Geno Challenges Team To Be Mentally Tougher

[RockyMTblue2]

Geno Auriemma’s challenge to the UConn women’s basketball team following South Carolina loss: Be mentally tougher on the court

No. 2 UConn struggled with mental fatigue down the stretch in its loss to No. 1 South Carolina last week, but coach Geno Auriemma affirms he has already seen a tremendous amount of progress as the Huskies prepare to face Seton Hall on Friday.

www.courant.com

Were they enjoying themselves too much this fall. We certainly heard how competitive they were. UConn does not collapse, yet the USC 4th quarter was exactly that.

"For Auriemma, the underlying cause of what happened down the stretch last Monday was a “mental fatigue” and lack of “mental toughness” that he and staff have harped on even more than usual as of late."
Friday’s 7 p.m. game at Seton Hall will be the Huskies’ first chance to see how all that work translates to actual gameplay, but Auriemma affirms he’s already seen growth."
“Really good,” Auriemma said regarding how the team responded to the challenge. “I’ve been pleasantly surprised. We really, really, really challenged them. Really challenged them.”

 

[Goodgood]

Sounds good. Let's see tonight.

 

[EricLA]

Wow - 4 "really's". That's pretty intense. And no one entered the transfer portal as a result so that's good news LOL!

I predicted a 25 point win over SHU because I wasn't sure where the team was - physically and mentally, and I expected SHU to be good this year (bring back AEH and Park-Lane as well as adding Sidney Crooks). But that is good to hear and I really do hope we blow out SHU by 40+.

 

[Huskee11]

Not the first time. The first game of the 2016-2017 season at Florida State, there is video of Geno telling his team during a late timeout that they weren`t tough enough. "You`re just not", he said. No Stewie, Moriah, or Morgan to turn to.

This group included Kia, Gabby, Lou and Napheesa (who had 28 that night). They won, but just barely, 78-76.

The next game, Baylor, was a tremendous victory at Gampel but UConn played a very poor first half, and at halftime Geno again challenged his team, Lou in particular (too harshly IMHO).

That group turned out pretty well. And I think most if not all of us would agree, they are a pretty tough group.

We got a close look at that season courtesy of the excellent HBO documentary, "UConn: March to Madness".

 

[oldude]

Sounds good. Let's see tonight.

Not sure what you’ll be able to see tonight? Tomorrow UConn plays SH.

 

[eebmg]

While Geno's quotes were nice, I thought the player's quotes were quite remarkable.

“I think when things start to go bad, somebody has to turn things around, and that person has to be me,” Bueckers said. “I have to call a huddle‚ whether it be in a timeout, on a dead ball. I have to get everybody together and be like, ‘We need to turn around. We can’t just keep continuing with the bad plays, just mess-ups after mess-ups.’”

 

[Bigboote]

Not sure what you’ll be able to see tonight?

I for one am looking forward to Indiana-NC State and to a lesser extent Louisville-Michigan.