By Trey Iles | NOLA.com There are a number of intriguing storylines as the 2013 Women’s Final Four heads to New Orleans this weekend. But, perhaps, the biggest is about the team that isn’t coming, Baylor. Going all the way back to last summer when the first Final Four gathering in New Orleans was held, the talk was about...
By Trey Iles | NOLA.com
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Louisville guard Jude Schimmel (22), guard Shoni Schimmel (23), forward Sara Hammond (00), and guard Bria Smith (21) celebrate their victory over Tennessee in the Oklahoma City regional final game in the women's NCAA college basketball tournament in Oklahoma City, Tuesday, April 2, 2013. Louisville won 86-78. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
There are a number of intriguing storylines as the 2013 Women’s Final Four heads to New Orleans this weekend. But, perhaps, the biggest is about the team that isn’t coming, Baylor.
Going all the way back to last summer when the first Final Four gathering in New Orleans was held, the talk was about powerful Baylor, which captured the 2012 crown with a 40-0 record and had all five returning starters back. It wasn’t if Baylor was coming but when.
Bears All-American center Britney Griner would play the final game of her outstanding collegiate career in the New Orleans Arena. Baylor Coach Kim Mulkey would complete a repeat in her home state, just about an hour away from where she grew up near Hammond.
To contrast, consider if Kentucky, with Anthony Davis and its other fabulous freshman, hadn’t made it to New Orleans for the men’s Final Four last year. Baylor was a much bigger favorite.
» More coverage of the 2013 Women's Final Four from NOLA.com
But the show must go on and the four teams – Connecticut, Notre Dame, California and especially Louisville – aren’t crying about Baylor’s absence.
“We ruined the entire party,’’ said Louisville Coach Jeff Walz, whose squad upset Baylor, 82-81, in the Sweet 16 round on Sunday then defeated Tennessee on Tuesday to advance to New Orleans. “We’re the ugly ducklings that ruined the party. No one gave us a chance and we shocked everybody. It’s a journey and we’re going to continue.’’
The Final Four coaches all believe the way things have played out thus far is good for women’s basketball. As top seeds, Notre Dame and UConn were expected here. So were Baylor and top-seeded Stanford, which lost to Georgia in the Sweet 16.
But UConn Coach Geno Auriemma said upsets are what make the tournament so great.
“The beauty of the NCAA Tournament is that it’s not about which team is supposed to be there, which players are supposed to be there,’’ said Auriemma, whose team will be making its record sixth straight Final Four appearance. “The beauty of it is you have one night four times to prove that you deserve to be in the Final Four. And the team that proves it the best, they deserve to be there.
“Just like in the years we’ve gotten beat, Baylor doesn’t deserve to be there. They didn’t play well enough. Neither did Stanford or any other team that lost. The fact that you have new faces, I think that’s great. ‘’
Cal is the new face as the Bears are making the first Women’s Final Four appearance in school history. Louisville has been here but only once in 2009.
UConn and Notre Dame are frequent Final Four fliers. This is the Irish third straight appearance in the national semifinals.
Baylor’s shadow also partially eclipses the fact that there will be three Big East teams here in the league’s final year of its current state.
That saddens Auriemma, Walz and Notre Dame Coach Muffet McGraw.
“We have three Big East teams in the Final Four and two in the men’s bracket,’’ Auriemma said. “So we have five of the eight national championship contenders. I guess a shout out should go to all the presidents for having the foresight to tear apart the greatest basketball conference that’s ever existed.
“As basketball coaches, we wouldn’t want to be anywhere else and we wish it hadn’t happened but we have not control over it. I guess it’s a great swan song. If it’s going to end, I guess it’s a great way for it to end.’’
The Sunday semifinal matchup, set for 8 p.m., between UConn and Notre Dame is appetizing. It’ll be the fourth meeting this season between the teams. The Irish, led by point guard Skylar Diggins, won the previous three contests.
The first game, which will begin at 5:30 p.m., pits Cinderella Louisville against first-timer Cal.
“Cal-Louisville is sort of the undercard in this Final Four,’’ Cal Coach Lindsay Gottlieb. “There’s no question UConn and Notre Dame are the heavy hitters in terms of name recognition and having been here before. I think it’s (Cal versus Louisville) a neat matchup for the country to see there’s no question that maybe people didn’t have Louisville in their bracket ahead of time, but that they’re arguably the hottest team in the country having beaten Baylor and Tennessee in two amazing performances.
“And I think we’re also a team that people don’t know a ton about but we’re exciting to watch. So I think it’s good for women’s basketball. It just puts different players in programs on the national radar. And I think it speaks that there is a growing depth of talent across the country.’’