Geno Auriemma: "They just overwhelm you, man, at every position."

Posted: April 5, 2019 -- 10:46 a.m. CDT

TAMPA BAY, FL (Amalie Arena) -- The rivalry between Notre Dame (34-3) and UConn (35-2) resumes Friday night in the second semifinal game of the 2019 NCAA Women's Final Four. Tip-off is approximately at 8:30 pm Central Time. The teams faced each other in December and UConn steamrolled Notre Dame 89-71 in South Bend, IN.

UConn Head Coach Geno Auriemma doesn't place any significance on the December match-up nor the previous 49 games UConn and Notre Dame have faced each other.

"I think mainly Friday's game is more about two really good teams that are playing," Coach Auriemma said. "I don't think the other 49 times we played them really has any significance in tomorrow's game. It's just that in the last number of years, every time we've played them it's been a lot at stake, even a stupid regular season game like in December, it's 1 versus 2. One of us is 1, the other one is close to being 1. It's a big game. That version of game of the year, game of the century."

Auriemma believes the Notre Dame - UConn rivalry is good for basketball.

"I think that's cool because, you know, sports needs that kind of rivalry," Auriemma remarked. "We used to have that with Tennessee. Now we have it with Notre Dame. I think it's cool.

"Of course, it's exciting and it means a lot. But I don't think tomorrow's game has any more significance whether you want to win or not just because it's Notre Dame. Just because we beat them in December doesn't have anything to do with tomorrow (Friday) night."

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Auriemma compared tonight's rematch to the rematch UConn had with Louisville in the NCAA Regional Final. Louisville defeated UConn 78-69 on January 31; but, UConn topped Louisville 80-73 in the Regional Final on March 31.

"Same thing with Louisville beating us. It didn't really affect the outcome of that game. I just think Friday's game is a completely different game. I always tell our players whenever we win a big game in December, I say, Listen, we're going to have to get a lot better fast. I'm assuming the teams we play against, they're getting a lot better. And, Notre Dame is a lot better today than they were in December, no doubt in my mind. I mean, I think they're the best team in the country. I don't think anybody else is even close. Baylor. But I don't think anybody else, I think, can match Notre Dame when they're playing their A game. They just overwhelm you, man, at every position."

Notre Dame had zero answers for UConn freshman Christyn Williams in the first match-up. Williams dropped 28 points on the Fighting Irish scoring inside and outside: 11 for 16 field goals (2 for 4 three-point shots and 4 for 5 from the foul line.

Notre Dame Head Coach Muffet McGraw was asked what she and her team learned from the game in December to help prepare for Friday's game.

"I think any time you lose, you go back and you look at absolutely everything that went on in the game, offense, defense," Coach McGraw said. "What did we do wrong, substitutions, man, zone, what did we play. You break down the whole game, try to find some things.

McGraw added, "That's why you play those games early in the year, because you want to know what your weaknesses are, how teams are going to attack you. You learn a lot from them.

"We did some good things. We did some good things at both ends of the floor. We just didn't do enough good things. I think we didn't take advantage sometimes of the mismatches that we had. So, we were able to work on that. Our defense was not as good as I thought. We've actually been working on that for the rest of the year. I think you take away little things like that."

Coach McGraw also commented on Christyn William's stellar performance in the game: "(Christyn) Williams had a huge game. We probably weren't as prepared for that. So, now we're aware of what she can do. I think we learned a lot. Same as we did for the other two losses we had."

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Three of Notre Dame's leaders commented on the early season loss to UConn as well.

"For the first game, I think we just learned a lot about ourselves," Brianna Turner said. "How we need to focus on our defense, not get too riled up, making sure we're staying focused throughout the 40 minutes, not letting up no matter who the opponent may be or what's happening during the course of the game."

Teammate Arike Ogunbowale said, "I think definitely just after that game we really learned how to play with each other. Marina was injured for most of the games before that, that was our first game as a starting five. Definitely just it's a process to be able to learn how to play with five All Americans.

"I think over the course of the season, that game really helped us."

ND post player Jessica Shepard added: "Yeah, I agree. I think just developing team chemistry since that game's happened. I think just kind of refocusing as a team."

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ESPN2 is broadcasting tonight's game. The game will begin 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first semifinal game between Baylor and Oregon which is slated to begin at 6 p.m. Central Time.

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