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Former UConn assistant Cardoza weighs in on Geno Auriemma's "disgraceful" comment
In each of the last four seasons I've made it over to McGonigle Hall the day before Temple was hosting UConn so I could catch up with New Haven's Tanaya Atkinson. With Atkinson leading the American Athletic Conference in scoring and rebounding, she is going to be the focus of my advance for tomorrow's game.
While I was there, I had a few minutes with Temple coach and former UConn assistant coach Tonya Cardoza and of course I asked her about her thoughts on Geno Auriemma's assertion that Thursday's game against Tulsa was the most disgraceful effort he's seen in his time coaching at UConn.
At first Cardoza joked that if she pretended that she didn't hear about his remarks she wouldn't have to answer questions about it which drew a laugh out of UConn legend Sue Bird who is part of tomorrow's announce team.
"As coaches you get frustrated with what you see and what your players aren't doing at this point in the season. I am sure they are 17/18 games in too and when your team is not getting better and growing where you think they should, it is frustrating," Cardoza said. "I am sure he exaggerated a little bit but it is frustration on his end. He is trying to get perfect, he wants his players to be great and whenever they fall short of that, he is frustrated with that.
"I hope they (UConn's freshmen) all play tomorrow, I hope he does what he did with Tulsa but plays them for 40 minutes and maybe the score ...
"He needs his bench. Everybody else around the country, the teams they are going to be facing are a little deeper. Obviously those guys can go for 40 minutes but those guys on the bench, they have to start stepping up in order for them to get to where they want to go."
Cardoza worked with some of UConn's best and most versatile players during her time on Auriemma's staff. The fact that Napheesa Collier, Kia Nurse, Gabby Williams, Katie Lou Samuelson and Azura' Stevens can play multiple positions is perhaps the first thing that stands out when she breaks down film of this UConn squad.
"They all can play any or every position so when we are going over the scouting report, you don't know what position the guy is going to be in," Cardoza said. "The point guard could be switched with Stevens and playing that spot so their versatility is what makes them really good, the fact that they can switch on anything on defense, anybody can start the break and it just makes them very difficult for anybody to guard them."
While I was there, I had a few minutes with Temple coach and former UConn assistant coach Tonya Cardoza and of course I asked her about her thoughts on Geno Auriemma's assertion that Thursday's game against Tulsa was the most disgraceful effort he's seen in his time coaching at UConn.
At first Cardoza joked that if she pretended that she didn't hear about his remarks she wouldn't have to answer questions about it which drew a laugh out of UConn legend Sue Bird who is part of tomorrow's announce team.
"As coaches you get frustrated with what you see and what your players aren't doing at this point in the season. I am sure they are 17/18 games in too and when your team is not getting better and growing where you think they should, it is frustrating," Cardoza said. "I am sure he exaggerated a little bit but it is frustration on his end. He is trying to get perfect, he wants his players to be great and whenever they fall short of that, he is frustrated with that.
"I hope they (UConn's freshmen) all play tomorrow, I hope he does what he did with Tulsa but plays them for 40 minutes and maybe the score ...
"He needs his bench. Everybody else around the country, the teams they are going to be facing are a little deeper. Obviously those guys can go for 40 minutes but those guys on the bench, they have to start stepping up in order for them to get to where they want to go."
Cardoza worked with some of UConn's best and most versatile players during her time on Auriemma's staff. The fact that Napheesa Collier, Kia Nurse, Gabby Williams, Katie Lou Samuelson and Azura' Stevens can play multiple positions is perhaps the first thing that stands out when she breaks down film of this UConn squad.
"They all can play any or every position so when we are going over the scouting report, you don't know what position the guy is going to be in," Cardoza said. "The point guard could be switched with Stevens and playing that spot so their versatility is what makes them really good, the fact that they can switch on anything on defense, anybody can start the break and it just makes them very difficult for anybody to guard them."
posted by Jim Fuller at
2:13 PM
1 Comments:
Maybe playing the freshmen together [with Stevens] as not a good idea. When Meghan Walker played well, she was on the floor with 4 regulars and not all of her peers. The new players need that guidance and example from the regs when they're on the floor. But if he's correct about them not practicing with effort and intensity, then he has a legitimate gripe.
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