Check out the video above from ESPN.com. The rivalry between Notre Dame and UConn may be going up to a new level.
In Nashville on Monday April 7, Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw said in a practice press conference that the two programs are "past that point" when asked about the lack of civility between the two programs according to an article by ESPN's Michelle Smith. She went on to say that she felt that when both programs were in the old Big East, that her program didn't feel much respect from the Huskies even after a period when Notre Dame regularly beat UConn, presumably during the Skylar Diggins Era.
When asked about whether the two programs hate each other, McGraw replied, "I think that is a fair assumption. I think that it is a fierce rivalry."
Soon, UConn head coach Geno Auriemma had his turn to speak about this. Here's his quote in regards to the "lack of civility." And it's not PG:
I could sit here and list 10,000 coaches that don't interact with each other whose rivalries are intense. This is a function of women's basketball. Sometimes we act like girls, like we're supposed to go to dinner every night. We're supposed to play each other, try to beat each other's brains in, try to win a national championship and compete like hell, Muffet and Geno. And then we're supposed to get together afterwards and go have a bottle of wine? That shit is just not going to happen. So stop asking us why it doesn't happen.
I have to agree with Auriemma on this one. So what if the two programs aren't civil with each other? And so what if a program feels a little slighted? Isn't that what rivalries are about?
Women's college basketball has been dying for a marquee rivalry of some sort since UConn and Tennessee ended their annual matchups. Perhaps UConn and Notre Dame could be that next marquee rivalry in the sport.
Let's just hope that they don't hate each other to the point to where they refuse to play each other in the regular season, now that they are both in different conferences. Either way, tomorrow's game will definitely be an exciting one indeed.