Mohegan - All they needed Saturday at Mohegan Sun Arena was Al Michaels to punctuate the occasion with an absorbing, "Do you believe in miracles? Yes!"

And this was a miracle. No, really. A miracle. Imagine: a fundamentally sound women's basketball player who didn't attend the University of Connecticut.

Introducing Kelsey Griffin. Eight points, 10 rebounds, three assists and two notable charges taken against 6-foot-6 Sylvia Fowles. Twice in about six minutes, too.

Kelsey Griffin. Always in the right place at the right time. Selfless, smart, smiling, stout.

And she didn't go to UConn.

Who knew this was possible? Or even allowed under the Geneva Convention?

This is mentioned in the wake of UConn coach Geno Auriemma's comments in Saturday's Hartford Courant. Courant writer John Altavilla asked Auriemma what advice he would give Tina Charles and Kalana Greene as their WNBA careers are about to begin. Auriemma's response:

"I would tell Tina and Kalana the same things I have told all of my other players that have gone on to WNBA careers," Auriemma said Friday. "I tell them, 'Don't change who you are. Don't become a part of the culture. Change the culture.'

"I talked to Kalana at (UConn) graduation last week and I asked her how it was going. She said good. Then I asked her, 'Are you still sprinting off the court after timeouts?' She said yep. I asked her, 'Are you still vocal at practice, trying to get everyone involved?' She said yes. And then I said, "Don't let the fact that they (most of her teammates) aren't going to be like that change who you are.'

"My worry is that Tina and Kalana might eventually become less of the college players they were and more of a pro player. I know the pro coaches will tell you, well, this isn't college. I understand that, believe me, I do. But without trying to sound egotistical or demeaning, there is a reason why most of my players play on winning teams."

Good thing Geno wasn't trying to sound egotistical or demeaning.

Because let me just say this: In the 20-something years Geno has been among us, that is the single dumbest thing he's ever said.

"Don't become part of the culture ... change the culture."

What "culture" is that?

The one where Auriemma believes nobody plays hard except his own players?

"'Are you still sprinting off the court after timeout She said yep. I asked her, 'Are you still vocal at practice, trying to get everyone involved?' She said yes. And then I said, 'Don't let the fact that they (most of her teammates) aren't going to be like that change who you are.'"

Nobody else in the WNBA gets their teammates involved? Nobody else in the WNBA sprints off the court? Or by implication actually tries?

Holy Pretentiousness, Batman. Is he serious? Really?

More than 8,000 fans must have hallucinated Saturday when Kara Lawson sprinted to the scorers' table — as if she was trying to steal second base - to check in to the game after Kerri Gardin got poked in the eye. Because that's how she plays all the time. Griffin plays the same way, stepping in front of Fowles and keeping possessions alive by knifing between Chicago players to tip loose balls to teammates.

Or how about across the league? Tamika Catchings doesn't play hard? Katie Douglas? Lindsay Whalen? I'm not saying there aren't players who don't care in the WNBA. But then, how many teams did we watch this season at Gampel Pavilion mail it in?

And while we're making distinctions between the WNBA and college, remember this one and write it down: No WNBA team gets to schedule Seton Hall.

My guess is that most of the 8,072 fans who departed Neon Uncasville after the Sun's 74-61 win on Saturday left with a new appreciation for Griffin. That's nice and all. But it also indicts them for being UConn fans first and real women's basketball fans a distant second. Because if you paid attention to women's basketball, you'd know that Griffin is a hell of a young player who was a National Player of the Year candidate who does a little of this and some of that every night.

And yet the number of people, even in the media, who have criticized Mike Thibault for wasting a draft pick on Griffin — she's not athletic enough (she can dunk a volleyball), can't shoot and doesn't have a position — is staggering.

This much we know: If Kelsey Griffin had the same college career at UConn, she'd be in the exalted status of the Taurasis and Birds.

I'm not buying that the head coach is alone in his opinion that UConn players breathe air from some higher order. I'm guessing this is an attitude that permeates Connecticut.

If the Sun's existence hasn't taught us anything else, it should have taught us by now that women's basketball players exist — and thrive — outside of Storrs, Conn.

I suppose the lunatic fringe is going to make me a Geno hater now. That's why it's the lunatic fringe. Auriemma has been very good to me. I really like the guy. But his opinion in this matter is unfair to the overwhelming majority of WNBA players who care. And not just the UConn graduates.

This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro.