Others in Geno Auriemma's situation might opt to take the high road when asked questions about his boss potentially heading to greener pastures. However, side stepping questions is not Auriemma's way. After today's win over SMU he was asked to weigh in on current UConn director of athletics Warde Manuel who is rumored to be at the top of the short list to become the new AD at Michigan.

What follows is what Auriemma had to say about Manuel and the whole Power 5 banter.

"I try not to get myself involved in all of that stuff. I wish I had a dollar for every idiot who thinks Warde is the reason we are not in the Power 5 (conference). You can't even find the words to describe how idiotic that is. My relationship with Warde professionally is as good if not better than any relationship I've ever had with any AD. My relationship with him personally is as good if not better than any relationship I've ever had with any AD.

"I think he's done a phenomenal job with the coaches where we were to where we are right now and he might still be our AD for the next 10 years. Whether it is the one people are talking about, Michigan, or some place else, he is always going to be in the news. His name is always going to be up there and we should hope that it is because that would mean he is really good at what we does and people want him. If we have an AD or coach that nobody wants than we should be thinking 'maybe this guy or this woman is not that good.' So to sit there and say we are disappointed if his name comes up ... I look at it as everybody has to do what's in the best interest for them, their family, their future, their careers and all the people that Warde is our AD should be happy if he stays and they should be happy if he goes. I personally really enjoy his company and really enjoy what he has meant to our program. Beyond that, this whole Power 5 stuff, people are out of their minds on a lot of this stuff. I wish people would understand that it is bigger than any of us."

The UConn locker room had yet to be opened to the assembled media but the Connecticut reporters who made the trip to Lincoln to document the Huskies' women's basketball team advancing to the Final Four for an unprecedented seventh year in a row had a willing recipient for a barrage of questions.

Warde Manuel, UConn's director of athletics, had flown back and forth between New York and Nebraska to see first the men's team and then the women's squad punch tickets to the Final Four.

"I think Kevin (Ollie), Geno (Auriemma) and both of their staffs relish the fact that I have to traverse the United States to see them," Manuel said with a laugh..

"I don't have any problem with it at all, it has been easy for me and know I have to travel to support both teams. I am just so proud and it is just a proud moment for the university. While it has happened four times here, it is not something that we take for granted."

This is the first time Manuel has witnessed both teams reaching the national semifinals while being on the inside. So, did he see this coming?

"At the beginning of the year I am the type of AD that takes it one game at a time. I really thought of the possibility when we both won the first two games (in the NCAA tournament) and you start to think about it 'could we do it again.' Then we win the third game each and then we win last night with the men and today the women were able to pull it out and win. Now I can really realize it is going to happen. My staff has been behind the scenes trying to play for both possibilities and we are looking forward to executing it and having our fan base see both of our programs in the Final Four."

The UConn players watched the men's team beat Michigan State and for those staying in the Embassy Suites, it didn't take much effort to see which room the team was watching the men's Elite Eight game in.

"We were in the hotel room watching their game and when we realized that they won and
made it to the Final Four, we ran out into the hall screaming and excited," UConn senior center Stefanie Dolson said. "We were texting each other, they texted us after our game tonight. It’s just a camaraderie between the two teams. I think it’s something pretty special that not a lot of schools have.”

The women's players and men's players have always had a pretty strong bond. They see each other before and after practices at Gampel Pavilion and are often at the other team's games. Coaches from both teams will chat with the players when they run into them inside of hallways of Gampel Pavilion.

"I am sure it is awesome back there (on campus)," UConn senior guard Bria Hartley said. "Just kind of the way our men were able to come back and not being able to participate in the tournament last year and coming out this year and making a statement, nobody thought they would make it to the Final Four and I am so proud of how hard they work. Coach Ollie, he has done a great job with them and he really instilled a lot of confidence in those guys."

Last but certainly not least, here are the thoughts of Lincoln Regional Most Outstanding Player Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis on UConn being the only team able to win both the men's and women's national titles this season.

“I think it’s the expectations that both of the coaches have for the players," Mosqueda-Lewis said. "I know obviously first hand that our coach expects us to be working hard every single day. The intensity level doesn’t change regardless of who we’re playing. As for Coach Kevin Ollie, I’ve watched some of his practices and talked to the guys and he expects nothing but the best from his guys, the best effort. He expects heart from them every day and I think they’ve showed that throughout the whole tournament.”

I caught up with UConn director of athletics Warde Manuel after the monthly breakfast meeting of the Middlesex Chamber of Commerce this morning and amount the topics I asked him about what the timeline for the release of the basketball schedules.

The American Athletic Conference's Danielle Donehew said she was optimistic that the schedule would be ready for release a little earlier than normal and perhaps at some point in late August. Manuel said he is hoping that will be the case.

"Hopefully soon," Manuel said. "The conference is working on it. Every year it happens, you get into it and you have to work through a lot more TV (contracts) than you do with football in terms of number of games across the nation and we are doing it now but hopefully (it will be out) at some point this month."

Even a week and a half after  Jen Rizzotti's induction into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, the Hartford women's basketball coach and former UConn All-American guard is still trying to grasp the enormity of it all.

Rizzotti, the starting point guard on UConn's first national championship team, was shocked when she got the  call when she was informed that she would become the second UConn player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

"It was phenomenal, we had a great time and it was a weekend I could spend with my family reflect on my playing career and really just relax," Rizzotti said after playing her round at the Travelers Celebrity Pro-Am on Wednesday. "Even being in Tennessee I still had a good time and it was nice to be able to thank the people who have been such a big influence in my life

"I was really shocked, It wasn't something I was expecting, it wasn't like I was counting down to the year where I would be eligible or anything. It was so out of the blue and I think I was shocked at first, then a little overwhelmed and then really excited for it.

"They did a phenomenal job of making us feel special, keeping it relaxed and not ever getting to the point where we felt overwhelmed so they did a great job of making all of us feel unique and special."

Rizzotti 's acceptance speech drew plenty of laughs when she admitted she was having a great time even though she was in Knoxville, Tennessee. She also spent much of it thanking UConn coach Geno Auriemma, who was at the induction ceremony.

""Obviously he has meant so much to me in my career and I talked a lot about him in my speech because everything I have done since my decision to go to UConn has impacted my life in so many great ways," Rizzotti said.

Rizzotti joined Rebecca Lobo as the former Huskies to be inducted. More UConn stars will be inducted in the coming years.

"It won't be long until there is another string of them," Rizzotti said. "Obviously some of them have to start retiring but there are so many UConn players that came after that 1995 team that have impacted the game in so many ways so it will be fun over the years to watch and see more UConn players go in.

"I wouldn't say I ever forget it but it is not something that is on the forefront of my mind anymore. Most importantly when I think back to those days, I know the winning was exciting and we reminisce about our experiences, we reminisce about the times that he had off the court, the trips that we went on and when I have the chance to reconnect not just with Rebecca but with Kara (Wolters), Carla (Berube), Colleen (Healy) and Missy (Rose) because of this kind of event it kind of makes it worth it."

Ironically, Rizzotti's Hawks will open the 2013-14 season by playing at UConn on Nov. 9.

"I am excited," Rizzotti said. "We have some turnover, sometimes that is good and sometimes that is tough and in this case it will be a good thing to have a clean slate and see what we can build on. We will be a young team but I think we will be a team that will peak at the right time. The last couple of years we have played really well early in the season and then tapered off. I think this team might hit its bumps early in the season but I see this team peaking hopefully at the end of February and into March right when you want to."

Hartford will play in Miami's tournament, hosts Vanderbilt and opens up home and home series with Boston College and Penn State by playing both of them on the road. Then there is the showdown with UConn.

"We play Nov. 9. I will call it the preseason scrimmage and we will start the following week when we go to Loyola," Rizzotti said with a laugh.

Rizzotti played in the Pro-Am with UConn AD Warde Manuel and men's basketball coach Kevin Ollie while the pro was Jonas Blixt.

"To be able to play with the pro is exciting because I am just in awe of what they can do and as competitive of a person that I am, I would love to hit the ball down the middle of the fairway every time," Rizzotti said. "We had a really friendly pro today in Jonas Blixt who I will be rooting for over the weekend and to have a chance to play with Warde and Kevin was a lot of fun, they are both really good golfers and just easy to be around."

So how did she play?

"Up and down, typical of somebody who plays five or six times a year. I had a stretch of four or five pars and then a bunch of triple bogeys so (she finished) right around my handicap."