NEW YORK — Surrounded by certain friends who in a few weeks will become certain enemies, Geno Auriemma on Thursday recalled a recent visit to a television studio. With his junior All-American, Maya Moore, seated to his right, the host asked the Connecticut coach who is the best player he’s ever coached.
Auriemma answered without hesitation: "Diana Taurasi."
The response caught Moore and the host off-guard. Both expected the answer to be Moore, the national player of the year last season. So when the host asked if Moore could supplant Taurasi, Auriemma took the opportunity to deliver a message to his star player.
"If she wins two more titles, maybe," he said.
Message received.
"Who wouldn’t want to play on the biggest stage?" Moore asked rhetorically during Big East women’s basketball media day Thursday. "In my opinion, I always thought we were the best. We all come here expecting to be the best."
That was once again the expectation of the league’s coaches who once again unanimously selected the defending national champion Huskies as the Big East’s top team. The only thing really in question about the announcement was by how wide of a margin the Huskies would be favored.
This is nothing new for Auriemma’s teams. Last year’s Connecticut team was the sixth national championship squad he’s coached and the third to accomplish the feat undefeated. The Huskies showed muscle by winning every one of their 39 games by 10 or more points — the first team in men’s or women’s NCAA history to accomplish that feat.
"The expectation level is always high" at Connecticut, Moore said. "It’s not anything new. This year, though, is a place we’ve never been — as far as winning a national championship."
But in the league, everyone isn’t buying the "Well, UConn has lost some pieces’’ act. With Moore and fellow All-American Tina Charles still suiting up along with all-Big East preseason honorees Tiffany Hayes and Kalana Greene, some Big East coaches are expecting a repeat performance.
"I hope we beat them, but I think UConn can go undefeated again," said Pittsburgh coach Agnus Berenato, whose team was picked to finish fifth. "I mean, if they go 39-0 again this year, Maya Moore will still have another year — they’re going to have a real chance to break John Wooden’s (UCLA) record of 88 straight wins. I didn’t think that would ever be done. That’s how good they are. They’re in a class by themselves."
That doesn’t mean Pittsburgh or any other Big East school is going to roll over and play dead for the Huskies.
Notre Dame — a top-10 pick in many national preseason polls — placed second in the coaches poll. DePaul and last year’s national runner-up to the Huskies, Louisville, tied for third. And then there’s Connecticut’s biggest in-conference rival, Rutgers. The Knights placed sixth in the poll, reflective of the loss of seniors Kia Vaughn and Heather Zurich from last year’s Sweet 16 team.
But Rutgers also will be without leading scorer Epiphanny Prince, who decided to turn professional after her junior year and is now playing overseas. All of that hasn’t dimmed Rutgers’ thoughts of dethroning UConn.
"You expect them to be picked high all the time," Rutgers senior Brittany Ray said. "They have the marquee names — Tina Charles, Maya Moore — great players. It’s going to be tough. We’re just going to have to go into every game against them and the conference with high energy."
With such a seemingly daunting mountain to climb to pull even with the Huskies, most teams aren’t thinking about the task right now. They know Connecticut will do what it always does — win games. They’re trying to make their task a simple one: worry about UConn when it pops up on the schedule.
"Hey, they’re in the league, so you’ve got to deal with them," said Seton Hall coach Phyllis Mangina, whose Pirates team was picked to finish 14th. "They’re outstanding. They’ve got great players, great coaches. I think they’re the benchmark for everybody in the country, not just the Big East."
Brendan Prunty may be reached at bprunty@starledger.com