Jackson Free Press

Even if you don’t follow sports, you’ve probably heard of the http://www.orda.org/miracle/story.php">1980 Olympics’ “Miracle on Ice” at some point. A group of young American hockey players took down one of the best hockey teams in the world in the USSR.

What you might not know is that the game against the USSR wasn’t even for the gold medal. The http://olympics.usahockey.com/page/show/1093459-1980-olympic-winter-games">U.S. team still had to play Finland to win the gold, but the game against the USSR is so steeped in lore most just believe it was for the gold.

That USSR team was cloaked in an aura of invincibility. It was a team that reached mythic status even as they still played the game. The country had already beaten many teams before the U.S. stepped on the ice against them.

Why is a game hockey at the end of March so important with no Winter Olympics in sight? If you think about it, the “Miracle on Ice” and the Final Four game that the Mississippi State University women’s basketball team will play on Friday, March 31, are similar.

MSU will face the University of Connecticut, which compares well to that USSR team. The Russians were considered the best in the world and so are the Huskies.

The https://www.thoughtco.com/miracle-on-ice-american-hockey-2778288">USSR dominated their sport, even beating the NHL All-Stars 6-0 a year before the Olympics. Connecticut has http://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/19019136/women-ncaa-tournament-connecticut-huskies-defense-dominates-oregon-ducks-beginning-end">won 111 straight games and is making its 10th straight Final Four, but the Bulldogs are making their first appearance.

In the 1980 Olympics, the USSR crushed most of the other teams in the tournament in the run-up before facing the Americans. The team had close games against Canada and Finland, but the Russians still won easily.

In the Final Four, http://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/19019507/women-ncaa-tournament-women-final-four-set-connecticut-huskies-remain-heavy-favorite">UConn is normally in the midst of a blowout before halftime of nearly every game it has played. The closest game the Huskies have played is a 15-point victory over the University of California, Los Angeles.

The Huskies beat many teams that step on the court before the opening tip because UConn possesses the same aura and mystique that the USSR displayed. It is easy to see why since the Huskies have won the http://www.ncaa.com/history/basketball-women/d1">past four straight national championships and six of the last eight.

Going into the 1980 Olympics, the USSR had won four straight Olympics, the World Championship and the World Cup. People considered the Russians, like UConn today, nearly unbeatable.

Before the Olympics, the U.S. and the USSR played each other in a game where the Russians won 10-3, as the opposition starstuck the Americans. MSU might not have been starstruck, but they were beaten 98-38 in the Sweet Sixteen last year.

U.S. hockey coach http://www.espn.com/classic/s/miracle_ice_1980.html">Herb Brooks knew he had to break that aura and mystique the Russians held over his players. He began to compare great USSR player Boris Mikhailov to comedy legend Stan Laurel of the comedy duo Laurel and Hardy.

MSU Head Coach Vic Schaefer will have to do the same thing with the Bulldogs. He has to mentally let his team know that the Huskies aren’t basketball gods but just good players that can be defeated.

Winning the mental game against UConn will be one of Schaefer’s biggest challenges. This MSU team has the talent and depth to make the Huskies play a full 40-minute game, but they can’t be awestruck just because the jerseys say “UCONN” on the front.

One more connection to that momentous hockey game: If the Bulldogs win, it won’t be for the title. MSU will still have to beat the Huskies and then the winner of the University of South Carolina versus Stanford University game.

Beating UConn and losing the title game would make most people forget the miracle that came before the final one. Upsets lose their luster if the team that pulls the upset doesn’t finish the job with a title.

MSU will go for a “Miracle on the Hardwood” at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN2 on March 31 with Stanford and South Carolina tipping off at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN2.