UConn’s Auriemma: An upset is always on your mind

Storrs — UConn women's coach Geno Auriemma was asleep Friday night when 16th-seeded Maryland Baltimore County defeated No. 1 Virginia for the biggest upset in the history of NCAA tournament men's basketball.

“This morning when I woke up there was a text, 'Are you watching this?'” Auriemma said. “I'm like, 'Something must have happened.' I was flabbergasted, honestly. I think everybody was. Not that it can't happen. It just hasn't happened.”

And then, Saturday … Auriemma's top-seeded UConn team, bidding for a 12th national championship, was set to meet No. 16 Saint Francis (Pa.).

UConn removed all doubt early, shooting 77.8 percent to lead 55-19 after one quarter and going on to a record-smashing 140-52 victory. But Auriemma said a first-round upset is always something a coach worries about. During the Huskies' 1995 national championship season, they drew Maine and star Cindy Blodgett in the first round. Auriemma convinced himself Blodgett would score 50 and lead the Black Bears to victory.

“All these thoughts go through your head,” Auriemma said Saturday. “You never show up and say, 'We got this.'”

Rematch

The only word Miami coach Katie Meier could think of in describing an NCAA tournament matchup with Quinnipiac for the second straight season was “odd.”

Quinnipiac traveled to Miami last year and toppled Marquette in the first round of the tournament before beating Miami 85-78 on its home floor for the program's first ever trip to the Sweet 16.

This year's Selection Monday reveal pitted the teams against each other again, this time in the first round of the Albany Regional in Storrs. No. 9 Quinnipiac (28-5), from nearby Hamden, defeated No. 8 Miami (21-11) once again 86-72.

“This year it's really a role reversal,” Quinnipiac Tricia Fabbri said earlier in the week of the high-stakes rematch. “Seeing Miami go up there, it felt like we have a home-and-home coming up. There was great respect in seeing Miami again.

“… I thought we were really gritty and talented last year and we're even tougher and grittier and more talented than last year.”

Meier pointed out it's rare for the teams to be matched again so soon in the first round. She said there was no lingering feelings of “what happened?” following last season's game, in which Quinnipiac simply outplayed the Hurricanes.

“They had better shot-makers than we did that day,” Meier said of last year. “This wasn't some albatross that hung over my neck for a year. That would be disrespectful to the program that Trish has built.”

Luck of the Irish

Quinnipiac junior guard Edel Thornton made just her second start of the season in Saturday's win and finished with 14 points on 6-for-15 shooting. The significance? It was St. Patrick's Day. Thornton hails from Gurranabraher, in Cork, Ireland, and was playing in front of her parents, Sean and Christine, who made the trip to Gampel Pavilion.

“I had to. We had to,” Thornton said of her performance. “They traveled all the way from Ireland, so I couldn't send them home any other way. It means a lot, in all regards. Obviously we want to win, but to do it today was extra special.”

“I was flabbergasted, honestly. I think everybody was. Not that it can’t happen. It just hasn’t happened. ... All of these thoughts go through your head. You never show up and say, ‘We got this.’ ” UCONN’S GENO AURIEMMA AFTER LEARNING ABOUT UMBC’S UPSET OF NO. 1 VIRGINIA MEN

Relationship goals

Saint Francis coach Joe Haigh admits the only previous time he ever met Auriemma was 14 years ago in the lobby of a Comfort Inn in Morgantown, W.Va. Haigh, holding Auriemma's book in his hand at the time and yet to start his tenure at Saint Francis, was with former Providence women's coach Bob Foley. Auriemma signed Haigh's book. “The program he's built and what he's done here is amazing,” Haigh said of Auriemma during a press conference Friday. “I think Geno is one of the best coaches in history in any sport. I don't know how anybody could top what they've done here. That's any sport in the history of sport.”

Quotable

Auriemma, who last year supported Quinnipiac's run to the Sweet 16 by wearing a Quinnipiac shirt to a press conference during UConn's regional in Bridgeport, was asked if he planned to wear any Bobcats gear again this year.

Said Auriemma: “No. Uh-uh. I gave Trish a couple of my T-shirts, but she