National Champions: Muffet and Her Miracles earn first-ever national title
By TIM CASEY
Senior Staff Writer
ST. LOUIS
She should retire.
Right here, atop the podium near the middle of the Savvis Center court, Muffet McGraw should grab the ESPN microphone from Michele Tafoya, wave at the Notre Dame cheering section and proclaim, "I quit. It can't get any better than this. The basketball portion of my life has reached its peak."
An absurd suggestion?
Without a doubt.
But wouldn't that be an appropriate climax to this wacky season — a five and a half month odyssey from a lonely Oct. 15 practice to a net-cutting ceremony in front of thousands?
Move over Gip. Move over Rock. Move over Moose.
Make room for Muffet and Her Miracles.
(Notice the capital H. Appropriate for this Catholic school. Fathers Hesburgh, Joyce, Cavanaugh and Sorin would be proud.)
Think Bob Davie and Mike Brey, who were both in attendance, are a little jealous?
"Career-wise, I think it [a national title] is a nice thing to have on your resume," McGraw said.
It's not a bad thing to have in your memories, either.
Whoever scheduled "Hoosiers" on ESPN Classic right before Notre Dame-Purdue on the mother station should be given a raise this morning.
An Indiana farm girl knocking down two game-winning free throws for a title?
Only thing missing was Gene Hackman and Dennis Hopper.
And Ruth Riley was more Jimmy Chitwood than Ollie McClellan.
"Somebody asked me what my favorite part of that movie was and I said, `when Ollie hit those two free throws,'" Riley said. "I didn't have to under hand them but ..."
We know the rest. Our parents know the rest. Heck, Sporting America knows the rest.
Who would have thought it?
At a school where the two biggest sports are unquestionably football and spring football, the 2001 women's basketball team made LoVecchio, Arnaz and GI seem insignificant.
At a school where females weren't admitted until 1972, the 2001 women's basketball team even garnered support from "old-school" Notre Dame men.
At a school where myth and folklore reign supreme, the 2001 women's basketball team actually achieved a significant on-field moment.
Where have you gone Tony Rice? Where have you gone Lou Holtz? Where have you gone Frank Stams?
(I know. The women's soccer squad won the national title in 1995. But this is by far the biggest win since Holtz's 1988 team won the 11th football national championship.)
Prior to the season, only the most diehard of Irish lovers would have predicted a national title.
At least one prominent coach thought your humble servant believed this was the year.
"I know you're writing for Notre Dame and you want to write, you know, that I spent all summer worrying about Notre Dame," Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma said on Friday night. "The only thing I spent all summer worrying about was where my next beer and my next tan was coming from."
Thanks for the quote, Geno.
I knew you thought you would win the title. And why not? Connecticut returned its top eight scorers from the Huskies' 2000 national championship team and added the nation's top high school senior. Last season, Connecticut had a 36-1 record, with the only blemish being a 72-71 loss on Feb. 2. Only three of the 36 victories were decided by less than 10 points.
So it was a safe bet that the Storrs would celebrate once again on April Fools Day 2001.
As the season went on, Geno's preseason arrogance shrunk.
And Notre Dame's new darlings believed they could actually compete with the mighty Huskies.
"I know we talked about it (winning a national title) last year," McGraw said. "But it was sort of a hollow goal. I don't think the team was ready to achieve that, I don't think they were mature enough, I don't think they worked hard enough."
After the Jan. 15 victory over Connecticut, Muffet and Her Miracles spoke a lot about how this was "a year of destiny." After every ensuing game, someone would refer to 2001 as the "perfect season."
Then came this weekend.
Down 12 at the half against Connecticut? If it was last year, forget about it. It was safer to bet that Jim Sanson would actually connect on an over 40-yard field goal than to put your money on a Notre Dame comeback.
A tight game against Purdue? If it was last year, Riley would have fouled out and the Irish would have been wound tighter than a Britney Spears top.
But instead, there was Riley at the free throw line with 5.8 seconds remaining, with the game tied.
The first shot grazed the front rim and fell through the hoop, giving the Irish only their third lead of the night.
Moments later, a Purdue-based reporter sitting beside me almost fell out of his chair.
"It pays to have the Big Guy on your side sometimes," he said.
It also pays to have the Big Girl. And when Purdue's Katie Douglas decided she would not perform a Sue Bird impersonation, it was time for the cameras to capture the scene.
The hugs. The kisses. The tears.
Niele Ivey also wanted to relive the moments. So the senior point guard, who ended her five-year career just minutes away from her home, grabbed a Sony camcorder from her boyfriend, Irish receiver Javin Hunter.
Around 9:55 p.m, after the awards ceremony, after the final strand of net had been cut, Ivey finally headed towards the locker room.
She was the last player to leave the court.
"I can't wait to watch it again," Ivey said "It seems like it all happened so fast."
Now it's over, this wacky season is over.
And Notre Dame, Our Mother has found 12 adopted daughters.
All Sports Stories for Monday, April 2, 2001
