Diana Taurasi’s Best Performance at UConn in the 2003 Final Four

Spoiler: It occurred during one of her many journeys to the Final Four. And no, it didn’t happen against Tennessee, but it helped solidify Diana Taurasi as one of the GOATs in women’s basketball.

This was the NCAA Tournament run that prompted Geno Auriemma to utter the now-legendary phrase: “We got Diana and you don’t.”

That statement resonated powerfully during the 2003 Final Four against Texas.

Diana Taurasi – arguably the greatest women’s basketball player of all time – announced her retirement recently, saying, “I just didn’t have it in me. That was pretty much when I knew it was time to walk away.”

Taurasi exits the WNBA as perhaps its most iconic figure. She holds the title of the league’s all-time leading scorer, boasting a remarkable career that includes three WNBA championships, 14 All-WNBA selections, 11 All-Star appearances, and two Finals MVP awards. She led the league in scoring five times, was the Rookie of the Year in 2004, and earned the MVP title in 2009. Additionally, she owns six Olympic gold medals, more than any other player in USA Basketball history.

Before breaking records and achieving greatness in the WNBA over two decades with the Phoenix Mercury, Taurasi helped elevate UConn to the pinnacle of collegiate basketball. She led the Huskies to three consecutive national championships, was twice named the Most Outstanding Player at the Final Four, and received the National Player of the Year award twice. During her tenure with Auriemma, UConn achieved an impressive win-loss record of 139-8.

There are numerous games one could argue as Taurasi’s best performance while donning No. 3 for the Huskies in the early 2000s.

Consider her dazzling display against TCU in the NCAA Tournament, where she scored a career-high 35 points on 12-of-17 shooting. Or the game where she drained seven 3-pointers in a regular season victory over Rutgers. Not to mention her standout performance of 26 points and 12 rebounds during a Sweet 16 triumph over Boston College.

And who could forget that half-court shot she made against Tennessee with Kara Lawson defending her at the buzzer? Or the time she recorded six blocks and grabbed 14 rebounds in a victory over USC?

All these moments were remarkable.

But none compare to Taurasi’s defining performance as a UConn guard during the 2003 national semifinals in front of over 28,000 fans at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta against Jody Conradt’s Longhorns.

This game stands out for several reasons, primarily because she was the only returning starter from their 2002 national championship team. Without her heroics against Texas, the Huskies would not have had the opportunity to defend their title. Taurasi was the key reason the team was in contention for victory.

After making a tough jumper while being fouled, Taurasi converted a free throw to narrow the score. Texas led UConn, 66-63, with just 2:56 remaining. After her teammate made a free throw, Taurasi took the game into her own hands, making a rainbow 3-pointer from deep to give the Huskies their first lead, 67-66.

UConn never trailed again.

Taurasi recorded an assist and then made a crucial steal from Alisha Sare during a layup attempt just before the final buzzer, leading UConn to a 71-69 victory. Taurasi embraced the ball tightly, a smile spreading across her face.

It’s evident that the victory hinged on Taurasi, the confident, trash-talking guard from Southern California who idolized Magic Johnson as a child. She scored 11 of her 26 points in the game’s final nine minutes, helping UConn overcome a nine-point deficit. This win marked Auriemma’s 500th career victory and propelled UConn back into the title game, where they triumphed over rival Tennessee for their fourth national championship.

Taurasi played with style and panache, taunting Duke and dominating Tennessee. For teams like Texas striving for greatness, she showcased her relentless ability to snatch victory from their grasp.

“When there are three minutes or five minutes left in the game, we have Diana Taurasi, so we have a much better chance of winning the game than you do,” Auriemma once remarked to ESPN. “She will do whatever she has to do to win the game. She’s not afraid of the consequences of failure.”

Alongside her 26 points, Taurasi contributed four assists, four rebounds, and a block in 38 minutes, all while battling a “sore ankle and back,” as noted by the Associated Press. Yet, she showed no signs of discomfort.

Before the national championship game that year, former Tennessee assistant coach Mickie DeMoss stated about Taurasi: “Pretty much, when it leaves her hand, I’m shocked when it doesn’t go in.”

In those critical moments against Texas, and throughout her illustrious career in college, the Olympics, and the WNBA, we all felt the same way. No stage was too grand for Taurasi. No deficit was insurmountable. No shot was beyond her reach. No victory was ever guaranteed for her opponents.

Because UConn, the Mercury, and Team USA had Taurasi. And everyone else didn’t.