Even with a huge lead in the national title game, UConn coach Geno Auriemma cannot relax. That's one reason he won his eighth national title on Tuesday. (Photo: Crystal LoGiudice, USA TODAY Sports) NEW ORLEANS -- Connecticut, looking every inch the re-polished crown jewel of women's basketball, cut down the nets. Again. The Huskies program lives on that ladder. So then what was left? Turn out the lights on the traditional Big East, the party's over. The final wrap came Tuesday night, not with Rick Pitino's Louisville men — he sat in the third row behind the Cardinals' bench, by the way — but an all-Big East women's national championship game. How appropriate for the champions to be there at the end, blowing away Louisville 93-60. They are probably the biggest victims of all in this breakup, and isn't that awkward? The Connecticut women. Consider this, as the Geno Auriemma empire celebrates its eighth national title. The Catholic 7 have their own new land. Notre Dame will do fine moving to the ACC. Syracuse and Pittsburgh will do fine. Louisville will do more than fine. Imagine Pitino's lads in Cameron Indoor Stadium to meet Duke. It'll take about 30 seconds for that to become a rivalry. Imagine the ACC tournament semifinals with Duke, Louisville, North Carolina and Syracuse. A lot of Final Fours would have died for that quartet. "The most powerful basketball conference, I think, ever." Mike Krzyzewski called it the other day. "The Big East is no longer the Big East, and we're all heartbroken about that," Pitino said the other day. Why? Deep tradition? Eight years ago, the Cardinals were in Conference USA. Now, Auriemma has a reason to be heartbroken. The future keepers of the roaring flame in his Huskies program have a reason to be heartbroken. Nobody asked Connecticut to come along anywhere. Except, pretty soon, the White House. Again. Rather odd, isn't it? The Huskies are currently one of the most renowned programs in the nation, any game, any gender. Connecticut is to the women's Final Four what turkey is to Thanksgiving tables. The Huskies were led in Tuesday's rout by freshman Breanna Stewart and sophomore Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis. And they ain't leaving early for the NBA. Auriemma is now 8-0 in national title games, and it is unlikely this was the last one. But unless something else happens, look what conference showdowns they have to look forward to. Connecticut vs. SMU and Tulane, in a league whose new name doesn't quite yet ring a bell. As Jim Boeheim called it, "The American whatever." Oh well, nothing beats getting deserted like needing an annex soon for all the trophies. And Auriemma can continue his custom of booking ranked non-conference opponents in the way Las Vegas books comedians. But Tuesday night was Auld Lang Syne. The old league is ready for the scrapheap of history. UConn might be ready for another title binge. It was somehow fitting that the moment came in New Orleans Arena, next door to the Superdome – where 31 years ago, the Georgetown men lost the national championship game to North Carolina on Michael Jordan's late shot. The Big East's first big moment. Since then, we have seen Villanova's upset, and Jim Boeheim's zone, and Syracuse over the UConn men in six overtimes. We saw Pitino and his steel-tough Cardinals Monday night. And we just saw the UConn women, in a class by themselves. If Pitino wanted to jet in and lend support, he should have brought Chane Behanan and Peyton Siva to play defense. How'd the Huskies get left behind? But starting Tuesday, they have been. The same night they were handed the championship trophy. Again. Story Highlights
Source : http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/columnist/lopresti/2013/04/09/connecticut-women-national-title-ncaa-big-east-louisville/2069581/