In college basketball, most programs dream of excelling in just one category; UConn has somehow mastered both the men’s and women’s game. Geno Auriemma has built the Huskies into the gold standard of women’s basketball, while Calhoun and Hurley made sure the men never fell behind. But success at that level creates an unexpected problem: people start to take it for granted. And that’s where Auriemma’s frustration comes in.

The Lady Huskies sit just one win away from an unbeaten regular season. After their win against Georgetown, Auriemma was questioned about the combined success of UConn’s men’s and women’s programs this year. His response? It was directly aimed at the reactionary fans who change their tune over every little thing.

“I certainly hope so,” Auriemma said in the postgame press conference. “I also think human nature being what it is, there’s a feeling that it’s expected. You read and hear some of the comments after our men lost to Creighton, and you want to shake your head and go, how can one team have that many a**holes following them? It’s not possible.”

He continued, “It’s like if you wrote a book and we lost to Creighton and said, write a book about how many dumbass things people could say, it still wouldn’t be as dumbass as what I read or what I heard after they lost to Creighton.” Clearly, Auriemma wasn’t happy with the fans who were busy criticizing Dan Hurley after the surprise loss to Creighton.

While the women’s side sits at 30–0 this season and is once again the outright favorite to win the championship, Dan Hurley’s team is also firmly in the mix with a 26–3 record. But two of those losses came in quick succession during Big East play. Defeats to St. John’s and Creighton led fans to question their credibility.

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But Dan Hurley’s team bounced back in style. They first defeated Villanova, a game in which Hurley himself admitted he got his bench rotation wrong the last two weeks. Then they followed it up with what was arguably their statement win of the season, taking down St. John’s, a game in which they held the Red Storm scoreless from the field for the final 17 minutes.

As you would expect, the mood around the program is once again at an all time high after just two wins, and that’s precisely what coach Geno Auriemma was calling out. In his view, a couple of results shouldn’t dictate the entire mood around a team, especially considering the grind players endure all season to chase a meaningful March run.

You should remember that these are young people before criticizing them. They have their education, their training never stops, and then there’s the travel. The fact that they juggle so much and still show up every game night is truly commendable, and that’s what Auriemma wants fans to do: show them the respect they deserve.

That said, before Auriemma and Hurley rally their teams in pursuit of another championship, they still have a few regular-season games left to play.

End-of-Season Matchups for Geno Auriemma and Dan Hurley’s Teams

Geno Auriemma’s Lady Huskies have just one game left before the Big East Tournament begins as they prepare to defend their title this March. That matchup comes against St. John’s, whose men’s program recently suffered its worst loss under Rick Pitino against UConn. It’s a game Auriemma’s side is heavily favored to win, with ESPN giving them a 99% chance of victory.

After winning back-to-back national championships, Dan Hurley’s team is now on a redemption tour to reclaim the title. The Huskies will be looking to reclaim what’s theirs, and that push begins with their final two regular-season games.

The Huskies finish with matchups against Seton Hall and Marquette, two games they’ll believe they can win. If they win both games, they will be taking back the Big East title from defending champion St. John’s. That would hopefully serve as the launchpad for Hurley’s side to chase it all.

Who knows, maybe both programs could end up lifting trophies this season. Can you see that happening? Tell us in the comments below.