WBB : Michael clashes with UConn coach after game
HARTFORD, Conn. – All Geno Auriemma wanted was a simple handshake. Instead, the Connecticut women’s basketball head coach received an earful from Syracuse forward Nicole Michael as players and coaches exchanged postgame valedictions after the No. 1 Huskies trounced the Orange, 107-53, Saturday.
Auriemma barked back at Michael, but finished making his rounds after being restrained by a UConn assistant coach. As he walked back to his bench, Auriemma crossed paths yet again with Michael, who continued to berate him as she exited the court.
In the middle of the discourse, Michael appeared to trip Auriemma with her right leg. While Auriemma didn’t fall, he was visibly upset and exchanged more words with the Orange forward. Both Michael and Auriemma were eventually escorted out of the arena by their respective coaches and teammates.
That was enough to trigger some fiery comments from Auriemma during the postgame press conference. At first, he tried to downplay the incident, saying he merely stumbled over Michael’s sneaker. But shortly after, Auriemma provided conflicting thoughts on the matter.
‘Kids do funny things when they lose,’ Auriemma said with a smirk. ‘Everybody’s different. They were pissed that they lost by 50. They didn’t want to have any part of shaking hands. None. Zero. They were not interested at all. I just hope my players don’t do that.’
Syracuse head coach Quentin Hillsman wasn’t around to witness the postgame fireworks. By that time, Hillsman had abruptly left the court. So when the coach was questioned about the issue during his postgame press conference, the fracas was news to him.
‘(Michael) tried to trip a coach?’ Hillsman said. ‘I didn’t see it, so I really have no comment to it. I’m not going to sit here and say we lack respect. I’ll ask Nicole what happened.’
Big East Commissioner Mike Tranghese has been in contact with both Daryl Gross, SU’s director of athletics, and UConn Athletic Director Jeff Hathaway to discuss the details of the confrontation, Rachel Margolis, director of communications for the Big East, said Monday.
SU athletics spokesman Josh Waldman said on Monday that Hillsman had reviewed the footage, which has been replayed continuously on SportsCenter since Saturday, and that ‘the matter was being taken care of internally.’
Despite the added attention of the postgame quarrel, Michael was also at the center of another play that incited Auriemma’s anger.
During the first half, Michael was defending UConn forward Maya Moore in the post, hoping to force the Huskies’ leading scorer to turn the ball over. The defensive stance turned physical and Michael ended up pushing Moore to the floor.
A timeout was called immediately after the non-call. Frustrated with Syracuse’s feisty behavior, Auriemma defiantly stared down the Orange bench throughout the rest of the timeout. The Huskies’ coach didn’t seem any more sympathetic after the game and appeared to take a jab at Hillsman’s coaching strategy.
‘They had an interesting game plan,’ Auriemma said of the Orange’s physical playing style. ‘I don’t know quite what to make of it. Obviously, it didn’t work, whatever it is that they tried to do.’
Syracuse forward Juanita Ward and UConn guard Caroline Doty, who later left the game with a torn ACL, also got into it and had their own altercations during the game.
As Doty drained her fifth 3-pointer of the first half over Ward, the UConn guard stared at the Syracuse forward, mockingly laughed in her face and continued to hold her follow-through pose for a few extra seconds.
Ward didn’t take too kindly to Doty’s taunt. Seconds later, Ward responded by throwing an elbow to Doty’s cheek on the following possession, earning her a technical foul for unsportsmanlike play.
‘Emotions were high and it’s always going be a battle between Syracuse and UConn,’ SU guard Erica Morrow said. ‘No matter how much we lost by, no matter what, we’re always going to come up and play hard against the No. 1 team in the country. It was a physical game for both sides.’
Auriemma couldn’t disagree more with Morrow’s assessment of the game. He was irritated with the way the Orange guarded his players, especially with senior guard Renee Montgomery and Moore.
That may be one reason why Auriemma continued to play his two All-Americans with four minutes remaining in the game, despite the fact the Huskies were winning by more than 40 points.
The postgame frenzy will continue to instigate storylines as the rivalry between Syracuse and UConn progresses. But the hostility won’t only be limited to the basketball court. Auriemma didn’t hesitate to hide his sour feelings about his coaching counterpart.
‘I don’t think (Hillsman) made a lot of friends at Connecticut today,’ Auriemma said. ‘But I don’t think he’s out to make friends. I think he’s out to make enemies.’ dsmorais@syr.edu
