The perfect season, in their own words

ST. LOUIS ­- Tuesday night, the UConn women's basketball team placed itself among the elite teams in college basketball history by finishing its season a perfect 39-0. The undefeated record is something just four other teams - including two UConn squads (1995, 2002) - have ever done before. Much will be said about what this "perfect season" means for the program and for the sport of college basketball. For now, it can be left to the players who made this year "the perfect season."

Heather Buck, redshirt-freshman center: "It's a great way to start out. And now, you know, it's my responsibility to come out and help the next team live up to these same expectations."

Tina Charles, junior center: "It means just a bunch of girls coming together for one goal and getting it done. Just having the heart and the determination."

Lorin Dixon, sophomore guard: "Ecstatic. At first it just started with us trying to win games. Then, we were undefeated for a while, and now everyone's comparing us to 1995 and all them. We didn't let anyone down, we met everyone's expectations."

Caroline Doty, freshman guard: "The perfect season means hard work. It means greatness. It means dedication. It means all our hard work paid off. All the extra hours, all the push we had with each other - our family."

Jacquie Fernandez, junior guard: "Dedication, love for the team, I think you're a part of history that not a lot of people are a part of. I think with this group, we just - from the very beginning, we knew that we had something special and we kept our eye on the prize, and I don't know. It's hard to put into words. Until you experience it, until you're a part of it, I mean even you being here being a part of it, it's awesome. Speechless."

Meghan Gardler, junior forward: "UConn Huskies. Hard work, discipline, being connected with your teammates, making them your family. Blood, sweat and tears pretty much."

Kalana Greene, redshirt-junior guard: "Can't tell me nothing. Can't tell me anything. I'm a National Champion. You can't take that away from me."

Tiffany Hayes, freshman guard: "It means no losses. It means hard work, dedication. It means National Champions!"

Cassie Kerns, senior forward: "I mean, it's just the result of us working our hardest every single day, day-in and day-out. Just our hard work and dedication to each other and the program, and just never giving up. It's just rewarding for everything that we've done."

Kaili McLaren, junior forward: "Amazing, being on this team. Everybody just gets along with each other. We're a family, a group of sisters."

Renee Montgomery, senior point guard: "Happiness. A loss just sits with you, and it's hard to get over a loss. I'd have appreciated my career, like a month after, if we had lost."

Maya Moore, sophomore forward: "The perfect season is exactly how my teammates performed. Just all of us rising and playing great. We won the way we knew we could, you know, with Tina dominating, Renee dominating, Kalana coming in and giving us good defensive effort, Kaili coming in, you know, everybody who… even the people who don't get in the games. They do their job behind the scenes. I just can't say enough about our whole team. That's why everybody's so excited, because everybody has contributed and has put a piece into what you see."

Tahirah Williams, senior forward: "Hard work. Hard work and close-to-perfect practice."