville would pit UConn against the team they beat by only six in the previous year's Big East Tournament title game. Louisville was ranked 10th in the nation, and still had Angel McCoughtry
Angel McCoughtry
Angel Lajuane McCoughtry is a professional basketball player who completed her college career at the University of Louisville in 2009. She was selected first overall by the Atlanta Dream in the 2009 WNBA Draft and is considered its franchise player...
, winner of the Big East Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Year
Big East Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Year
The Big East Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Year award is given to the women's basketball player in the Big East Conference voted as the top performer by the conference coaches. The 16 head coaches of the league's teams submit their votes following the end of the regular season and...
in 2007. Angle would live up to her reputation with 24 points and 14 rebounds, but it wasn't enough, as Maye Moore scored 27 to lead UConn to a 93-65 win.
The next game was against unranked Georgetown. UConn would win by 19, with five players scoring in double-digits, but the game was surprisingly close, given that the average margin of victory for UConn was 34 at that point. The following game was against Rutgers, a team that has often given UConn a strong challenge, winning half of the last ten meetings. Rutgers would stay close in the first half, entering the half down only six 34-28, but UConn would pull away in the second half behind a double-double by Moore (24 points, 10 rebounds).
Marquette would endure another double-double by Moore(22 points, 10 rebounds), in their 83-49 loss to UConn on 7 February. The following game against unranked St. John's on 11 February, started as if it would be another rout. UConn led by 15 at halftime, and increased the lead to 20. The St. John's team responded and cut the lead to seven, before UConn regrouped and finished with a 13 point victory, 77-64. Maya would contribute another double-double (20 points, 10 rebounds), while Renee Montgomery and Tina Charles each scored 21 points.
The next game would be the last game of the season at Gampel Arena. The game itself would be anticlimactic, as UConn easily beat Pittsburgh 95-42. The highlight of the evening would be the induction into the Huskies of Honor for Renee Montgomery, kept a secret from her until the announcement. One of her first reactions, after the shock of the announcement, was the regret that her parents wouldn't see it, but seconds later, her parents would walk onto the floor. They had been in town, but shared the secret. Renee is the first active player at UConn to be so honored. She would go on to score a team high 20 points.
On the 18th of February, Connecticut played Providence in Providence. The Huskies scored the first eleven points, and never trailed. The Huskies started the second half in even more impressive fashion, scoring the first 25 points of the half. UConn would win easily 75–39.
The following game was against Notre Dame, ranked 24th at the time. The Notre Dame Irish would give Connecticut their toughest match of the year. The Irish lead most of the first half. Although UConn would go to the half with a three point lead, Notre Dame out scored UConn in the initial minutes of the second half, with a lead of 43–41 at one time. Prior to this game the Huskies had trailed for only a combined 27 minutes all season. Connecticut would retake the lead, and finished the game with a ten point margin, the closest game of the season to that date.
On the 24th of February, UConn hosted Villanova. Tina Charles had a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds to lead UConn to the win 74-47. Four days later, Seton Hall came to Hartford, for the last regular season game of the year. As a surprise for the departing seniors, Maya Moore and Kaili McLaren sang the national anthem. Moore then went on to score 18 points, to help lead UConn to an 81–50 win, and guarantee a share of the Big East regular-season title.
On 2 March 2009, UConn played its last regular season game against rival Rutgers. UConn moved out to a 16 point halftime lead 36–20, but Rutgers out scored UConn the second half to make the final score ten points, tied for closest result of the season. The win leaves the Huskies still undefeated on the season, now 30–0.
Big East Tournament
Connecticut opened the Big East Tournament against South Florida, a team it had beaten by 46 points earlier in the season. This game would be closer, but not by much. Kalana Greene led the Huskies with a season high 20 points, scoring 18 points before halftime, and leading the Huskies to a 47–10 halftime lead. USF would match the UConn production in the second half, but the 37 point margin held. The final score was 79–42.The second tournament game was against Villanova, a team UConn had beaten by 27 points less than two weeks earlier. However, the game was tied at 25 apiece, with under six minutes to go in the first half. Maya Moore then helped lead the team on a 23–2 run to put the game out of reach. The Huskies won 72–42.
The final game, on 10 March, for the Big East Tournament Championship, was against Louisville, ranked #7 in the country. The Cardinals who would go on to play in the Finals of the NCAA tournament, were no match for UConn on this day. Maya Moore left the game with eight minutes to go, having scored 28 points. St that time the Louisville team had scored 27. UConn would win the game in convincing fashion, 75–36.
Roster
| Number | Name | Height | Position | Class |
| 21 | Heather Buck | 6-3 | Center/Forward | Freshman |
| 31 | Tina Charles | 6-4 | Center | Junior |
| 30 | Lorin Dixon | 5-4 | Guard | Sophomore |
| 5 | Caroline Doty | 5-10 | Guard | Freshman |
| 13 | Jacquie Fernandes | 5-9 | Guard | Junior |
| 22 | Meghan Gardler | 6-0 | Forward | Junior |
| 32 | Kalana Greene | 5-10 | Guard | Junior |
| 3 | Tiffany Hayes | 5-10 | Guard | Freshman |
| 51 | Cassie Kerns | 6-3 | Center-Forward | Senior |
| 12 | Jessica McCormack | 6-5 | Center | Redshirt/Sophomore |
| 41 | Kaili McLaren | 6-2 | Forward | Junior |
| 20 | Renee Montgomery | 5-7 | Guard | Senior |
| 23 | Maya Moore | 6-0 | Forward | Sophomore |
| 2 | Tahirah Williams | 6-0 | Guard | Senior |
Schedule
| Date | Location | Opponent | UConn Points | Opp. Points | Record |
| 16 Nov 2008 | Storrs, Conn. | Georgia Tech | 82 | 71 | 1-0 |
| 20 Nov 2008 | XL Center | San Diego State | 99 | 55 | 2-0 |
| 22 Nov 2008 | XL Center | Rhode Island | 91 | 43 | 3-0 |
| 25 Nov 2008 | Marriott Center (Provo, Utah) | Brigham Young | 96 | 47 | 4-0 |
| 30 Nov 2008 | Gampel Pavilion | Oklahoma | 106 | 78 | 5-0 |
| 2 Dec 2008 | Gampel Pavilion | Holy Cross | 96 | 37 | 6-0 |
| 14 Dec 2008 | Madison Square Garden | Penn State | 77 | 63 | 7-0 |
| 18 Dec 2008 | Moon Palace Resort, Cancun | Washington | 109 | 51 | 8-0 |
| 19 Dec 2008 | Moon Palace Resort, Cancun | Northern Colorado | 85 | 40 | 9-0 |
| 20 Dec 2008 | Moon Palace Resort, Cancun | Florida State | 83 | 71 | 10-0 |
| 28 Dec 2008 | Colonial Life Arena | South Carolina | 77 | 48 | 11-0 |
| 31 Dec 2008 | XL Center | Hartford | 78 | 41 | 12-0 |
| 3 Jan 2009 | XL Center | Louisiana State | 76 | 63 | 13-0 |
| 6 Jan 2009 | USF Sun Dome | South Florida | 83 | 37 | 14-0 |
| 10 Jan 2009 | WVU Coliseum | West Virginia | 85 | 55 | 15-0 |
| 13 Jan 2009 | Gampel Pavilion | DePaul | 77 | 62 | 16-0 |
| 17 Jan 2009 | XL Center | Syracuse | 107 | 53 | 17-0 |
| 19 Jan 2009 | Smith Center | North Carolina | 88 | 58 | 18-0 |
| 24 Jan 2009 | Fifth Third Arena | Cincinnati | 65 | 34 | 19-0 |
| 26 Jan 2009 | Gampel Pavilion | Louisville | 93 | 65 | 20-0 |
| 31 Jan 2009 | Washington, DC | Georgetown | 80 | 61 | 21-0 |
| 3 Feb 2009 | XL Center | Rutgers | 75 | 56 | 22-0 |
| 7 Feb 2009 | Al McGuire Center | Marquette | 83 | 49 | 23-0 |
| 11 Feb 2009 | Queens, NY | St. Johns | 77 | 64 | 24-0 |
| 15 Feb 2009 | Gampel Pavilion | Pittsburgh | 95 | 42 | 25-0 |
| 18 Feb 2009 | Alumni Hall | Providence | 75 | 39 | 26-0 |
| 22 Feb 2009 | XL Center | Notre Dame | 76 | 66 | 27-0 |
| 24 Feb 2009 | Gampel Pavilion | Villanova | 74 | 47 | 28-0 |
| 28 Feb 2009 | XL Center | Seton Hall | 81 | 50 | 29-0 |
| 2 Mar 2009 | Louis Brown Athletic Center | Rutgers | 69 | 59 | 30-0 |
| 8 Mar 2009 | XL Center | South Florida | 79 | 42 | 31-0 |
| 9 Mar 2009 | XL Center | Villanova | 72 | 42 | 32-0 |
| 10 Mar 2009 | XL Center | Louisville | 75 | 36 | 33-0 |
Player stats
| Player | Games Played | Minutes | Field Goals | Three Pointers | Free Throws | Rebounds | Assists | Blocks | Steals | Points |
| Maya Moore | 39 | 1209 | 284 | 90 | 96 | 348 | 127 | 59 | 76 | 754 |
| Renee Montgomery | 39 | 1237 | 226 | 99 | 93 | 82 | 199 | 9 | 61 | 644 |
| Tina Charles | 39 | 982 | 259 | 0 | 124 | 348 | 41 | 62 | 35 | 642 |
| Kalana Greene | 39 | 990 | 141 | 6 | 50 | 181 | 68 | 11 | 37 | 338 |
| Caroline Doty | 17 | 406 | 52 | 30 | 13 | 57 | 33 | 4 | 16 | 147 |
| Tiffany Hayes | 39 | 1002 | 109 | 46 | 63 | 156 | 102 | 15 | 44 | 327 |
| Kaili McLaren | 38 | 581 | 61 | 0 | 37 | 130 | 73 | 22 | 19 | 159 |
| Tahirah Williams | 33 | 245 | 33 | 0 | 22 | 62 | 22 | 4 | 9 | 88 |
| Lorin Dixon | 39 | 604 | 28 | 2 | 31 | 63 | 71 | 2 | 17 | 89 |
| Meghan Gardler | 32 | 335 | 19 | 5 | 15 | 62 | 21 | 3 | 12 | 58 |
| Jacquie Fernandes | 30 | 141 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 23 |
| Cassie Kerns | 18 | 68 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
NCAA Basketball Tournament
- Trenton Regional
- Connecticut 104, Vermont 65
- Connecticut 87, Florida 59
- Connecticut 77, California 53
- Connecticut 83, Arizona State 64
- Final Four
- Connecticut 83, Stanford 64
- Connecticut 76, Louisville 54
- On April 27, the Huskies visited the White House and met President Barack Obama. The President took the University of Connecticut's women's basketball team over to the outdoor half-court at the White House to shoot hoops.
Awards and honors
- Geno Auriemma, Winged Foot Award
- Tina Charles, Tournament Most Outstanding PlayerNCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding PlayerAt the conclusion of the NCAA men's and women's Division I basketball championships , the Associated Press selects a Most Outstanding Player. The MOP need not be, but almost always is a member of the Championship team, especially since the third place game was eliminated after 1981...
- Renee Montgomery, Wooden All-American selection
- Maya Moore, AP All-America first team
- Maya Moore, Big East Player of the Year
- Maya Moore, Big East Tournament Most Outstanding Performer
- Maya Moore, CoSIDA/ESPN Academic All-America First Team
- Maya Moore, Naismith Award
- Maya Moore, National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I State Farm Coaches’ All-America Basketball Team
- Maya Moore, State Farm Wade Trophy Player of the Year (2009 Division 1)
- Maya Moore, USBWA National Player of the Year by the United States Basketball Writers AssociationUnited States Basketball Writers AssociationThe United States Basketball Writers Association was founded in 1956 by Walter Byers and serves the interests of journalists who cover college basketball.-Scholarships:...
- Maya Moore, Women's NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team
- Maya Moore, Wooden All-American selection
- Maya Moore, Wooden Award
Team players drafted into the WNBA
| Round | Pick | Player | NBA Club |
| 1 | 4 | Renee Montgomery | Minnesota Lynx 2009 Minnesota Lynx season The 2009 WNBA season is the 11th season for the Minnesota Lynx of the Women's National Basketball Association.-Dispersal Draft:Based on the Lynx's 2008 record, they would pick 4th in the Houston Comets dispersal draft... |
See also
- UConn–Rutgers rivalry
- UConn–Tennessee rivalry
- 2008–09 Connecticut Huskies men's basketball team2008–09 Connecticut Huskies men's basketball teamThe 2008–2009 Connecticut Huskies men's basketball team represented the University of Connecticut in the 2008–2009 NCAA Division I basketball season. Coached by Jim Calhoun, the Huskies played their home games at the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut, and on campus at the Harry A...