When Geno Auriemma shared his take on UConn's NCAA opponents: "Not as bad as we make them look"

Following an 80-45 victory over Hartford in December 2009, UConn women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma used his platform on The Geno Auriemma Show to reflect on his team’s dominance and the narratives that tend to follow such wins.

During the discussion, which took place after the game at XL Center (now the PeoplesBank Arena), Auriemma pushed back at assumptions that his team’s opposition lacked quality.

“These teams are not as bad as we make them look,” he said in the episode posted on YouTube by the 'Connecticut Public' in December 2009. “I made this comment … maybe here, maybe, I don't know where I made it.”

The conversation, which also featured commentary on standout performances from Maya Moore, Tina Charles, Kalana Greene, and Kelly Faris, included observations about how UConn’s preparation often overwhelms opponents.

“The games are just a reflection of how hard these kids work in practice,” Auriemma said. “People want to make a big deal about, well, you're playing Hartford, you're doing this, you're doing that. This isn’t about who we're playing.”

Greene was one of the players highlighted by Auriemma for her consistency.

“This is the most aggressive I’ve ever seen her on a consistent basis,” he said.

Freshman Kelly Faris was credited as “our newest shot blocker,” with Auriemma noting that she had “a block in every game” and praising her athleticism.

Speaking about his squad’s ability to perform the fundamentals, Auriemma referenced a moment between Maya Moore and another player:

“Generally speaking, when Maya cuts and you throw it to her, you’re gonna get an assist. It’s that simple.”

He also pointed to individual traits among players like Tiffany Hayes, saying:

“When Tiffany Hayes is taking the ball to the basket, you should just go try to rebound because there’s not gonna be a lot of passes. … She knows she can finish.”

The result against Hartford extended UConn’s unbeaten start to 8-0 that season, but Auriemma’s emphasis remained on his team’s standards rather than their opposition’s level:

“You look at the numbers and you just say it’s hard to beat us when we’re doing those things, very hard.”

Throughout the show, Geno Auriemma didn't downplay the efforts of other teams but highlighted how UConn’s structure, talent and intensity created a gulf that was often mistaken for poor competition.

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Geno Auriemma coached UConn to an unbeaten season in 2009-10

In the 2009-10 season, the UConn women's basketball team achieved a perfect season,and won the Big East regular season, conference tournament and the national championship to cap it off.

Geno Auriemma's eam were ranked No. 1 in both the AP and ESPN Coaches polls and were great both offensively and defensively. They averaged 81.1 points scored per game and allowed only 46.2 points per game en route a 16-0 in the Big East and 39-0 overall record.