The University of Connecticut women’s basketball team is poised to make history by breaking the record for consecutive wins in collegiate basketball (currently 88 held by UCLA). Leading the way is senior Maya Moore, who established a new career scoring mark of 2,355 points when Connecticut beat Sacred Heart. Moore’s total eclipses a record set just last year by Tina Charles.

QUESTIONS:

1. Review the quotes on teamwork that open the chapter. Discuss the ways each applies to the Connecticut Huskies women’s basketball team.
2. Talk about it. How does a team like Connecticut continue to win (and win national championships) when there is so much parity in college sports?
3. Can a college sports team be self-managing? Explain.
4. Examine the open-systems model of team effectiveness. Which factors are controlled by the coaching staff at Connecticut? Which factors are under the control of the players? While task performance is evident, what are the other outcomes of effectiveness for this team and how are they realized?

SOURCE: Associated Press, “UConn Streak at 86 as Moore Becomes All-Time Scoring Leader,” USA Today (Retrievable online at http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/womensbasketball/2010-12-05-connecticut-sacred-heart_N.htm)