Huskies Turn Focus to NCAA Second Round Play
UConn will face Texas in the second round on Tuesday at the Arena at Harbor Yard

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (March 24, 2008) - The No. 1 seeded University of Connecticut women's basketball team will be looking to advance to the regional semifinal round for the 15th consecutive season when it faces Texas Tuesday night in Bridgeport, Conn. Tip is set for approximately 9:30 p.m. on ESPN2.

UConn, now 16-2 in NCAA Tournament First Round appearances, defeated No. 16 seeded Cornell on Sunday night to advance to the tournament's second round

UConn head coach Geno Auriemma answers questions during Monday’s press conference with Ketia Swanier (left) and Renee Montgomery (center).	Freshman Maya Moore is interviewed in the team's locker room before Monday's closed practice at the Arena at the Harbor Yard.
Kaili McLaren smiles for the camera while being interviewed on Monday afternoon.	UConn head coach Geno Auriemma answers questions for the media during Monday's press conference.
Tahirah Williams takes over the microphone as she answers, and asks, questions prior to practice at the Arena at the Harbor Yard.	Renee Montgomery smiles while being asked how it is play with fellow UConn guard Ketia Swanier.

News Conference Quotes

Head Coach Geno Auriemma

Opening Statement
"It seems like we repeat ourselves every time we get up here, what the goal is and what we're trying to accomplish. It doesn't make any sense to talk about what's down the road. I think anytime you win in the NCAA Tournament, it's a tremendous accomplishment. It's one step closer to what you're trying to do. It's probably good that we're playing the Big XII team that's playing the best basketball in the league right now. After watching them yesterday and watching film this morning, I think we're going to have to get ourselves ready today and tomorrow and play really well tomorrow night."

On Texas players having less experience than their head coach
"I think it goes both ways. Obviously, if you've been somewhere before, you should have a pretty good idea of how to get back there. There is something to be said for young players who are experiencing this for the first time. The excitement that they feel and the energy level that they have is because it's new and they don't take it for granted. I think you have to gauge your team. Base on what I saw yesterday, I don't think the Texas players played as if they had never been in a basketball game before. I think Gail (Goestenkors)'s job probably entails more of convincing them that it's just playing basketball like they have done all year long. The problem is the kids going to Texas thought they were elite players who were going to an elite program. There's a lot that Gail can teach them. Sometimes you just have to have trust in your coaching staff. Players that do can be really successful. Gail's probably spent a lot of time to get them to trust her and her staff and it seems it's coming at the right time. They have the ability to win tomorrow and whenever the next game is, so I hope they stop listening to her."

On convincing players who are supposed to win to not take anything for granted
"I would much rather be coaching my team in this tournament than anyone else's team. The reason I say that, and this is just my view, it's a lot easier to convince somebody to do something they've already done than to convince someone to do something they haven't done. It's not that difficult for me at all to coach my team and get them to play their 'A' game because if we play our 'A' game, we're going to win. If you don't have that reference, you can still play your 'A' game and still lose. I would like to think we've done as good a job as anyone in the country at being good when we're supposed to be."

On taking on a new challenge
"I think there's always a point in time in a coach's life where they start to look at the situation they have and start to question whether or not it's not as rewarding as it used to be. I don't know any coach that doesn't go through that. There also comes a point in time when you get past that, and you realize the obligation you have is to make whatever you think is out there happen over and over and over again and find a way to enjoy it. It would be virtually impossible for me to go some place and have it better than I have it here."

On conference pride for the BIG EAST and Big XII
"I don't know how many schools in our conference recruit against schools in the Big XII. Last year the Big XII really, really struggled. This year they had a great year. The SEC is way down. The Big Ten is way down. The trick is, as a league and as a school, is to be good every year.  There’s no reason why conferences like the Big XII, Big Ten, Pac-10 and SEC shouldn’t be dominant in women’s basketball.  It’s a little bit harder for our schools to be dominant.  We probably don’t have enough schools that have all the resources that those conferences have.  So, I think for us to be where we are as a league, given where we’ve come from, is pretty impressive.  I hope we win every game against the Big XII.  I really do.” 

On Goestenkors as a coach at Texas
“I think you have to change as a coach.  I don’t think she is coaching this Texas team like she was coaching her last couple of Duke teams.  She has surrounded herself with some pretty good people.  I don’t see a different person. Maybe a little more relaxed.  But five years from now when she is in the top-five and they’re supposed to go to the final four every year, she’ll be like she used to be and like the rest of us agonizing over a team that’s supposed to go to the Final Four and win a National Championship – And being miserable all the time.  She should enjoy this happy time in her life, because once they get really good all that other stuff comes back.” 

On the small number of first round upsets
“That’s never going to change, ever, ever, ever.  As long as players in women’s basketball stay in school for four years, it’s never going to change.  It happens in men’s basketball because players leave.  In some ways it’s harder to win, because as you go farther into the tournament everybody you’re playing against has everyone back.  When you get to the final eight, the best eight teams are going to be there.  I would prefer upsets.  I would like to see some of the really good teams that we see in the brackets get beat, so we can just skate through.  That would be every coach’s dream, but it’s never going to happen.  It is what it is.”

Senior Guard Ketia Swanier

On playing alongside Renee Montgomery since being inserted into starting lineup
“I’ve always been comfortable playing with Renee.  I’ve said this before.  I think I have to do the same things as when I was coming off the bench.  We’ve been comfortable since day one.  It’s nothing new.”

Junior Guard Renee Montgomery

On giving Coach Auriemma the effort he expects from October to April
“It’s actually not that hard to come in play as hard as you can when someone is giving you a scholarship, especially at Connecticut where you’re getting a good education.”

On playing alongside Ketia Swanier
“I love playing with Ketia, because she makes it easier for me.  I don’t have to worry about anything but scoring, because she controls the game.

On the BIG EAST/Big XII match-ups in the second round
“I kept on hearing on ESPN how the Big XII was undefeated.  That’s really good. I know I’m always rooting for the BIG EAST teams.  I hope we win in the second round.  You build relationships with the other players and begin to root for them, especially when they play someone else.”

On the Texas team
“We know they’re very athletic.  They like to push the ball, and they’re very aggressive.  So, that’s hard to play against when someone is constantly coming at you.  Other than that, I don’t know a lot yet.”

On being prepared for whatever you face
“Coach always says: No one can do anything that we haven’t seen before at some point in our basketball career. And it’s true.  If we play hard, whatever we do will determine what happens in the game.

Closed Practice Day Notes

- Tuesday’s meeting will be the fifth between Connecticut and a Big XII school in NCAA Tournament play.  The Huskies hold a 3-1 record, winning three straight after losing 64-58 against Iowa State in 1999.  Connecticut beat Texas, 71-69, in the 2003 National Semifinals. 

- The game will mark the fourth meeting between Connecticut and Texas.  The Huskies are 3-0 all-time versus the Longhorns.  The last meeting came during the 2005-06 season, a game Connecticut won 71-58 in Austin.

- Connecticut is one of six BIG EAST schools to advance to the second round.  Five of the six will face Big XII teams.  West Virginia is the lone BIG EAST team not facing Big XII competition.  The Mountaineers will play Vanderbilt.

- Connecticut is 15-2 in NCAA Tournament second round games.  The Huskies have won 14 straight.

- Connecticut is 14-1 in NCAA Tournament second round games played in the Nutmeg State.  The Huskies have won 14 straight.

- Connecticut has won 27 of its last 30 NCAA Tournament games.

- Connecticut has advanced to 14 straight NCAA Tournament regional semifinal rounds.  It last failed to reach the regional semifinals in 1993, losing 74-71 against Louisville in the first round.

- Connecticut has won 86 consecutive games against non-ranked opponents.  The Huskies last lost to an unranked foe on Dec. 21, 2004 at Arizona State (61-50).

- Sophomore Tina Charles scored seven points in first round action against Cornell.  She is now 47 points shy of becoming the 31^st Connecticut player to reach the 1,000-point mark.

- After scoring 17 points against Cornell, freshman Maya Moore sits 48 points shy of Tamara James’ (Miami) BIG EAST freshman record of 650 total points.