Geno Auriemma goes for 1,200 wins when UConn women host Seton Hall: How to watch, what to know
Coach Geno Auriemma likes to attribute the volume of his success simply to longevity, but the UConn women’s basketball legend is poised to win his 1,200th career game in record time this week.
Only two others in college basketball have ever surpassed the 1,200-win mark: Stanford women’s coach Tara VanDerveer and former Duke men’s coach Mike Krzyzewski. The Huskies coach will reach the milestone by far the fastest of the three, in his 39th season. VanDerveer surpassed it just weeks ago in her 45th season, and Krzyzewski retired with 1,202 wins after 47 seasons.
“All the coaches that have had the kind of success we’re talking about, it involves being in one place a long time or being at a bunch of places, and I’m fortunate enough to be here the entire time,” Auriemma said. “You look at the way the world is today, I don’t think you’ll see this happening much going forward, so it’s certainly something to be proud of … It’s been really, really unusual. It’s not something that we take for granted, for sure.”
Auriemma will become the only coach to win 1,200 games all with one program, and a Big East rematch with Seton Hall on Wednesday (7 p.m., SNY) is likely his only opportunity to hit the milestone in front of the Huskies’ home crowd. Eighth-ranked UConn (19-4, 11-0 Big East) heads on a two-game road trip after hosting the Pirates (13-9, 5-6) at XL Center in Hartford, first to No. 1 South Carolina on Sunday then to Xavier on Feb. 14.
The Huskies dispatched Seton Hall in their first meeting Jan. 17 with an 83-59 win on the road, so the odds of getting Auriemma to 1,200 in Connecticut are in UConn’s favor. Paige Bueckers recorded a season-high 32 points while shooting 70.5% from the field at Seton Hall, and Nika Muhl led the team with 10 assists. It was also a breakout game for freshman KK Arnold, who went 4-for-6 from 3-point range for 15 points.
It’s players like Arnold, the No. 6 prospect in the class of 2023, that have kept Auriemma in the game this long. He puts on a scowl when Arnold tries to sneak him into her TikTok videos, but the Huskies’ coach has consistently praised her maturity alongside fellow freshman Ashlynn Shade, the No. 15 prospect. The pair stepped into the starting lineup amid UConn’s rash of injuries and have earned a combined 10 Big East Freshman of the Week honors — five apiece. As long as Auriemma still feel passionate about developing young talent, he isn’t counting down to any milestone or predetermined finish line.
“At some point, you just know I can’t do this anymore … You know when that day will be? When we can’t get players,” Auriemma said. “Or if you feel like what you have to go through to get good players becomes like, do I really want to do that? But our recruiting hasn’t fallen off. We’re still getting the kind of players that I like to coach and enjoy being around.”
Auriemma may not put much stock in the record book, but his athletes still take pride in helping him continue building a legacy of success. His ever-growing trophy case is part of what attracted many of them to Connecticut in the first place.
“He’s like LeBron (James). It’s so hard to stay that great for that long, and it’s just a testament to the culture he’s built here,” Bueckers said. “Jut him having that resume, I think it speaks to the person he is and the greatness he demands out of us as a coach. I think that’s why we all wanted to come here was to play for him and be a part of this culture … I know he doesn’t want it to be a big deal, but for him to accomplish that speaks a lot to what he’s built here.”
How to watch
Site: XL Center; Hartford
Time: 7 p.m., Wednesday
Series: UConn leads 57-10.
Last meeting: UConn, 83-59; Jan. 17 in South Orange, New Jersey
TV: SNY
Streaming: SNY.tv
Radio: UConn Sports Network on Fox Sports 97.9
