Where McCoughtry Finds out About Geno Auriemma

For those unaware, John Altavilla writes about Gene Auriemma presenting an "award" to Angel McCoughtry for Rookie of the Year:

"Angel McCoughtry couldn't have received the WNBA Rookie of the Year award in a more casual ceremony than she did Thursday. After Day 2 practice of a five-day fall camp for the U.S. women's national basketball team ended, the players formed a circle. Seimone Augustus, the WNBA rookie of the year in 2006, presented the glass trophy to her. There was polite applause, until coach Geno Auriemma pulled one of his trademark stunts.

He walked toward McCoughtry with a small box in his hand, saying a ring was also in order. "Yes, coach, I will marry you," McCoughtry said.

There were chuckles, but Auriemma got the last laugh. As he opened the box, he said, with perfect timing, "Oh, sorry, this is my national championship ring."

The team broke into guffaws. The ring, his seventh for winning NCAA titles at Connecticut, came last April at the expense of McCoughtry and Louisville in the title game.

"I will get you back for this," McCoughtry said.


Geno also had some words of wisdom for McCoughtry during a USA Women's National Tema practice:

"When you play off the ball, you steal every pass," Auriemma told her. "When you guard the ball, you get beat every single time. That shouldn't happen."

Message taken by McCoughtry, who for Louisville as a senior was No.4 in the nation in scoring (23.1) and No.1 in steals (4.2).

"That shows me a weakness I need to work on: on-the-ball defense," McCoughtry said.