Are the 2009 UConn Huskies the Best Women's Team Ever?

The 1972 Miami Dolphins. The 1998 New York Yankees. The 2008-2009 UConn Huskies?

While the men garner attention nationally for their run to this weekends Final Four and attempt at a third national championship, it is the women who truly deserve the spotlight.

For evidence, look no further than the ESPN's Huskies Clubhouse. Here, you'll find that the Huskies are not only undefeated this season, but their closest game was won by ten points. They stomped Louisville 75-36 for the Big East conference title. They've got three players who average double-digits in points per game and have outscored opponents by an average of more than 30 points per game. This is stuff that you hardly ever see.

With all of that said, there should be little doubt that this years UConn Huskies team is a true powerhouse deserving of consideration for the best womens team of all time. The question is: against whom do you compare them?

The first team that most people will bring up is the 2001-02 Huskies. That rendition went 39-0, won a championship and featured names like Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Swin Cash, Tamike Williams and Asjha Jones. They were deep and experienced. They dominated. Legendary stuff.

There was the 1995-96 national title team that finished 35-0, too. Remember Rebecca Lobo, Jamelle Elliot and Jen Rizzotti? That was the year that they set an NCAA record for margin of victory, beating teams by 33 points per game.

Oh, and 2003-2004. Diana Taurasi. Again.

And that is the problem. When you try to compare this years edition of the Huskies, you are just going to be comparing them to one of Geno Auriemma's past squads, which are detailed so eloquently on the UConn Women's Basketball History page.

Perhaps we should instead take a moment to recognize the true dominance that we've seen coming out of Storrs for years.

Consider that this is a program that owns seventeen Big East conference championships. They once won seventy consecutive games. They won three consecutive titles in 2002, 2003 and 2004. They haven't lost consecutive games since 1993.

Pretty soon, we should see Geno's Huskies win their sixth national championship.

Yes, six. That would be double of what the men have should they pull off a NCAA championship this year. And yet, it is Jim Calhoun and the boys who are getting the face-time. Go figure.

Sources: http://espn.go.com/ncw/clubhouse?teamId=41; http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/w-baskbl/archive/conn-w-baskbl-archive.html