NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: SECOND ROUND - BAYLOR VS UCONN

March 19, 2023

Geno Auriemma

Aaliyah Edwards

Nika Muhl

Gampel Pavilion

UConn Huskies

Media Conference

THE MODERATOR: We'll start with questions for the student-athletes.

Q. Aaliyah, these are two very different teams, but such a classic game two years ago, and I would like to get your memories of that game, what it meant, and that final play, foul, no foul?

AALIYAH EDWARDS: Yeah, I already knew this question was coming, so... (laughing.)

I mean, feelings from that game, we won it, so I think that's really what I take from that game. We're into 2023 now, we're moving on to something better. I think that going -- leading into the matchup tomorrow, we're just coming in prepared and making sure that we play the same way we played yesterday, but even stronger and coming out more aggressive.

Q. Nika, you talked yesterday about how you saw Aaliyah has grown up and grown into a leader. How have you seen that in her just off the court?

NIKA MÃœHL: I was expecting that question too. (Laughing.) I mean, she's just been on a whole other level. It's not even next level. It's the next after the next after the next level. It's just what she does every day in practice. She's been so much more vocal this year. You can tell she wants to win that game in practice. It all starts in practice for her.

So it's just seeing her strive, and she has done so much work in the off-season and the summer. She came in so strong at the beginning of the season, and we were all so happy for her and just -- you know, she just does what she does every day. It's not surprising and it's nothing new. It's just who she is. I don't even think we have seen the best of her. So I'm excited to see what's coming, especially tomorrow.

Q. Can you talk about your personal growth with the game, outside of the game, maturity-wise, since that game two years ago and more recently, and then what has it been in your game these last couple weeks that's allowed you to take it to that next, next, next level?

AALIYAH EDWARDS: Yeah, let's help me to get to that next, next, next level. It's definitely maturity. I was a freshman last time we played them and we were in the bubble, so that kind of environment, it was challenging in itself.

But we've faced so much throughout this season, I think that I've just grown basketball-wise, but just as a person, realizing that I need to just be competitive and to be really dominant for my teammates and for my coaches every game.

And that's in different ways. It's not just about putting up numbers or anything. I take pride in rebounding because it brings extra possessions for the team and extra opportunities for us to get something offensively and defensively for transition offense. So, yeah, I think just my mindset has shifted and it just continues to expand and I think just locked in for tomorrow and just for March.

Q. Nika, you were on that team also that played against Baylor in San Antonio, and like she just said, you were in the bubble, so everything was like kind of magnified and you got to stay for a whole extra week. Can you remember any of the excitement or any memories from that game at all?

NIKA MÃœHL: I mean, it was fun being in the bubble. I'm not going to lie. No, we were just being so close that year and super connected. So I actually haven't played in that game. I was -- I don't remember, I think I was either injured or Coach just didn't put me in the game. But I really wanted to play that game. It was super aggressive, the refs were allowing a lot of contact. I just -- I don't know, it was just a great game to play in.

So I don't remember much from that game. I remember that last call, though, and what everybody talks about. But I said before Vermont, like they asked me if I would rather play Alabama or Baylor, I said it doesn't matter as long as we come out the same way, which we will. But I'm excited to play Baylor because I haven't played them my freshman year, obviously, so I think it's going to be a good game.

Q. For either of you, you were there watching the Baylor game yesterday. What is it about them that you guys feel will be the biggest challenge tomorrow?

AALIYAH EDWARDS: Just they're an aggressive team. That game, it was a nail biter. They played all the way to the end. Just going into this game tomorrow, you know that it's a game of possessions. So I think the same way that we came out and we started yesterday, we hit them first, and we just kept hitting them for 40 minutes and just got to come out with that same intensity.

Q. They came back from 18 points down yesterday. You guys have given up some leads this year. Whether you've lost those games or not, you let teams back in. So what's going to be the difference, how do you make sure that that doesn't happen, and what happened to a Alabama doesn't happen to you guys?

NIKA MÃœHL: Yeah, for the whole year Coach was emphasizing, do not underestimate anybody. We played some Big East teams that came from us leading 20, they came back, and we lost some games like that. So just his emphasizing on not underestimating anybody and never stopping to punch during the game. Like, every possession, as she said, matters, no matter if we're up 20, if we're up 30, or if we're down. So just having that in mind, having in mind that they came back from such a huge lead and that they're capable of that and never backing down and never letting go of our lead and just, you know, making it bigger and bigger. Just having that in mind and never backing down, not even in the fourth quarter if we're up 20, it doesn't matter.

THE MODERATOR: All right. Thank you, ladies. We'll be back with coach shortly.

(Pause.)

All right. We'll get started with questions for coach.

Q. There have been several games this year where you guys have taken big leads and let the other team back in the game. After seeing what Baylor did to Alabama yesterday, what have you talked to your team about in terms of not falling into that same trap?

GENO AURIEMMA: Well, it would be nice to find out, which means we have a big lead, which I don't anticipate that going into any game at this point in the season. I'm a firm believer that this time of the year brings out your best characteristics and your worst. So you'll see a team that you would say, I've never seen 'em play that bad before. And they will play like that in the NCAA tournament. For whatever reason. And then teams will play way over their head. You will say, I never seen 'em play like that. Sometimes it happens in the same game. It's really, really difficult to come back in a big game unless the other team helps you. So NCAA tournament time you just have to assume that everybody's playing for their life and whatever the deficit is it's not going to matter, it's not going to matter. So that's the message that I've been sending for I don't know how many years. And it will be the same message to this team.

Q. This Baylor team may be a little bit different than the Baylor teams you guys have seen in the past in terms of their identity. But what do you see from this team going in the matchup that strikes you as areas where they have strengths?

GENO AURIEMMA: Any time you have a coaching change and a change of philosophy and a change in personnel you're going to get a different look. I watched 'em play and their style of play's a little bit different. I think Nicki coaching in the pros, I think there's a lot of that influence on their team, the way they play. Really, really, really heavy ball screen stuff, you know. So that's a little bit different. More so guard play than the post players that Baylor had in the past. So they traded one thing for another and still managed to get to this point.

So, like I said, the way they shot it yesterday they could probably beat anybody. So this time of the year prepare for everything and expect anything.

Q. You have such a history playing Baylor. Even though it's different does it bring that back a little bit like, Oh, no, we have to figure out how to guard Griner tomorrow, or does it bring you back a little bit?

GENO AURIEMMA: It certainly has been a lot of games. A lot of big games. I don't know how many times we've played them but it seems like every time we do play them there's a lot at stake. There's a lot of great players on the floor. Those Brittney Griner teams were absolutely incredible. So difficult to play against. We were fortunate, we had Maya in some of those games, we had Stephanie in some of those games, Tina in some of those games. So we had enough to offset, not stop, but offset some of the stuff that Baylor would do. But every game was classic in its own way. And I really like the people down in Waco, they were always great to me. I remember one time I walked in there, I thought it was a home game for us, you know. And I wanted to see if I could charter a plane and bring them all back here. So, yeah, they bring back great memories, but this is a different time now.

Q. Nicki Collen said that it seems like UConn is peaking at the right time. Do you feel like your team is peaking or do you feel like there's still some more ironing out of the kings that need to happen?

GENO AURIEMMA: I think there's still more. We're trying to incorporate Azzi, we're hoping we get a hundred percent Aubrey, which, you know -- so it seems like every time we add somebody, it's like an unwritten rule, you know, we add somebody, somebody has to step out. So I think there's more that we can do. There's another level that hopefully we can get to tomorrow night. Where that is, what that is, I don't know. But I would like to think that given an opportunity, you know, tomorrow and if we're fortunate enough beyond, that there's better basketball ahead for us.

Q. In terms of her growth over the last two years, she played very well as a freshman but now she's at this incredible level. I think Nika called it the next, next, next, next level that she's gotten her game to. So if you could just comment on who she is now versus where she is or who she was at that game.

GENO AURIEMMA: Yeah, if I remember correctly about that particular game there were a lot of fouls in that game. Some were called, some were not. Whether that one was a foul or not, I don't know. I never watch the free throws, so that could answer it exactly the way I answered it. If you want to be a really good player at Connecticut you have to do extraordinary things. You can't just come out and say, hey, that kid's pretty good. That just won't cut it. That won't get you to the place you want to be. And I really think that the biggest motivator for Aaliyah was that her freshman year showed so much of what she can do and so much promise and it didn't materialize her sophomore year. This year it's come together for her and she's worked at it and it would be the same answer I just gave for about our team. I think there's way more that she can do. There's a lot further that she can go. And time will tell. But the progress that she's made and the contributions that she's made, how many more things she's able to do that she wasn't able to do. That's just a testament to her and her hard work and she was given a lot to work with and she's worked hard at it.

Q. Do you have a quick status update for Aubrey and Lou as far as how they're feeling physically?

GENO AURIEMMA: Well, how they're feeling is how they're feeling. I mean, that's not going to change. But I expect both of them to play tomorrow. My hope is that they can play as many minutes as we need them to play and that they can be effective. But they're both going to be available.

Q. How encouraged were you by what you saw from Caroline, because just from eye test, just from watching it seemed like this was the most active she has been in quite a long time and making a couple shots and some good passes, getting a couple rebounds and things. How encouraged were you by that?

GENO AURIEMMA: Very. Very encouraged because first off, Caroline's a terrific competitor. She has a hard-nosed streak about her that allows her to perform in big games. She's not afraid at all to put herself out there and make a big play. So at this time of the year you can't run a play or two or three or four that are going to trick anybody and that's going to surprise anybody. So you need players that can make plays. I think she's one of the, one of those kids that can. And more often than not does. So it was good to see her get involved in so many different aspects of the game. We have been missing that for a long, long time.

Q. I was talking with coach Dailey about what this idea of legacy and I was just wondering how you feel she has contributed to your success over all these years?

GENO AURIEMMA: I mean, I think it's been well documented over the years, just by the fact that she was the first assistant coach inducted into the women's basketball Hall of Fame, her and Mickie DeMoss, shows you what the level that she's, of respect that people have for her in the basketball world. And it's unusual that you have someone be in one place that long. Certainly there's head coaches that have been at their school for as long, but usually assistants find their way and want to move on and want to take on different challenges. So it's unique that she's able to spend that much time here and be able to put and be able to put her stamp on the program in every way. You hear sometimes people describe assistant coaches, she's a great recruiter, or he's a great recruiter. Or they're great at Xs and Os. They're great at scouting reports. You know -- and on our staff everybody has to do everything. So her stamp and her influence is on every aspect of our program. I've told coaching friends of mine, men's and women's basketball, that I could go to Italy for the summer and when I come back things will be better than when I left. The players will have a lot more fun. It will also be a little less scatterbrained around here. Things will be more organized. There will be a schedule and everybody will be on time and everything will go according to plan and there will be no, you know, doubt as to what was coming next. So it would be a really boring life for our players, but things would be in a much better place if she was in charge. And I keep threatening to leave and she freaks out because she kind of likes the role that she has.