Place an Ad Calendars Classified Forums Sports Weather

sptimes.com Text-only News sections Arts & Entertainment AP The Wire Business Citrus County Columnists Floridian Hernando County Hillsborough Letters Movies Neighborhood Times News Update North Pinellas North of Tampa Obituaries Opinion Pasco County South Pinellas Sports State Tampa Bay TV Times World & Nation  Find your local news section Weekly sections Brandon Times City Times Homes Outdoors Perspective Personal Tech Taste Travel Weekend Xpress Special Sections Arena football Buccaneers College football Devil Rays Lightning Police reports Schools Seniority Subscriber Services Subscribe Renew Help Advertise Place an ad In print Online Market Info Join Us Internships Scholarships Times Jobs Contact us

Lots of stars, lack of egos carry Huskies

SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma said what makes him the most proud of his 2002 team is not the national championship but the Huskies' ability and willingness to play strictly as a team.

It has five All-Americans, including Naismith Player of the Year winner Sue Bird, but egos have been kept in check.

"Win or lose, I think there has to be a great appreciation for the way these kids have handled playing the game," Auriemma said.

Senior center Asjha Jones said it is that unselfishness that led to so many individual honors.

"I think when you're unselfish, that's when you get things," Jones said. "If you want to win individual awards, then your team isn't going to win. Everyone in this program understands that. For us, it's not about the individual awards. If you get them, then great. It's not what we were here for."

SHERRI'S STYLE: Oklahoma coach Sherri Coale has gotten a lot of attention this weekend for the short skirts and stiletto heels she wears on the sideline.

But several of the UConn and OU players said too much attention is being paid to Coale's wardrobe and not her coaching ability. Besides, they point out, they like her clothes.

"She is wonderful and I love her," UConn forward Tamika Williams said. "I love her style and her pizzazz. She is trendy in what she wears with the little outfits and heels. I always look at her and think, "You go girl.' "

TOUGH MONTH: Ordinarily, you probably wouldn't choose to plan your wedding for the week following the women's Final Four.

But that's exactly what OU guard Stacey Dales has done. Dales and Chris Schuman are getting married April 13. Because of Dales' busy schedule -- she is graduating this month and is expected to be selected in the WNBA draft on April 19 -- Schuman is handling most of the wedding arrangements.

"We planned to get married in April because the day we are getting married is exactly a year from our engagement," Dales said. "We also, providing that I go off to the WNBA, wanted to go off and move in together married. Everyone is asking me if it's hard to juggle these priorities, and it's not, because I feel pretty lucky in my life right now."

TAMPA TIES: Shannon Selmon, a forward for the Sooners, is the daughter of former Bucs linebacker Dewey Selmon and niece of USF athletic director and NFL Hall of Famer Lee Roy Selmon. The 6-1 senior was born in Tampa but graduated from Norman High, where she was a 1998 USA Today All-American. She played eight minutes off the bench in Friday night's national semifinal win over Duke.

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright