UConn Huskies

On the women's side, the UConn Huskies are college basketball champions this year (their sixth championship during the reign of coach Geno Auriemma, and their third undefeated season) -- an eminence they acquired by defeating the Louisville Cardinals 76 to 54.

The Huskies have been so dominant this year that not only did no one defeat them int he 39 games of the season, but no one came close. Every game they played ended with the Huskies ahead by more than 10 points.

Tina Charles was the stand-out of the championship game, scoring 25 points and getting 19 rebounds.

On the men's side, the Huskies also had a fine year, getting into the Final Four Round, but they lost to Michigan State Saturday night in the semi-final. The Spartans in turn lost to North Carolina's Tarheels on Monday night. So congratulations to the Tarheels on their championship.

Alas, though, the final stages of the UConn Huskies' year, on the men's side, were somewhat over-shadowed by a recruiting scandal, one that reminds me of the movie "Hoop Dreams" and the unsavory side of college sport's in general.

As is the custom, college basketball ends just as professional baseball begins, and as the trees in my region are budding. Enjoy the new season, in both senses of the term.