Geno Auriemma Lauds Notre Dame Guards Ahead of Marquee Matchup for UConn
The No. 2 ranked UConn Huskies women's basketball team faces their toughest test of the 2024-25 season on Thursday when they play the No. 8 ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
While UConn superstar freshman Sarah Strong gives the Huskies a distinct advantage in the frontcourt over Notre Dame, the Fighting Irish boast three guards — sophomore Hannah Hidalgo, senior Olivia Miles, and senior Sonia Citron (the latter two of whom will be first-round picks in the 2025 WNBA Draft while Hidalgo could be the No. 1 pick when she's draft eligible in 2027) — that are going to cause major problems for Paige Bueckers and the other Huskies guards (especially with Azzi Fudd sidelined due to a knee sprain).
In a December 12 article from CT Insider's Maggie Vanoni, Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma is quoted giving these three Notre Dame guards a ton of praise.
"I think their three guards are so, so good," Auriemma said in the article. "They're so aggressive offensively. They're so skilled offensively. They put so much pressure on you, pushing the ball up the floor, attacking the basket, being able to make shots. That's to me, those are the most difficult teams to play against."
Despite the guard advantage that Notre Dame may have over UConn, the Huskies have another clear advantage: their depth.
UConn boasts a deep and well-rounded roster while Notre Dame can't say the same. And Auriemma alluded to this in the article when he said, "Their lack of depth is something that they're dealing with, we've been there, but at the same time, those three guys ain't coming out.
"And that's brutal for everybody else. So, I can't wait for the rest of their team to get healthy, so hopefully a couple of those guys get a rest and get them off the court and we don't have to deal with them," he added of the Fighting Irish.
Why Geno Auriemma enjoys the UConn women's basketball-Notre Dame rivalry game environment and what he's expecting from his players:
— Maggie Vanoni (@maggie_vanoni) December 12, 2024
"I just think it's a great environment. Just like when they come here. It's fantastic. … Win or lose. I love this game."https://t.co/cH8sZoG6Tq
Thursday evening will convey which advantages that Notre Dame and UConn have over each other reign supreme.
Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.