BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — Sunday’s locker room media availability was the surest sign that the Ducks have reached women’s college basketball’s largest stage.
Swarmed with reporters holding video cameras and microphones, Duck players answered questions about facing UConn, their unprecedented season and what it’s like to reach the Elite Eight.
Oregon will have a shot to reach the program’s first Final Four on Monday when the team squares off against the Huskies (4 p.m. on ESPN).
Here are a few storylines from Sunday’s practices:
Geno and Graves
Kelly Graves and Geno Auriemma have built a close rapport through their years coaching women’s basketball. Most of that time came during Nike team coaching retreats but both have been involved with USA Basketball throughout the years.
On Sunday, Graves called Auriemma one of the best in college basketball, regardless of gender.
“He’s just absolutely phenomenal,” Graves said. “What he does and how he motivates and coaches — it’s going to be an honor to play tomorrow. And that being said, I hope I kick his butt.”
Auriemma had plenty of nice things to say about Graves on Saturday.
“I’m not even the least bit surprised at what they’re doing,” Auriemma said. “Not even a little bit. I remember when Kelly got the job. I told everybody in the coaching profession, I said, ‘They’re going to be in the Final Four sooner than anybody thinks.’
“As I said earlier today, it better not be this soon.”
Recruiting ties to UConn
The nation’s top team each of the last four years recruited Sabrina Ionescu during her first couple years of high school.
Chris Dailey, Auriemma’s lead assistant, made a visit to the Ionescu house while the Walnut Creek, California, native was still a star at Miramonte High School.
“I didn’t get to know him pretty well and that kind of affected where I was going to end up,” Ionescu said. “I talked to their assistant coaches a bit more.”
Auriemma couldn’t attend because of USA Basketball obligations but would have ordinarily visited alongside Dailey. He popped in on one of Ionescu’s high school games during her freshman year, much to the delight of those in the gym.
“I’m not sure that we would have been in the situation to wait all the way until June for her decision, but I think she made a great choice,” Dailey said. “She’s had a great impact on that program.”
Dailey said she hasn’t been surprised by Ionescu’s early returns on the court given that Ionescu is “a worker.”
I asked UConn coach Geno Auriemma about his impressions of Oregon’s Sabrina Ionescu: pic.twitter.com/ySFmVwC1mM
— Jonathan Hawthorne (@Jon_Hawthorne) March 26, 2017
Husky-sized crowd
UConn will almost certainly draw another large crowd for Monday’s matchup. Husky fans sold out Webster Bank Arena — save for a cluster of Oregon and Maryland fans.
UConn fans don’t have to travel far — one hour, 15 minutes away — from campus to catch the nation’s top-ranked team.
That isn’t scaring the Ducks, though. Oregon has played in a few hostile environments this season, including a win over Washington before a sold-out crowd at KeyArena.
“We’ve been the underdogs all season,” Ionescu said. “We’ve seen those big names on jerseys and done just fine. I don’t think we’re nervous. I’m not nervous. I’m just excited to have this experience.”
Follow Jonathan Hawthorne on Twitter @Jon_Hawthorne
Find all of the Emerald’s coverage from Bridgeport here.
The post Elite Eight notes: Graves and Auriemma admire each other, another large crowd expected appeared first on Emerald Media.