It was the NCAA Event run that led Geno Auriemma to first converse the now iconic, but easy phrase: “We bought Diana and also you don’t.”
And that assertion was maybe by no means extra true than within the 2003 Remaining 4 towards Texas.
Diana Taurasi – if not the, then definitely one of many best ladies’s basketball gamers of all time – lastly known as it quits on her taking part in profession Tuesday evening, telling Time: “I simply didn’t have it in me. That was just about once I knew it was time to stroll away.”
Taurasi leaves the WNBA as maybe its most iconic participant. Along with being the league’s all-time main scorer, her resume consists of three WNBA titles, 14 All-WNBA alternatives, 11 All-Star nods and two Finals MVP trophies. She led the WNBA in scoring 5 occasions. She gained the Rookie of the Yr in 2004 and the MVP in 2009. She owns six Olympic gold medals, which is greater than anybody else who has ever performed for USA Basketball.
Earlier than she broke information, gained titles and busted down doorways (actually) within the WNBA whereas spending 20 seasons with the Phoenix Mercury, Taurasi helped flip UConn into the game’s normal. She led the Huskies to a few straight nationwide championships, was twice the Most Excellent Participant on the Remaining 4 and was twice named the Nationwide Participant of the Yr. In her 4 seasons taking part in for Auriemma, UConn had an astounding win-loss file of 139-8.
There’s a couple of totally different video games one might make a case for as Taurasi’s greatest outing whereas carrying No. 3 for the Huskies within the early 2000s.
How concerning the time she lit up TCU within the NCAA Event for a career-best 35 factors on 12-of-17 capturing? What about when she swished seven 3-pointers in an everyday season victory over Rutgers? Or when she posted 26 factors and 12 rebounds in a Candy 16 win over Boston Faculty?
And keep in mind that half-court shot she hit towards Tennessee with Kara Lawson’s hand in her face on the buzzer? Or the time she blocked six pictures and grabbed 14 rebounds in a win over USC?
These are all worthy of consideration.
However no.
Taurasi’s greatest efficiency as a UConn guard got here within the 2003 nationwide semifinals in entrance of greater than 28,000 followers on the Georgia Dome in Atlanta towards Jody Conradt’s Longhorns.
If anybody wants me, I shall be watching UConn vs. Texas within the 2003 Remaining 4.
— Katie Barnes (@katie_barnes3) February 25, 2025
This goes down as Taurasi’s high recreation as a member of the Huskies for a couple of causes, however chief amongst them is that she was the lone returning starter from their 2002 nationwide title staff they usually don’t get the prospect to repeat with out her saving the day towards the Texas. There was no Sue Chook or Swin Money or Tamika Williams. Taurasi was the singular cause why the Huskies have been ready to win this recreation. It was her willpower that put them excessive.
After connecting on a troublesome close-range jumper whereas being fouled, Taurasi knocked down a free throw to tighten the rating. Nonetheless, Texas – because it had for a lot of the second half – led UConn, 66-63 with 2:56 to play. After her teammate drained a free throw, Taurasi stored the staff on her again, banging in a rainbow 3-pointer from nicely past the highest of the important thing simply moments later to present the Huskies their first lead of the sport, 67-66.
UConn by no means trailed once more.
Taurasi dished out an help after which notched a steal – knocking the ball away from Alisha Sare throughout a layup try simply earlier than the buzzer – within the recreation’s last moments because the Huskies went on to win 71-69. Taurasi hugged the ball tightly as a smile grew throughout her face.
It goes with out saying, however the victory doesn’t occur with out Taurasi, the swaggering trash-talking guard from Southern California who idolized Magic Johnson as a teenager. Taurasi scored 11 of her 26 factors within the recreation’s last 9 minutes to assist UConn erase a nine-point deficit. The win marked Auriemma’s five hundredth of his profession, and put UConn again within the title recreation the place it might beat rival Tennessee for its fourth nationwide championship.
Alongside the way in which, Taurasi performed with aptitude and flamboyance. She taunted Duke and tortured Tennessee. And for groups like Texas that wished to be contenders and thought they may have the prospect to know greatness, she ripped their hearts out with out mercy.
“When there are three minutes or 5 minutes left within the recreation, we’ve got Diana Taurasi, so we’ve got a a lot better likelihood of profitable the sport than you do,” Auriemma as soon as instructed ESPN. “She’s going to do no matter she has to do to win the sport. Precisely the little, or large factor she has to do. She’s not afraid of the results of failure.”
Along with her 26 factors, Taurasi had 4 assists, 4 rebounds and a block in 38 minutes whereas battling what the Related Press known as a “sore ankle and again.” However Taurasi by no means confirmed that she was bothered by it.
Talking to the New York Occasions earlier than dealing with UConn within the nationwide championship recreation that yr, former Tennessee assistant coach Mickie DeMoss mentioned this of Taurasi: “Just about, when it leaves her hand, I’m shocked when it doesn’t go in.”
Within the last moments of that Remaining 4 conflict towards Texas, and for just about each large second of her profession – in faculty, the Olympics and the WNBA – isn’t that how all of us felt? No stage was too giant for Taurasi. No deficit her groups confronted have been insurmountable. No shot was unimaginable. No victory was ever unsure.
As a result of UConn, the Mercury and Workforce USA had Taurasi. And everybody else didn’t.