nacha. Joseph OBrien could become the | Forum

SOUTH BEND, Ind. Cheap NBA Jerseys . -- Walking a tight rope is not an image that comes to mind when thinking about the UConn womens basketball team. Yet the UConn staff said the Huskies are performing without a safety net in regard to players such as Katie Lou Samuelson, Napheesa Collier and Gabby Williams.If so, they look about as sure-footed as The Flying Wallendas. Remember how UConn lost its big three from last season and was probably going to struggle a bit this year trying to replace those amazing players? Yeah, whatever.There is a reason most of us picked the Huskies as preseason No. 1, and it wasnt because we went into default mode. Its because there actually was more to see with UConn last season than just being dazzled by Breanna Stewart, Moriah Jefferson and Morgan Tuck. Yes, it could be hard to look away from them -- but when you did, you saw the future was right there with them, and it looked pretty good, too.Now, the future is the present. Which looks a lot like the past. Thats exactly what UConn wanted.On Wednesday, the Huskies did what theyve done so often: throw the proverbial wet blanket on the so-called wide-open race in womens basketball this season. No, its not. UConn is again the team to beat, with a winning streak that now stands at 83 in a row.The top-ranked Huskies 72-61 victory over No. 2 Notre Dame was the best example yet in an 8-0 season of why theyre the national championship favorites again. UConn showed off a different big three Wednesday; last seasons trio left the Huskies and became the top three WNBA draft picks in April. While this seasons big three dont yet have the acclaim or the experience of last years trio, they are very impressive on their own.Samuelson, Collier and Williams combined for 57 points; they almost outscored the Irish by themselves.While last years star trio each had clearly different roles -- Jefferson was the point guard, Tuck the sturdy forward, Stewart the anything she wanted to be -- the Huskies top scorers against the Irish are harder to define position-wise.Thats one of the things weve learned to use to our advantage, said the 6-foot-3 Sameulson, the tallest of UConns starters. You can say that Gabbys almost playing our center, but shes smaller than almost every center in the country. That shows its a hard matchup. But you have difficult matchups with all three of us. It just opens up the offense a little bit more.Williams is just 5-11, but her leaping ability adds an edge to her lack of height. She had 19 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists against the Irish. UConn coach Geno Auriemma used a descriptor for Williams performance Wednesday that he doesnt toss around lightly: magnificent. Even a fellow tough grader, associate head coach Chris Dailey, said she was eager to watch the game film to see some of Williams sky-high rebounds.Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw also praised Williams, who was limited by injuries as a high school player in Nevada but is now truly coming into her own.She got any rebound she wanted; her stat line was phenomenal, McGraw said. She really did a lot of damage. I was really impressed with her.McGraw said the Irish were expecting a challenge with Samuelson and the 6-1 Collier; theyre averaging 19.0 and 19.1 points, respectively. But Notre Dame wasnt necessarily expecting Williams to make a massive impact. Everybody better get used to that, though.I felt like we were all on the same page tonight, and it was fun, Williams said. I think I understand my team really well, and I know our dynamic. Im trying to be that leader that they can go to when we need to stay calm. I want my team to look at me like, OK, Gab, whats next? I think Ive really grown in that kind of position.Samuelson and Collier had their go-to moments Wednesday, just as they have had several times this season. Samuelson acknowledges there are still moments on the court when she looks around and thinks, Am I really ready to do this? or What should I say to my teammates now?But it really doesnt show on her face or in the way she plays. She looked very confident against Notre Dame.Stewie, Morgan and Mo were calm the whole time last year; nothing fazed them at all, Samuelson said. I think Im still looking to other people when I dont know what to do. Im still trying to learn things.One of the biggest things is, even if youre a little down on yourself or not sure what youre doing, you dont want your opponents to know that.The Huskies didnt show their exhaustion Wednesday. It was a physical, defensive battle with Notre Dame. And three of the Huskies -- Williams, Samuelson and Kia Nurse -- played all 40 minutes.In highlighting UConns big three, we dont mean to shortchange Nurse, the junior guard who is averaging the most minutes (34.4) for UConn. She had eight points and four assists Wednesday and is also a key part of why the Huskies dont seem to have lost any ground -- even though it seems like they should have.Another unbeaten foe awaits UConn on Sunday, though 9-0 Kansas State is unranked. The Huskies have two more games in December against teams currently ranked in the top 10. They host Ohio State on Dec. 19 and travel to Maryland on Dec. 29.But what can stop the Huskies 83-game win streak? (After all, its still second to the programs 90-game streak.) If Notre Dame couldnt do it, whos going to beat UConn?This is December 7, and I know theres a long way to go between now and the end of the season, Auriemma said. We purposely tried to put together a schedule this year that, going into March, there would be no doubt as to what we can and cannot do.I think up to this point, weve passed every test. I dont know that weve gotten a 100 on every test, but weve passed. And the tests are going to keep coming. But the fact that we are where we are, Im kind of surprised.He probably shouldnt be; he created this juggernaut, after all. And while the names of the stars might change, the overall outcome stays the same. Cheap Swingman Warriors Jerseys . Perhaps Carroll was so prepared for a break because he believes there is very little the Seattle Seahawks need heading into the off-season. "I dont see anything that we need to add. We just have to get better," Carroll said. Cheap Warriors Jerseys Authentic . The Australian is competing in his final season in Formula One and still looking for his first win this year. He will look to end Vettels run of six straight race wins on Sunday. Webber, who is fifth in the championship, earned his second pole from the past three races and 13th of his career. http://www.cheapwarriorsjerseysstore.com/ . Three came down to the fourth quarter while quarterbacks continued to shine in all four games; so important to the overall quality of the game. ARCADIA, Calif. -- Mike Smith knows plenty about riding undefeated female horses. He was aboard superstar mare Zenyatta for most of her 19-race winning streak.Now hes on unbeaten Songbird, who takes an 11-race winning streak into the $2 million Breeders Cup Distaff, Fridays headline race on the opening day of the two-day world championships at Santa Anita, which is hosting for a record ninth time.Shes got stiff competition from fellow champions Beholder and Stellar Wind.Songbird is the early 6-5 favorite, with Beholder and Stellar Wind as the co-second choices at 5-2 among the eight fillies and mares chasing the prize in the 1 1/8-mile race.Smith won the 2008 Distaff aboard Zenyatta, and he later guided her to a thrilling victory against males in the 2009 BC Classic at Santa Anita. Her winning streak was snapped in the 2010 Classic at Churchill Downs, where Zenyatta ended her career losing by a head to Blame.The Hall of Fame jockey took the defeat hard, crying and barely able to speak afterward.The pressure of Zenyattas run of victories kept him awake at night. This time, the 51-year-old rider isnt carrying the mental burden of Songbirds streak.For some reason Im more comfortable than I was the last time Zenyatta ran. You learn little things, he said. She has to do her job; I have to do mine. If given the opportunity to do that, I think were going to see something special.With the exception of fellow 3-year-old Land Over Sea, Songbird is challenging older horses in the Distaff.Shes always been above average about everything, Smith said. The way she thinks, she gets it. Shes smart. Mentally, shes ready for it. You hope physically she is. She looks like it.Zenyatta was known for her come-from-behind style, often spotting rivals huge leads before overtaking them down the stretch. Songbird runs at or near the lead. The only time she wasnt first or second in the early going was in her first two races, when she rallied from fourth and sixth, respectively.You really cant plan for how to run the race, because the moment the gates open it could all change, her Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said. We know she can go to the front or sit off the pace; were comfortable with her versatility. TThis really becomes a riders race so you need to have confidence in your jockey. Cheap Warriors Jerseys China. Mike has ridden her in all of her starts and knows her very well.Beholder won the 2013 Distaff at Santa Anita. She has never won outside of her Southern California base, losing both times she traveled to New York and Kentucky, and last year she failed to make her scheduled start in the BC Classic at Keeneland after spiking a fever.Everything is right, right now, so my job is to see if there is anything wrong between here and there, Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella said. Hopefully, I am not going to find it or there is nothing to find.Beholder, a 6-year-old, three-time Eclipse Award winner, will be making her 26th and final career start Friday.On paper, this is the best Distaff Ive ridden in, her jockey Gary Stevens said. Beholder is the best horse I have ever ridden.Trained by John Sadler, Stellar Wind has won seven of 11 career starts. She beat Beholder in her previous two starts under Victor Espinoza.She needs a good trip, Sadler said. I dont know what that trip is, but just a nice, smooth one and she should do well.In Fridays other Breeders Cup races:- Oscar Performance is the early 4-1 favorite for the $1 million Juvenile Turf which drew a full field of 14.- Dortmund is the early 6-5 favorite for the $1 million Dirt Mile. Trained by Bob Baffert, the 4-year-old colts five losses in 13 career starts have been to California Chrome (three times) and Triple Crown champion American Pharoah (twice). The nine-horse field includes Gun Runner, third in this years Kentucky Derby, and last years BC Sprint winner Runhappy.- Roly Poly is the early 4-1 favorite for the $1 million Juvenile Fillies, a one-mile race on turf that pits father and sons against each other. Trainer Aidan OBrien saddles Roly Poly and 6-1 shot Hydrangea, while his 23-year-old son Joseph sends out 6-1 shot Intricately, who will be ridden by his brother Donnacha. Joseph OBrien could become the youngest trainer of a Cup winner. His father is the leading international trainer in Cup history, with 10 wins. ' ' '