NCAA Women’s Final Four: UConn 70, Baylor 50, Sky Blue, Water Wet

It was mentioned during last night’s early game broadcast that Stanford was “the team to beat UConn.” The inescapable reality that Stanford already has a double-digit loss to UConn this season aside, at this point? No one is the team to beat UConn. Baylor came closest Monday night, and lost by 20.
It wasn’t the prettiest game Auriemma’s brood have turned out. Baylor was 1-of-7 from beyond the arc and UConn was statistically worse miserable, making just three of 17 three-point shots. The turnover differential also played a large part -- Connecticut held themselves to seven in nasty contrast to Baylor’s 20. But the She-Bears made the Husky Ladies sweat for the first time all year, trailing by a “mere” 13 points at the half and shaving that lead down to three just five minutes after play resumed. Not to be overshadowed by Nnemkadi Ogwumike’s performance in the Final Four’s first game, this is about when Maya Moore started really pouring it on. The junior phenom finished with 34 points and 12 rebounds; her deadly counterpart Tina Charles notched 21 points and 13 rebounds.
UConn’s vaunted bench didn’t see much action, with just one non-starter, Kelly Faris, logging more than three minutes of playing time. Moore and Charles were granted respites of one minute each. And if you’re wondering why you haven’t read Brittney Griner’s name yet, it’s because she was largely a non-factor. This isn’t to say she played poorly; with 13 points, six rebounds and five blocks she’s got nothing to be ashamed of, but she is, contrary to internet legend, only human, and can’t reasonably be expected to deal with Moore and Charles all by her lonesome.
So no more dreams haunted by Griner’s dead, staring gunslinger’s eyes this tourney, and no more Kim Mulkey, to the chagrin of bored journalists everywhere. UConn still doesn’t have a loss. They don’t even have the relative indignity of a single-digit win to blemish their A++ record. And nothing that happened in last night’s second game remotely indicates a chance of that changing any time soon. Tune in Tuesday for one more gladiator-and-lion show.