Hartley had to grow up fast at UConn
Connecticut's Bria Hartley drives past Rutgers' Erica Wheeler during the first half an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Big East Tournament. (March 7, 2011) Credit: AP
PHILADELPHIA -- Bria Hartley was supposed to be here, one win away from a Final Four. She's part of a UConn juggernaut that stops for no one, doesn't allow anything more than a brief hiccup from any of its players and seems destined for a third straight national title if it can get past Duke Tuesday night at Temple's Liacouras Center.
But the North Babylon product is a freshman. And she's still playing out of position, forced to run the point for the best team in women's basketball. So there will be stretches like the first 30 minutes of Sunday's Sweet 16 win over Georgetown, when Hartley and the Huskies looked vulnerable, unable to get an offensive rhythm going against an aggressive, physical defense.
"Being a freshman point guard for the University of Connecticut is not an easy thing to do," said Maya Moore, Hartley's all-everything senior teammate. "You've got all the top teams coming at you every night, trying to take you down, and you've got to keep your cool. She's showed amazing resiliency."
The fact that Geno Auriemma, who moved Hartley to shooting guard for the final 13 minutes to spark the comeback win, had Hartley playing 36 minutes despite a five-turnover game also speaks to how crucial she is to this team. With junior Caroline Doty redshirting after tearing an ACL, Hartley's minutes and value went way up, and there were no alternatives.
"I think it's good," Hartley said. "You're not as nervous about making a mistake; you're not thinking you're going to get pulled right away if things don't go that well. It's a game of mistakes, and you have to learn to get rid of them."
Moore, who is 28 points away from becoming the seventh woman to reach 3,000, is gunning for a third straight title. So is sixth woman Lorin Dixon. But for Hartley and 6-5 center Stefanie Dolson, this is the first chance to reach a Final Four.
"We kind of forget they're freshmen because they've had to grow up so fast this year," Moore said.
UConn hosted Duke in Storrs, Conn., on Jan. 31, when the Huskies were No. 2 in the nation and the Blue Devils were No. 3. It was never a game -- 41-15 at the half and worse still throughout.
"It was a bright moment in our season," Moore said.
One more of those, and Hartley, Moore and the Huskies will be where they want to be.
