The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Auriemma juggling his expectations for No. 1 UConn
In a season where nothing can be taken for granted, Geno Auriemma is trying to appreciate the little things more.
You know, like being voted No. 1 in February.
“I don’t take compliments very well, but maybe this is one of those times we could compliment ourselves a little bit,” the UConn women’s basketball coach said Monday. “There wouldn’t be anything wrong with that.
“Don’t get me wrong, we’re not going to put up a banner saying we’re No. 1.”
Auriemma isn’t one to get caught up in rankings. Certainly not now, not with so much basketball left to play and all of the Huskies’ goals still squarely in front of them. There’s still five games left on the season, beginning Wednesday at St. John’s (6 p.m.).
The Huskies ascended to No. 1 the Associated Press poll Monday for the ninth straight season and 22nd overall, dating to 1994-95. That same day, they also were anointed the top overall seed in the NCAA’s first Top-16 reveal, followed by fellow No. 1 seeds South Carolina, Stanford and Louisville.
Naturally, Auriemma’s expectations are high. They always are. Here in Year No. 36, he doesn’t want that to change simply because of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially because every program, more or less, is dealing with the same obstacles.
Then again, he does wonder at times whether they’re realistic.
“The big dilemma for the coaching staff at Connecticut is always, ‘What are our realistic expectations? What are the standards that this program stands for?’ Maybe we realize this year that those are two different things,” Auriemma said. “‘Hey, we’re going
to try to live up to the standards that we have here, but we may have to have expectations that are a little bit different.’
“Just as soon as that comes out of my mouth, my other side of my brain slaps the other side and says, ‘What are you talking about? The expectations are the same no matter what.’ ”
The Huskies (16-1) were No. 3 in the preseason AP poll and stayed there until Dec. 28, when they dropped one spot despite remaining unbeaten. Over the next three weeks, they moved back and forth between No. 3 and No. 4 before climbing to No. 2 last Monday. Then, they proceeded to knock off top-ranked South Carolina in overtime, 63-59.
When the Huskies made it back to No. 1 last season, Auriemma said it didn’t feel right. He more or less called them the worst No. 1 team ever. This year, however, he’s keeping more of an open mind.
You see, Auriemma understands he’s in a unique position with a team largely dependent on freshmen. He can’t remember another time when a newcomer has had to carry as much weight as point guard Paige Bueckers is doing at this moment.
“Should our expectations be this year because we have seven new players, ‘Hey listen, if we crack the Top 10 sometime this year that would be awesome?’ Here we are No. 1 in the country. … I don’t ever want to be in that situation where we say, ‘Hey we’re overachieving.’ I want us to feel like, ‘This is what I came to Connecticut for.’”
His players seem to agree.
“We’re by no means done yet,” junior Evina Westbrook said. “We came here for a big reason. It doesn’t matter if we’re ranked No. 1 now or ranked 12th now. We’re here to win championships. That’s everyone’s focus, that’s everyone’s main goal, and we’re going to have a target on our back regardless of if we’re one or we’re 20. Just because it says UConn on our jersey, everyone’s coming to beat UConn.”
NOTE: Class of 2021 UConn signee Azzi Fudd is one of five finalists for Naismith Girls High School Player of the Year, joining Sania Feagin (South Caroli- na), Raven Johnson (South Carolina), Aaliyah Moore (Texas) and Jersey Wolfenbarger (Arkansas). Fudd, a 5-foot-11 guard from St. John’s College High School in Washington, D.C., is the consensus top player in the class.