UConn and UCF will renew what has been a physical rivalry when the teams square off Monday night.
Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma reacts during the first half of a first-round women's college basketball game against Mercer in the NCAA tournament, Saturday, March 19, 2022, in Storrs, Conn. STORRS, Conn. — are 13-0 against the No. 7 seed Knights, dating back to their days together in the American Athletic Conference, which UConn left in 2020 to rejoin the Big East.
“Their defensive philosophy is to be very, very disruptive,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “They work really, really hard to get you out of your stuff, out of your rhythm. You’ve got to do a really good job of taking care of the ball, being assertive with the ball, and I think you’ve got to be the more aggressive team when you play against them.”But UConn also is among the nation's best defensive teams, giving up just 41.6 points per game over its last 10.
Auriemma said he will continue to play it by ear when it comes to deciding how much Bueckers should play during the tournament. And while her current players were not born when she was setting records as a player, they say she's earned their respect by going up and down the court every day in practice while running the scout team.