Go, Geno, Go: 1,200th Win in the Books
The Story: Geno Auriemma became the third coach in major college basketball to reach 1,200 wins last night as the No. 11-ranked Huskies obliterated Seton Hall 67-34 at the XL Center.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: It was an easy romp to the milestone for Geno, who joins Stanford women’s basketball coach Tara VanDerveer and former Duke men’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski as the only others to reach 1,200 wins in major college basketball.
• Neither of Geno’s colleagues reached that mark as quickly as he has. Geno, in his 39th season, needed only 1360 games to do so. He could match Krzyzewski’s mark of 1,202 wins as soon as next week — and potentially on senior night.
AS FOR THE GAME: UConn (20-4, 12-0 Big East), which hit 20 wins for the 31st consecutive season, was led by Aaliyah Edwards‘ 18 points and 15 rebounds. Ashlynn Shade had 17 points and Paige Bueckers had 13 for UConn.
• It was a walk in the park for the Huskies, mostly because Seton Hall’s players couldn’t find the basket if they were handed a map. The Pirates shot 22.2 percent (12-for-54), including 8.6 percent (2-for-23) from 3-point range, and went 2-for-22 in the first half. I’yanna Lops led Seton Hall with nine points (yes, you read that right).
• UConn shot 42.3 percent (27-for-63), including just 3-for-11 from beyond the arc, and had 20 assists on 27 baskets. The Huskies had the 45-35 edge in rebounding and outscored the Pirates 30-10 in the paint.
WHAT DID GENO SAY? “The first time we played in this building, maybe 1986, ’87 or something like that, as part of a doubleheader with the men … those people who are wearing the yellow jackets over there, besides them, the only people in here were the kids’ parents. And now you come in here and you look at 13-, 14-, 15,000 [people here] and whatever it is, and it’s something to really, really be proud of, because we all made something happen that never existed and no one thought it could happen. So, I’m pretty proud of that.”
UP NEXT: It’s a big one for the Huskies, who will hit the road to face No. 1 South Carolina on Sunday afternoon. The Gamecocks (21-0), who play Missouri at home tonight, have won four of the last five games in the series — including the 2022 national championship game.
— Zac Boyer
Morning Reads
• Dan Hurley‘s “it’s coming” press conference at Villanova a few years entered UConn lore — and the coach’s postgame pow-wows continue to be entertaining.
• Junior Megan Warrener is a semifinalist for the National Goalie of the Year Award, as she has an 11-0-1 record with a .840 goals-against average and a .960 save percentage. Ten others are on the list for the award.
