Katie Lou Samuelson carries UConn by Louisville and into Women’s Final Four

11:02 am | March 31, 2019 | Go to Source | Author:

2:30 PM ET

Mechelle VoepelespnW.com
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ALBANY, N.Y. — It might have been the best thing that happened to UConn’s women’s basketball this season. The team that never gets to be the underdog could sort of pretend to be one for this NCAA tournament because of getting a No. 2 seed. Not that any of us really believed this, of course.

But if the Huskies actually needed any more motivation — this has long been their time of year, after all — the so-called slight of that one digit might have been just a little extra push. UConn beat No. 1 seed Louisville 80-73 in the Albany Regional final Sunday, as the Huskies advanced to their 12th consecutive Women’s Final Four and 20th overall.

They did so behind an epic performance from senior Katie Lou Samuelson, who has been battling back issues. She led the Huskies’ 3-point barrage, making seven of their 14, just one off her season high. She also hit two key free throws with 23.6 seconds left after the Cardinals had cut the lead to 75-73.

Samuelson finished with 29 points and kept alive her chance to play in the NCAA final, something she hasn’t gotten to do. UConn lost in the national semifinals the past two years, and she was injured in the 2016 semis and couldn’t play in the final.

Louisville did not make it easy, battling until the end. But even though the Cardinals had the No. 1 seed, they go home now.

Then again, would things have been any different had UConn been the No. 1 seed?

“I don’t remember the last time we’ve been an underdog,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “Can anybody remember that?”

This was the first time since 2006 that UConn wasn’t a No. 1 seed. The Huskies lost in the Elite Eight that year to Duke and to LSU in the regional final in 2007. UConn’s been to the Final Four every year since and now will be seeking its 12th national championship. In Tampa, Florida, on Friday, the Huskies will play the winner of Monday’s Chicago Regional final between No. 1 Notre Dame and No. 2 Stanford.

“I don’t know if we’re the underdogs, but we’re definitely underappreciated,” UConn senior Napheesa Collier said. “It’s still there, the fact that we feel disrespected, but we’re so far into this tournament, we can’t let anything else distract us.”

The Huskies trailed after three quarters in their regional semifinal victory over No. 6 seed UCLA on Friday, and needed a Crystal Dangerfield-powered fourth quarter to secure the victory. They were 4 of 15 from 3-point range in that game, and Collier — who’s been a tower of strength for the Huskies all season — led the way with 25 points.

But UConn didn’t need Collier to do quite as much on Sunday, because her fellow senior Samuelson looked a lot like her old self. Friday, Samuelson still appeared to be feeling the effects of the back injury that sidelined her for the last game of the regular season and the three games of the American Athletic Conference tournament.

Sunday, the old Katie Lou took the floor. The majority UConn crowd at the Times Union Center roared when she made her first 3-pointer in the first quarter, and even her poker-faced best pal Collier showed some emotion.

“You just see her toughness,” Collier said of Samuelson. “The fact that she is in pain and still playing for us and working as hard as she does, it’s just amazing.”

The past two seasons, UConn came into the NCAA tournament unbeaten then lost in overtime in the national semifinals, to Mississippi State in 2017 and Notre Dame last year. This year, the Huskies fell twice in the regular season, at Baylor and at Louisville, both No. 1 seeds. That was enough the drop UConn to a No. 2 seed, something the Huskies weren’t thrilled about. If anything, though, it fueled them.

Louisville was trying to make its second consecutive Women’s Final Four and fourth overall. The Cardinals were attempting to become just the third program to beat UConn twice in a season since 1995, when the Huskies won their first NCAA title. The others to do that are Notre Dame and Rutgers.

Louisville won its regular-season meeting with UConn 78-69 on Jan. 31 at Louisville. But the Cardinals are now 2-18 all time against UConn.

Louisville’s Asia Durr started 0-for-8 from the field, ending 7-of-19 for 21 points, with nine rebounds and five assists. She finishes her college career with 2,485 points, putting her second to Angel McCoughtry on the Cardinals’ all-time scoring list. She is expected to be a lottery pick in the WNBA draft on April 10.

UConn had all five starters score in double figures. Following Samuelson, Christyn Williams had 16 points, Megan Walker 13, Collier 12 and Dangerfield 10. The Huskies outrebounded the Cardinals 43-38, led by 13 from Collier and 12 from Walker.

It was a hectic finish, but as the final seconds ticked off the clock, Dangerfield jumped into Samuelson’s arms, and the senior carried the junior over into a joyful celebratory Huskies huddle. At that point, it didn’t look as if Samuelson’s back hurt one bit. Probably never felt better.