There aren't many guarantees in sports, but the Connecticut Huskies women's basketball team remains the safest bet.

UConn defeated SMU 88-48 on Saturday, extending its historic winning streak to 91 games.

Per the Associated Press Top 25's Twitter account, the Huskies broke their own NCAA record of 90 straight wins. </s> HARTFORD – Given the domination of the UConn women’s basketball program over the last few seasons, it was only fitting the Huskies’ record-tying 90th win in a row Tuesday night came in a rout in which the Huskies outhustled yet…

BY ROGER CLEAVELAND STORRS – Ever since freshman point guard Crystal Dangerfield played fearless, carefree basketball against Baylor in the second game of the season, coach Geno Auriemma had been waiting for her to replicate that approach. Instead, Dangerfield started…

STORRS – While the UConn women’s basketball team has now won 90 straight games for the second time in seven years, the longest streak in men’s NCAA Division I college basketball is UCLA’s record of 88 victories in a row…

STORRS – Ever since freshman Crystal Dangerfield played fearless, carefree basketball against Baylor in the second game of the season, coach Geno Auriemma had been waiting for her to replicate that approach. Instead, Dangerfield started thinking too much. Self-doubt created…

STORRS – Because the UConn women’s basketball team has been in this situation before – poised to make history by setting yet another record – the Huskies feel no undue pressure and no need to bring attention to themselves. While…

No. 1 UConn vs. SMU TV, radio: SNY, WTIC-AM (1080) Records, rankings: No. 1 UConn, 15-0, 3-0; SMU, 10-6, 1-2 Series: UConn leads, 6-0 Last meeting: UConn won, 88-41, on 2-24-16 Worth noting UConn can break the Division I women’s…

Connecticut guard Gabby Williams (15) reaches for a loose ball as SMU guard Mikayla Reese, center, and forward Dai’ja Thomas (20) defend during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)

Connecticut forward Napheesa Collier, center, battles SMU guard Devri Owens, second from right, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)

Connecticut forward Natalie Butler (51) battles SMU forward Klara Bradshaw (13) for space during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)

Connecticut forward Katie Lou Samuelson (33) attempts a shot as SMU forwards Alicia Froling (10), Klara Bradshaw (13) and guard Mikayla Reese (4) defend during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)

SMU forward Alicia Froling (10) looks for room against Connecticut forward Napheesa Collier (24) and Connecticut forward Katie Lou Samuelson (33) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017, in Dallas. Connecticut won 88-48, their 91st straight win. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)

Connecticut forward Katie Lou Samuelson (33) looks for room against SMU guard Kamray Mickens (24) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017, in Dallas. Connecticut won 88-48, their 91st straight win. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)

SMU guard Devri Owens, center, looks for room against Connecticut guard Saniya Chong (12) and forward Napheesa Collier (24) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017, in Dallas. Connecticut won 88-48, their 91st straight win. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)

SMU guard Kiara Perry, second from left, attempts a shot as Connecticut guards Saniya Chong (12), Molly Bent (10) and forward Natalie Butler, background, defend during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017, in Dallas. Connecticut won 88-48, their 91st straight win. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)

SMU guard McKenzie Adams (3) battles Connecticut forward Katie Lou Samuelson (33) for space during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017, in Dallas. Connecticut won 88-48, their 91st straight win. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)

Connecticut guard Kia Nurse (11) battles SMU guard Kamray Mickens (24) for space during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017, in Dallas. Connecticut won 88-48, their 91st straight win. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)

SMU guard Stephanie Collins (15) battles Connecticut forwards Kyla Irwin (25), Natalie Butler (51) and guard Molly Bent (10) for space during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017, in Dallas. Connecticut won 88-48, their 91st straight win. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)

Connecticut guards Gabby Williams, left, and Kia Nurse celebrate the teams 91st straight win after an NCAA college basketball game against SMU, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017, in Dallas. Connecticut won 88-48. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)

Connecticut guard Saniya Chong (12) and her teammates wave to fans after an NCAA college basketball game against SMU, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017, in Dallas. Connecticut won 88-48, their 91st straight win. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)

Connecticut fans celebrate the women’s basketball team’s 91st straight win after an NCAA college basketball game against SMU, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017, in Dallas. Connecticut won 88-48. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade) </s> The UConn women's basketball team broke its own NCAA record with its 91st consecutive victory by defeating SMU 88–48.

UConn has not lost a game since November 17, 2014 when its 90-game winning streak was ended by Stanford in double-overtime. Had UConn not lost that game, Geno Auriemma and his team would be riding a 139-game winning streak.

With the victory, the Huskies also broke the school's record of 57 straight regular-season conference. The previous streak spanned from 2008 to 2012.

Saniya Chong, Gabby Williams, Kia Nurse and Tierney Lawlor have been part of the team for all 91 victories. </s> DALLAS — The longest winning streak in women’s or men’s college basketball history ended late Friday night with a stunning upset. The No. 1 UConn Huskies women’s basketball team lost to No. 2 Mississippi State in overtime in the NCAA Final Four semi-final, 66-64.

The Bulldogs’ Morgan William hit a buzzer-beating jumpshot to win the game.

Connecticut had won 111 games in a row. They were playing in their 10th straight Final Four.

Read more on the WTIC FOX61 website. </s> DALLAS (AP) UConn women’s basketball wins 91st straight game, breaking own NCAA record with 88-48 win over SMU. </s> STORRS, Conn. — UConn’s women’s basketball team is on the verge of winning its 91st straight game, which would break its own NCAA Division I record that was set between 2008 and 2010. The Huskies play Saturday at SMU, a team that is 10-6 and just lost to Tulane. UConn’s streak ranks among the most impressive in sports, but there are plenty of others. Here’s a look at some of them:

UConn’s women don’t own the longest winning streak in college sports history, or even in the state of Connecticut. That streak belongs to the Trinity men’s squash team. The Bantams won 252 consecutive matches, including 13 national championships, between February 1998 and January, 2012, when they lost to rival Yale.

The Huskies also don’t own the longest streak in women’s college basketball. Wayland Baptist in Plainview, Texas, won 131 straight between 1953 and 1958, when the Flying Queens finally lost in the AAU national semifinals to their rivals, the Nashville Business College. Their streak included four straight AAU national championships.

UConn’s streaks are most often compared to the 88-game benchmark put up by John Wooden and the UCLA men between 1971 and 1974. There are parallels. Both programs are considered the best in the history of their sport. UCLA won 10 titles during the Wooden era. UConn and Auriemma have 11. UCLA won the final three of its seven consecutive titles during the winning streak. UConn has won four straight, two during the streak.

Oklahoma went more than three seasons without losing or tying a game. Their 47 consecutive wins between 1953 and 1957 is seven games longer than the second longest major college football streak, put up by Washington between 1908 and 1914. Alabama, by comparison, won 26 straight before losing to Clemson on Monday.

New England won 21 straight games between October 2003 and October 2004, including two playoff games and a Super Bowl (32-29 over Carolina). The Patriots’ streak was broken in 2004 by Pittsburgh. But the Patriots recovered to go 14-2 that season and beat the Eagles for a second consecutive title.

Moses holds perhaps the most impressive individual winning streak. The two-time Olympic champion hurdler won 122 consecutive 400-meter races, including 107 straight finals between August 1977 and June 1987. Moses was 31 years old when he lost to fellow American Danny Harris, who was 10 years younger, at a meet in Spain.

Byron Nelson dominated the PGA Tour in 1945, winning 18 tournaments, including an unprecedented 11 in a row. The closest any other golfer has come to that record is seven straight, accomplished by Tiger Woods 2006 and 2007.

Martina Navratilova won 74 straight matches in 1984, including 13 straight tournaments. She also holds the doubles streak record with Pam Shriver. The pair won 109 straight matches between 1983 and 1985.

The games were a lot more exhibition than competition, but the Harlem Globetrotters lay claim to an 8,829-game winning streak that ran between 1971 and 1995. The streak was ended in Vienna, Austria by an all-star team led by Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. </s> The UConn women’s basketball won their NCAA-record 91st consecutive game Saturday, an 88-48 victory at SMU.

The Lady Huskies surpassed their own record of 90 consecutive wins set in 2010.

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The last time coach Geno Auriemma’s squad lost was Nov. 17, 2014 at Stanford, and the Huskies have won four straight NCAA titles.

UConn rode a 75-game winning streak into this season and its win on Saturday improved its record to 16-0 on the season.

Eight of the Huskies' wins have been against ranked opponents, and while most teams haven't come close to beating them, they did survive a two-point win in their season-opener at then-No. 12 Florida State and a six-point win Dec. 29 against then-No. 4 Maryland. </s> DALLAS | When the final shot beat the buzzer and UConn’s record streak was over, Geno Auriemma had to smile.

After all the winning, the Huskies coach could appreciate a thrilling victory — even from the other side.

UConn’s 111-game run came to a stunning end when Mississippi State pulled off perhaps the biggest upset in women’s basketball history, winning 66-64 on Morgan William’s overtime jumper in the national semifinals Friday night.

Dallas Cowboys' Dak Prescott (15) cheers during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game between Connecticut and Mississippi State in the semifinals of the women's Final Four, Friday, March 31, 2017, Friday, March 31, 2017, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero) Connecticut guard Crystal Dangerfield (5) is blocked by Mississippi State guard Jazzmun Holmes (10) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the women's Final Four, Friday, March 31, 2017, Friday, March 31, 2017, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) Mississippi State guard Morgan William (2) drives to the basket as Connecticut center Natalie Butler (51) defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the women's Final Four, Friday, March 31, 2017, Friday, March 31, 2017, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero) Mississippi State guard Morgan William, center, celebrates with teammates after she hit the winning shot at the buzzer in overtime to defeat Connecticut in an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the women's Final Four, Friday, March 31, 2017, in Dallas. Mississippi State won 66-64. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) Mississippi State guard Morgan William (2) celebrates with teammates after she hit the winning shot in overtime to defeat Connecticut in an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the women's Final Four, Friday, March 31, 2017, in Dallas. Mississippi State won 66-64. (AP Photo/LM Otero) Mississippi State guard Morgan William (2) is hugged by Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma, center, after their NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the women's Final Four, Friday, March 31, 2017, in Dallas. Mississippi State won 66-64. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) Connecticut guard Crystal Dangerfield (5) sits in the locker room after the team's loss to Mississippi State in an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the women's Final Four, Saturday, April 1, 2017, in Dallas. Mississippi State won 66-64. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma questions a call during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Mississippi State during an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the women's Final Four, Friday, March 31, 2017, in Dallas.(AP Photo/LM Otero) Mississippi State guard Morgan William (2) celebrates after she hit the winning shot in overtime to defeat Connecticut in an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the women's Final Four, Friday, March 31, 2017, in Dallas. Mississippi State won 66-64. (AP Photo/LM Otero) Mississippi State guard Morgan William (2) shoots the winning shot against Connecticut in an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the women's Final Four, Friday, March 31, 2017, in Dallas. Mississippi State won 66-64. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) Mississippi State guard Morgan William (2) shoots over Connecticut guard Gabby Williams (15) for the winning shot in an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the women's Final Four, Friday, March 31, 2017, in Dallas. Mississippi State won 66-64. (AP Photo/LM Otero) Mississippi State center Teaira McCowan (15) celebrates the team's win over Connecticut in an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the women's Final Four, Saturday, April 1, 2017, in Dallas. Mississippi State won 66-64. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

“You know what? When stuff like this happens, it kind of makes me shake my head and go, ‘You know how many times this could have happened and it didn’t happen?'” Auriemma said. “The fact that it never happened, that doesn’t mean I went home thinking it’s never going to happen. I knew this was coming at some point.”

“I’m just shocked that it took this long to get here,” he said.

The Huskies hadn’t lost in 865 days, with that defeat coming to Stanford in overtime on Nov. 17, 2014. Winning had become routine, often by routs. But in an instant, their drive toward a fifth consecutive national championship had been blocked.

When William’s jumper dropped, Auriemma broke into that wry smile. He turned to his bench, then went to congratulate the Bulldogs.

“I just kind of shook my head. This kid’s had an incredible run,” Auriemma said. “When it went in, it was almost like, of course. Of course, it’s going to go in.”

“Look, nobody’s won more than we’ve won,” he said. “I understand losing, believe it or not. We haven’t lost in a while, but I understand it. I know how to appreciate when other people win.”

It took an incredible shot by Mississippi State’s diminutive point guard to end the historic streak.

William hit a 15-footer to cap it, moments after a replay review awarded UConn two free throws for a flagrant 1 foul call that tied the game with 26.6 seconds left.

“I live for moments like this,” William said. “UConn, they’re an incredible team. For me to make that shot against them, it’s unbelievable. I’m still in shock right now. I wanted to take the shot. I wanted to take the shot and I made it.”

William’s shot came one game after she scored a career-high 41 points to help Mississippi State beat Baylor and advance to its first Final Four.

The Bulldogs (34-4) will play South Carolina for the national championship Sunday night in a matchup of two SEC teams.

Mississippi State and UConn met in the Sweet 16 last season and the Huskies won by 60 points — the most-lopsided win in regional semifinals history. All season long the Bulldogs had that humiliating loss on their minds.

Now they’ve erased that defeat, beating UConn (36-1) on the grandest stage in one of the sport’s greatest games.

“I don’t have to play them 100 times. Only have to beat them once,” Mississippi State coach Vic Schaefer said. “That is one heck of a basketball team, the greatest of all-time. But how proud am I of my kids?”

Mississippi State led 64-62 before a replay review gave Katie Lou Samuelson the two free throws that tied the game. After a UConn turnover, William held the ball at the top of the key before dribbling to her right and pulling up for the shot, with the ball in the air when the buzzer sounded.

The Bulldogs ran onto the court, piling up at center court while UConn players stood stone-faced. Schaefer grabbed William in a bear hug, with former Mississippi State star Dak Prescott — the Dallas Cowboys quarterback — helping lead the cheers in a sellout crowd.

Prescott said he’d try to come back Sunday for the title game.

UConn rallied from a 16-point deficit, its biggest during its NCAA record streak, to take a 59-56 lead in the fourth quarter. The teams were tied at 60 when the Bulldogs had a chance to win it in regulation, but William’s shot was blocked by Gabby Williams, sending the game into overtime.

“Maybe we’re just not ready for this. Maybe we were ready for everything else, but maybe we’re just not mature enough for this,” Auriemma said. “Maybe all our young kids needed to experience this so that we can come back and really be ready for this.”

Neither team scored much in OT with Teaira McCowan’s layup with 1:12 left in the extra session breaking a 62-62 tie. It was the lone basket for Mississippi State in OT until William’s game-winner.

During their last two decades of dominance where they’ve won 11 national championships, the Huskies rarely found themselves trailing — let alone by double-digits. This was the first time this season that UConn was losing in the fourth quarter.

The Bulldogs got off to a great start, taking it right at the Huskies like not many teams had done during the streak. The Bulldogs led 15-13 before scoring 14 straight points to go up 29-13. It was the biggest deficit UConn had faced during its historic streak and one of the largest during the last 22 years, which the Huskies have dominated with 11 national championships.

The Huskies rallied to within 29-25 as senior Saniya Chong scored seven points during a 12-0 run. Mississippi State answered and was up 36-28 at the half.

UConn came back in the third quarter behind its trio of All-Americans with Williams, Napheesa Collier and Samuelson keying a 12-3 run to start the second half. That run brought Huskies alums Sue Bird, Breanna Stewart and Maya Moore, who were sitting 20 rows behind the UConn bench, to their feet.

“We had an incredible run, but we came up against a much better team tonight,” Auriemma said.

STREAK BUSTER: The loss ended a 28-game NCAA Tournament winning streak for UConn. The last loss came to Notre Dame in 2012 in the Final Four. That was the last OT game in the national semifinals.

QUARTERBACK CONNECTION: Prescott wasn’t the only QB in attendance on Friday night. Donovan McNabb was also in Dallas, cheering on niece Kia Nurse, who stars for Connecticut. Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson was supporting his sister Anna, who is a freshman at Stanford in the first game.

GOOD MORNING MISSISSIPPI: Good Morning America co-host Robin Roberts was sitting at center court. She was cheering on the Bulldogs, who hail from her home state. Roberts brought out a Bulldogs jersey on her morning show. </s> Geno Auriemma and UConn celebrated win No. 90 on Tuesday against USF. They broke their own record with No. 91 Saturday at SMU. (Getty)

College basketball has a new win streak queen. It’s the same program as its predecessor, but this time one win more impressive.

UConn women’s basketball won its 91st game in a row Saturday at SMU, blitzing the Mustangs 26-2 in the first quarter and easing to a 88-48 victory. In doing so, it surpassed its own record of 90 consecutive wins set in 2010.

The current streak began in November 2014. It includes the last two national championships, two conference championships, and dominant wins of all kinds.

Auriemma has admitted that he set up this year’s non-conference schedule to end the streak; he filled it with seven top-15 teams despite losing the Nos. 1, 2 and 3 picks in last April’s WNBA draft. But his team had other ideas. It passed its 12 November and December tests by more than 22 points per game, and has now won its four American Athletic Conference games by an average margin of 46.5.

The most recent real obstacle that the Huskies cleared was a Dec. 29 trip to Maryland. They opened the second half with a 14-0 run, then held off the fourth-ranked Terrapins, 87-81, to claim victory No. 87 in a row.

After No. 87, No. 91 seemed inevitable, just as so many of the other 90 had before it. The perceived inevitability is one of the things that has made the streak so remarkable. UConn has redefined the word blowout. It has made top-25 teams look like high school squads and average Division I teams look like middle school clubs. Victory No. 90 was a 102-37 rout of USF — 20th-ranked USF, that is.

The next potential roadblock arises on Feb. 13, when No. 5 South Carolina and Dawn Staley visit Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Conn. A win that night, assuming no slip-ups between now and then, would give the Huskies their 100th-straight win.

The 2008-10 streak ended with a 71-59 non-conference loss to Stanford. This one doesn’t appear to be ending anytime soon as the Huskies roll through the AAC.

If the top-ranked Huskies were to run through the rest of the season undefeated and win a fifth-consecutive national championship, the win streak would reach 113.

At this point, though, no matter how far Auriemma and the Huskies go before their next loss, the streak won’t soon be forgotten. And this era of UConn women’s basketball — which also includes the second-longest and third-longest win streaks in women’s college basketball history — will forever live in college basketball lore.
In U.S. college women's basketball, Connecticut defeats SMU 88–48 for the Huskies' 91st straight win, breaking the school's own record for the longest winning streak in NCAA Division I basketball history for either sex.