Mailbag: Most memorable games, best players to cover and other behind-the-scenes stories (part two)

As Geno Auriemma and Chris Dailey celebrated their 40th season at UConn, I enjoyed my 10th season covering the program. I’ve now been around for a quarter of their illustrious tenure, though it took me until this year to finally see a national championship.

A lot has happened in that time. The Huskies set to a new record winning streak and eventually built it to 111 games. They lost on heartbreaking buzzer-beaters in back-to-back Final Fours to kick off the program’s longest championship drought since winning their first in 1995. Covid canceled the NCAA Tournament. Paige Bueckers arrived. Injuries ravaged the team for three straight years. They lost a national championship game for the first time.

At long last, UConn found its way back to the mountain top and captured its 12th title this past.

I’ve been lucky to have a front row seat for nearly a decade now — thanks in large part to you, the readers. The Weekly will turn five next month. As a premium member, you’ve allowed me to turn this into a full-time job and made it possible for me to follow the team on its championship run from Storrs to Spokane to Tampa. I’m incredibly appreciative of your support.

Since we spent part one of the mailbag talking lineups, rotations and other pressing matters about the teams, let’s get into some behind-the-scenes fun in part two.

Aside from the national championship, which game was the wildest one you've covered? What's your favorite story from a game that those watching just on TV/general coverage may not know about? — Sharon

From some quick back-of-the-napkin math, I’ve covered somewhere around 200 games in person. Picking a single one out of that is nearly impossible, so I narrowed the list to five:

• UConn’s 100th straight win (Feb. 13, 2017 vs. South Carolina)

• Katie Lou Samuelson hits 10-10 from three in the 2017 AAC Tournament championship (March 6, 2017 vs. USF)

• UConn puts up 94 points at halftime en route to 140-52 win in the 2018 NCAA Tournament opener (March 17, 2018 vs. Saint Francis)

• Paige Bueckers takes over in OT and hits circus shot to seal victory (Feb. 8, 2021 vs. South Carolina)

• UConn keeps Final Four streak alive with double-OT victory in Elite Eight (March 28, 2022 vs. NC State)

Honorable mention: Paige Bueckers’ 40-point performance against Oklahoma this past year, UConn’s 2024 Elite Eight victory over USC and UConn’s win at Tennessee in 2023.

My favorite story is an easy one.

During the 2019 Sweet Sixteen, Christyn Williams chased after a loose ball and ended up flying over the courtside table — one seat away from me. I caught plenty of flak for failing to help her but I truly thought she was going to catch herself. Instead, Williams went tumbling over and I was completely unprepared. She laid on the ground for a second, giggled then stood up and jumped back over the table. My phone promptly blew up with texts from people who witnessed it on TV.

Fast forward to postgame, I’m in the locker room waiting to talk to someone when Molly Bent looks at me and says, “We thought Christyn was dead. All we could see is your reaction and you looked mortified.” Kyla Irwin quickly jumped in to concur. We had a good laugh about it. Here’s a video of the play.

Do you remember your first time interviewing Geno?  Were you intimidated? Starstruck?  The same goes for the many iconic players you have interviewed through the years.  Was there anyone who stood out?  Any memorable behind-the-scenes moments during an interview you'd like to share? — Jennifer S.

I covered my first game on Jan. 6, 2016 — a largely forgettable win over Tulsa at the XL Center. It probably took me close to a year to work up the courage to actually ask Geno a question, so naturally I delivered a remarkably bad query about Megan Walker playing point guard (she wasn’t a point guard). Geno answered it graciously, as he does with 99 percent of questions.

As for the players, I feel like I’m currently the perfect age (27) to cover the team. I’m mature enough to build professional relationships with the players (I simply didn’t know how to do that during my college years) but still young enough to relate to them (and vice versa). So I know recent players better than those I went to college with. Some of my favorites are Ashlynn Shade, Azzi Fudd, Kaitlyn Chen, Nika Mühl, Dorka Juhász, Lou Lopez Sénéchal and Evina Westbrook.

UConn recruits great people who are also elite basketball players. Character is paramount. I’ve never had a bad interaction with anyone from the team.

As for a fun behind-the-scenes moment: Back in 2017, we were talking to the players at Geno’s Fore The Kids golf fundraiser at the Hartford Club. When someone asked to take a photo of all the freshman, Katie Lou Samuelson said, “Nobody wants to take a photo of me?” I jokingly asked her if she wants me to take one, to which she excitedly said yes and posed. The result:

What is your favorite place to travel to for away games? — Michael R.

I don’t travel much for women’s basketball during the regular season since most trips are a flight (compared to my hockey coverage, where practically every game is within driving distance), so I don’t have a favorite. I had a great time in Knoxville when I went during the 2022-23 season, Seattle and Portland were great cities for regionals and I’ve particularly enjoyed Tampa and Columbus for Final Fours.

On my wishlist: I’d love to experience the atmospheres at Notre Dame and South Carolina eventually. As for the upcoming season, I’d love to find a way to get to Germany for the season opener but more realistically, I’d like to go to the USC game if I can swing it.

I can’t pretend to be too jazzed about either Sacramento or Fort Worth for regions (though I am willing to be proven wrong), but would prefer the former. Phoenix should be a great Final Four city if UConn gets there.

What is your favorite of Geno Auriemma’s restaurants, and what is your favorite meal there? — Sandy L.

Of all Geno’s restaurants, I’ve only eaten at Cafe Aura. I haven’t been to The Hollow at Manchester Country Club (though I’ve heard good things) and never made it to Geno’s Grille in Storrs. Cafe Aura is fantastic. I’ve been a handful of times and it’s hard to pick anything other than the chicken parm.

If you want to have some fun/start a war: What is your favorite pizza place in CT? — Michael C.

I probably won’t cause too much controversy with this. I grew up (and still live) in the Hartford area, so I’ve only had one of the three famous pizza places in New Haven — Modern, twice. Not saying these are necessarily the best, but my favorites are:

1. Village Pizza, Wethersfield

2. Willington Pizza House, Willington

3. Illiano’s, Colchester

4. Giovanni’s, Glastonbury

5. Square Peg, Glastonbury

6. Harry’s, West Hartford

7. Naples, Farmington

8. Sgt. Peps, Storrs (RIP)

Ice cream is more my expertise. The best places in Connecticut are (in no particular order): UConn Dairy Bar, Storrs; Salem Valley Farms, Salem; Robb’s Farm, Glastonbury; Rich’s Farm, Oxford; Ferris Acres, Newtown.

Other great ones are Grassroots, Granby; Collins Creamery, Enfield; Fish Farm, Bolton; Wentworth, Hamden; Tulmeadow Farm Store, Simsbury; We Li Kit, Pomfret; Plasko’s Creamery, Trumbull; Main Street Creamery, Wethersfield; Shady Glen, Manchester; AC Peterson, West Hartford.

I’m sure there’s other good ones I haven’t been to yet, too. Recommendations (from anywhere, even beyond Connecticut) are welcome.

As you and Megan move farther away in age from you college years, what do you do to stay connected to the women's college basketball experience? — Michael C.

I can only speak for myself and not Megan (my co-host on our UConn WBB podcast, Chasing Perfection), but it’s not all that difficult for me. My full-time job is covering the team, so during the season I’m around them 3-4 days a week. I graduated from UConn in 2020 and while I don’t live in Storrs anymore, I’m still there plenty.

Do you think Geno wants a statue of himself on campus after retirement? — Michael R.

In the lobby of the Werth Champions Center, one corner has a bust of Jim Calhoun while the other corner lacks any head coach-related sculpture. That’s not a coincidence.

Do the players play pickleball? Or racquetball? Or tennis? What kinds of fun things do they do over the summer? — Cynthia

All great questions, none of which I have the answers to. I’ll try to ask when we talk to them over the next month and report back.