Sports
Huskies Open 2023-24 Basketball Season With First Night … – UConn Huskies
Women’s Basketball By Phil Chardis, Special to UConnHuskies.com
STORRS, Conn. – The UConn men’s and women’s basketball teams played host to a sellout crowd at Gampel Pavilion Friday night as they staged their annual First Night to unofficially kick off the 2023-24 season.
"It’s a fun night for the players," women’s head coach Geno Auriemma said. "They get a kick out of performing and this is a performance for them. They get to act silly and they get to experience the adulation of the crowd. None of them are going to miss any shots tonight, none of them are going to foul out. There’s nothing crazy that’s going to happen that would get them in a different space other than enjoying every minute of it."
For Auriemma and UConn men’s coach Dan Hurley, it’s a chance to relax for once.
"For me, this is the one time I can come into these packed arenas when we’re involved in it and I don’t have the pressure to win," Coach Hurley said. "This is about the fans, the student fans, and our new players – this is like their first public introduction and I just kind of lay back and soak it all in. It’s a wake-up call, too. The first time you walk into Gampel and it’s a little bit cold out you know winter is coming. And you get in there and you to feel the electricity."
"Luckily, there’s nothing for me to do," Auriemma added. "I don’t know what I would do, anyway."
As usual, the Gampel crowd was pumped up by the UConn Spirit Squad and dance team and the performance by the UConn drum line, which always signals that the crowd is about to meet the new team. One by one, the men and women players were introduced, ran up on stage and into the spotlight, with the cheers getting louder as the older, more familiar players hit the stage. The loudest ovations were reserved for Donovan Clingan on the men’s side and Paige Bueckers for the women.
Following the introductions, the teams separated into White and Blue, which were selected a few days ago, and held three competitions. For the record, the White team, captained by Alex Karaban and Aaliyah Edwards, outdueled the Blue team, captained by Tristen Newton and Bueckers, two competitions to one.
It was also the first public appearance for the new court at Gampel Pavilion, which no longer has the darker wood inside the three-point arc, and has UConn’s rallying cry, "The Basketball Capital of the World," imprinted on the sideline.
"Yeah, I love ‘The Basketball Capital of the World.’ on the court because it’s accurate," Hurley said. "If it was delusional or inaccurate, I would have been against it. But the success on both sides, with all the championships and the recent history, and the level of players – NBA, WNBA – we’ve got the juice right now."
Auriemma couldn’t agree more.
"That decision was made because we said, ‘what differentiates us from other schools?’ and that’s the biggest difference right there," he said. "And if we’re serious about it, then let’s put it on the court – since every game is televised, let’s make sure people see that every time they turn it on.
"It is what it is. That’s what our fans say, that’s what we say – so if you’re going to say it, then do it. So we did it. We’ve done something no other school has done and we’ve done it twice, where the men and women both won the national championship (in the same year, 2004 and 2014). We have a reason to brag about it, because it’s true."
With First Night getting the 2023-24 season started, the men and women Huskies can set their sights on adding a third double championship.
The UConn men start their season on Monday, Nov. 6, at Gampel Pavilion, playing host to Northern Arizona, while the UConn women will open on Wednesday, Nov. 8, entertaining Dayton at the XL Center.
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