Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/123805
Dream Season, Nightmare Day The Irish's sensational 35-2 campaign ends in the Final Four with an 83-65 loss to national champ UConn I By Lou Somogyi n the NBA format, Notre Dame was one game away from a fourgame playoff sweep and a probable national title. Unfortunately, in collegiate basketball terms, the Fighting Irish became a victim of the law of averages and the dreaded "given day" when they lost 83-65 to Connecticut in the Final Four showdown April 7 at New Orleans. After posting a 3-0 record against the Connecticut Huskies' dynasty from Jan. 5 through March 12 — each a pulsating victory with 11th- and even 12th- hour dramatics — Notre Dame was unable to move "four-ward" to its second national title. There might have been a tacit dread about having to beat the Huskies a fourth consecutive time in one season. Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw could appreciate the challenge after having been on the other side of it. It was just two years ago that Notre Dame and Connecticut met in the Final Four with the Huskies owning a 3-0 advantage during the season against the Irish. However, in that Final Four at Indianapolis, Notre Dame pulled off the 72-63 upset and began an astounding run that would see it defeat UConn in seven of the next eight meetings, including the 2012 Final Four. "It's tough to beat a team three times — it's tough to beat a good team two times [in one season]," McGraw said a few days before this year's showdown with the Huskies in New Orleans. "The battles that we've had this year have gone back and forth and down to the wire. We've really done some great things at the end of the game to win. … We would certainly hope that the karma continues." Alas, the pendulum swung back toward the Huskies. "That is what's great about the NCAA Tournament," UConn head coach Geno Auriemma said afterwards. "For one night — for just this night — we just needed to be better