Lorin Dixon (4 rebounds, 3 assists) and fellow senior Maya Moore (16 points, 13 rebounds) played their final game at Gampel Pavilion on Tuesday in the NCAA Tournament, and completed a perfect 81-0 home court record during their four years playing in Storrs and Hartford, defeating Purdue 64-40. They advance to the Sweet 16 in Philadelphia on Sunday where they will face Big East rival Georgetown.
As she prepares to play her final games at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, beginning Sunday at noon against Hartford, Lorin Dixon is looking ahead as much as she is looking back.
She wants to continue her studies in psychology by going to graduate school to focus on marriage and family therapy. She has talked with former teammates playing basketball in Europe, but realizes that at 5-feet, 4-inches tall, that opportunity might be a long shot.
“I do want to go to graduate school. Marriage and family therapy is something I really want to go to school for, but if the opportunity [to play professional basketball] presents itself, why not take it if it’s handed to you?” she said. “I might just like to.”
Dixon’s reflections on her four years at UConn have been part of the focus of her time with reporters over the past few days, as the Huskies prepare to reach their goal of winning an eighth NCAA Championship in Indianapolis. She arrived in Storrs in the same freshman class as Maya Moore, having spent her high school years running the point at Christ the King in New York City for Tina Charles, the former UConn All-American now in the WNBA. In her senior year Dixon was named Miss New York Basketball, All-City First Team, and to the McDonald’s and WBCA All-America Teams.
As is often the case with highly accomplished high school players once they put on a UConn women’s basketball jersey, Dixon had to find her role on the team. Even after being named to the 2008 Big East All-Freshmen Team, she settled in primarily as a reserve player behind All-American Renee Montgomery, starting 14 games during her first three years as a Husky.
But after averaging just more than 15 minutes of playing time for her first three seasons, Dixon is now averaging 21.6 minutes per game; and played 30 minutes against both Louisville and Rutgers. She is called upon to provide some rest for Big East Rookie of the Year guard Bria Hartley, as well as to inject energy into the UConn offense with her quickness and athleticism. She is usually the first player off the bench, and is the most experienced reserve player for head coach Geno Auriemma.
Dixon admits to having experienced some frustration with her inconsistent play over the years, but is glad that during her senior season she is seeing the results of her diligence in practice.
“It’s kind of late in my senior year, but my body is in sync, and the way I think and my confidence are at a level that I like. I feel like everything is coming together,” she said. “Everybody wants to come in here and do extremely well. It is a little frustrating, but I’d rather go out this way than feel like I haven’t contributed.”
Auriemma said Dixon seems to have found the consistency the coaching staff hoped for.
“The way she played on Senior Night [against Syracuse], if I thought we could get that every night, I’d have to think about starting her and bringing Bria off the bench,” he said. “The way her season ended sets her up perfectly going into the tournament. Depending on who we play, I don’t know that we are going to play against anyone quicker than her. She can disrupt things. If she makes a couple of 15-footers, it’s a whole new ballgame.”
Together Dixon and Moore, who have been roommates since their freshman year, have a career record of 146-3, making them among the most successful players in NCAA history. They reached 100 victories in 102 games, surpassing the previous NCAA record held by the UConn class of Diana Taurasi, Maria Conlon, and Morgan Valley, which needed 103 games to reach the 100 victory mark.
“She’s seen how championships are won. She knows what it takes; the focus, the energy, and effort. That’s what she provides for us,” said Moore. “When Lorin is moving really fast, we’re a whole different team. When she’s out there running the point, she controls the tempo. When she’s confident, attacking, so are we. I love it when she plays like that, especially when she’s out there with the second team because she makes them confident.”
Shea Ralph, the assistant coach who works with the team’s guards, said Dixon is one of the first players she began to work with closely once she returned to Storrs. She is pleased to see the senior fulfill her potential this year.
“Lorin is special to me. I’ve watched her grow in a lot of different ways – academically, athletically, and personally,” said Ralph. “I’m happy it’s her senior year and she’s found that. She continues to get better, and we continue to win games. She has a knack for being around the ball. She’s so quick to get from spot to spot it’s hard for other teams to contain her. She doesn’t have one speed now. I think that comes with confidence and knowing what you’re doing on the court.”
Earlier this week in discussing the NCAA Tournament, Dixon said she would sit with Hartley and talk about the intensity of the tournament to help prepare the freshman for the next few weeks of competition.
“Tournament time is different,” Dixon said. “Some people get nervous. I watched Bria grow up [this year]. I think it’s particularly special for me to see her achieve that, because it is extremely hard to play point guard here; to get the ball to Maya and Tiffany [Hayes]. She’s going to be amazing here.”
Dixon, who hopes to finish her collegiate career with a fourth trip to the Final Four and a third national title, is keeping her time in Storrs in perspective.
“I feel like I’ve grown as a person. I always tell people I’ve matured,” she said. “You can always look back and say: could have, should have. I know I could have done better individually. But I can say [to myself] look at what you and Maya accomplished. You guys went to the Final Four. We won the Big East Tournament every year. We went 90-0 and it was an amazing run. I’m extremely glad I chose to come to this school.”
