Auriemma praises LSU environment

• By WILLIAM WEATHERS
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Feb 26, 2008

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Two of the more endearing qualities about Connecticut women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma can be his brutal honesty — which is often times directed at his own team — and a wise-cracking sense of humor where the target is usually unsuspecting.

Both were on the display following his postgame news conference following the top-ranked Huskies’ 74-69 victory Monday over LSU before a high-energy crowd of 9,763 at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

Because of a quirk in the schedule, UConn found itself playing in Baton Rouge for the second straight year after the Huskies left with a 72-71 victory a year ago.

Before Auriemma stepped off the dais after talking with reporters he stopped and delivered an unsolicited bouquet to LSU, its administration and its basketball community.

“We go to a lot of places to play across the nation and all over the world and regardless of the team, there may not be a better environment,” Auriemma said. “The way they’ve treated us and our fans, I think it’s an indication of the classy people that work here and run this program. It’s been like this the two years we’ve come here and we appreciate it.”

Later, outside in a portal where Auriemma was still holding court, he continued to sing LSU’s praises coupled with a sharp dig at Big East Conference rival Rutgers.

“It was a great environment,” he said again. “I can’t say enough about the people down here and how we’re treated. There’s some schools up in the northeast that could take a lesson from the way the people treat you.”

The LSU athletics department honored former LSU women’s basketball coach Sue Gunter before tip-off.

Approximately 20 of Gunter’s former players were on hand for the unveiling which of a life-size statue of Gunter that was placed at mid-court.

Gunter spent 22 of her 40 years in coaching at LSU where she earned two Southeastern Conference coach of the year honors and was credited with the program’s first trip to the Women’s Final Four in New Orleans in 2004.

Gunter, who finished with 708 career victories, is enshrined in both the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame and Naismith Hall of Fame.