UConn women win 89th in row to set record

December 21, 2010 11:00 pm • Last Updated: December 22, 2010 1:22 pm

By By MIKE DiMAURO Day Assistant Sports Editor

UConn's Tiffany Hayes, right front, and Maya Moore break into a dance with teammates after the Huskies' 93-62 win over Florida State on Tuesday night at the XL Center in Hartford. The victory was the program's 89th in a row, an NCAA Division I record.

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Hartford - With all that was different around them - from hovering national media members to frequent mentions of the word "history" - the UConn women remained steadfast Tuesday night, achieving immortality with all the drama of sorting the mail.

And at a little after 9 p.m., the Huskies stood alone in the chronicles of college basketball, winning their 89th straight game.

UConn 93, Florida State 62.

When it was over, the jubilant players went to midcourt to salute the sellout crowd and sported T-shirts bearing the number "89."

UConn coach Geno Auriemma was on the podium taking questions when he received a phone call. It was President Obama.

"That lesson you gave them on the White House basketball court really paid off," Auriemma told the president, alluding to the team's offseason trip to Washington, commemorating the 2010 national championship. "We haven't lost since you were inaugurated."

Maya Moore scored a career-high 41 points and UConn played with its customary precision. It all came to the delight of a crowd that included Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, UConn football coach Randy Edsall, Connecticut Sun center and former UConn great Tina Charles and one man who wore a shirt that read, "Geno is God."

Auriemma has engineered a streak that has surpassed the UCLA men and legendary coach John Wooden.

The night began with comments from Wooden's grandson Greg, who flew in from Newport Beach, Calif.

"My grandfather would be thrilled, absolutely thrilled," Greg Wooden said. "He thought (UConn) was playing basketball closest to his style, the way they passed the ball, the way they had quite a few stars. They don't care who gets the credit. He thought the women's game was the best fundamental basketball being played."