The Connecticut Sun have players with prolific March Madness careers. Tina Charles, Aneesah Morrow, and Marina Mabrey all have had college-defining moments during the infamous tournament.
With each having different, dominant backgrounds, it’s an intriguing look back at what made each of these players special before wearing the Sun jersey.
Tina Charles Is a Member of the Most Dominant Team in College.
When people think back to the 2000s of women’s basketball, only one school comes to mind: the University of Connecticut. Specifically, in 2009 and 2010, the Huskies went 78-0 in back-to-back seasons that ended with national championships. This was part of the overall 90-game winning streak under Head Coach Geno Auriemma.
Center Tina Charles, an upperclassman at the time, led her team alongside guard Maya Moore, another household name in women’s basketball. The streak these two built of running back-to-back undefeated seasons was unheard of at the time. Of course, before the 111-game winning streak that the same program would build just a few years later.
Charles was an essential piece to this generational puzzle. During her senior year, the stand-out averaged 18.2 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game. To give her senior season a fairytale ending, Charles was awarded Most Outstanding Player at the 2010 NCAA Tournament.
This was only the start of a very impressive career to come her way. Charles was then drafted first overall by the Connecticut Sun. This was a home she would eventually return to in 2025.
Aneesah Morrow’s Roaring Senior Season
Known for being a “walking double-double” with the Louisiana State University Tigers, guard Aneesah Morrow stepped up to the plate for her senior season. This especially came after forward Angel Reese moved on to the WNBA. With this transition, Morrow was gaining leadership and asserting dominance.
Although all of her impact on headlines occurred during her time at LSU, Morrow actually transferred for her junior and senior years after leaving DePaul. This was one of the biggest moves in the portal in 2023, along with Haley Van Lith joining her.
Going into the 2025 NCAA Tournament, Morrow led the nation in rebounds, averaging 13.6 a game and racking up 27 double-doubles throughout the season.
Throughout the tournament, Morrow was a key player in the Tigers’ run to the Elite Eight. This was especially evident in a comeback win led by Morrow, who upset the NC State Wolfpack 80-73 in the Sweet Sixteen. In this matchup, Morrow dropped 30 points and 19 rebounds, making her last win a stellar performance as a Tiger.
After falling to UCLA in the Elite Eight, Morrow was drafted seventh overall by the Connecticut Sun in 2025.
It Wasn’t Just the Luck of the Fighting Irish for Marina Mabrey
Marina Mabrey had a championship of her own, under the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Mabrey’s impact on the court came from her shooting, especially from behind the arc. In 2018, when leading her team to an NCAA Tournament Championship, Mabrey made 19 three-point shots in that one postseason span.
These 19 were just a small fraction of Mabrey’s total of 276 three-pointers during her time at Notre Dame. This number ranked her second all-time in Fighting Irish history for three-pointers made.
What made her a star in college is what led to a National Championship her junior year. When the Fighting Irish were down 53-58 to Mississippi State University, Mabrey scored the Fighting Irish’s first three-point shot of the day, helping them build momentum that resulted in her teammate Arike Ogunbowale hitting a buzzer beater to secure their victory.
Throughout that tournament, Mabrey had stellar performances, including a 25-point effort against Texas A&M in the Sweet Sixteen and 15 points against Oregon in the Elite Eight.
A year later, in 2019, Mabrey was drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks 19th overall and eventually found a home after being traded to the Connecticut Sun in 2024.
Through very different paths, each of these Sun players has made their own special place in March Madness history.
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