Kim Barnes Arico has fond memories of her last time coaching against Geno Auriemma and UConn 13 years ago.
The Michigan coach was still at St. John’s and the Red Storm went up to Connecticut and ended the Huskies’ 99-game home winning streak. That was back in 2012. Now they’ll meet on Friday in the Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase at Mohegan Sun.
“I wanted it to be forever,” Barnes Arico said laughing of not playing UConn again. “Geno texted me (Sunday) morning and joked that we should cancel the game and just have a couple drinks at the casino.”
All kidding aside, Barnes Arico knows that it’s a chance for her sixth-ranked Wolverines to see where they stand against the top team in the country.
“Connecticut is really, really good,” she said. “I think our kids want to compete against the best, I always have a stomach ache when those games are on our schedule.”
The young Wolverines are led by a talented sophomore trio of Syla Swords, Olivia Olson and Mila Holloway.
“I think our best players are not prima donnas, they are the hardest workers,” the coach said. “They will run through the wall, lead the sprints, dive on the floor. take the charges. When you have the most talented kid willing to do that it sets the example for everyone else.”
The trio had combined for 43 points and 22 rebounds and 10 assists in the 93-54 win over then-No. 18 Notre Dame last Friday in the Shamrock Classic. It was the biggest margin of victory over a ranked team in Michigan’s history.
“They are all incredibly unselfish. They don’t care who scores the basketball,” Barnes Arico said of her group. “The really good teams like UConn and South Carolina are the same way, they don’t care who scores the points.”
Auriemma has been impressed by what he’s seen from the Wolverines so far this season.
“Based on what I’ve seen from Michigan they will be, for sure, the best team we play this year, by a long shot at this time in the season,” he said.
UConn’s most recent game was on Sunday against Ohio State. The Huskies won 100-68, with Sarah Strong leading the way with 29 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 steals and 3 blocks in 33 minutes. The Wolverines will have to hope they have her scouted better than the Buckeyes did.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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