The UConn Huskies advanced to the Elite Eight, with star forward Sarah Strong showing her dominance against North Carolina in the Sweet 16.
She had 21 points, 10 rebounds and two steals, and was on the floor for an extended amount of time, playing for 39 minutes. UConn coach Geno Auriemma joked about Strong’s playing time, saying he rejected her pleas to be substituted out.
However, many fans were not amused by Geno Auriemma’s comments. While they felt he should have let her rest, others defended the legendary coach, saying the team needed those extra minutes from Strong.
“I would hate to play for him,” said one fan.
“He needs her to have that wind down the stretch.. this is where conditioning matters..,” one person noted.
“When she gets injured he’ll wish he had subbed her out,” one critic noted.
“not geno being the team opp 😂,” joked another person.
“lol Welcome to Husky Basketball FIGHT TILL THE END. For the ppl that’s gonna find something wrong with this…fyi they have 12 with 13 loading. He’s a coach who likes to win. Can’t hate on that💪🏾,” commented one supporter.
“This is not a flex. Give the girl a break!” said one person.
For many, it was understandable that Auriemma left his best player on the court, but others questioned why he played her during garbage time, when UConn was already cruising to a 20-point victory over North Carolina.
The Huskies ended up winning 63-42 over the No. 4 North Carolina Tar Heels.
Geno Auriemma Explains Why He Kept UConn at Full Throttle vs. North Carolina
North Carolina kept things close in the first half, but the Huskies pulled away in the second. All the way, Geno Auriemma had his foot on the gas, and he explained why in the postgame press conference:
“You have to go in expecting it to be hard, and you have to expect that the other team is going to make it hard for you to score. It’s been like that a lot, and then you get years where everything goes in, and you’re up 25 at halftime, and they think, ‘Ah, this is a piece of cake.’ That’s the exception, rather than the rule.”
UConn now moves on to the Elite Eight, where it will take on No. 6 Notre Dame.
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