UConn women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma defended Breanna Stewart, asserting her team's dominance in postseason play despite recent doubts from outsiders. Speaking at Big East Media Day, Auriemma emphasized Stewart’s unparalleled success in high-stakes games throughout her career, noting her undefeated record in NCAA Tournament contests and multiple WNBA championships. He argued that Stewart’s extensive winning history, including Olympic gold medals, prepares her well for current challenges, dismissing any skepticism about her team's playoff prospects.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-02,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Legendary UConn coach Geno Auriemma issued a stern warning for anyone questioning the postseason potential of a Breanna Stewart-led team.
asserted
Auriemma → issue → team
“Don’t bet on anybody else other than her,” Auriemma said Thursday at Big East Media Day.
asserted
Auriemma → bet → Day
“It’s been like that since she was 15 years old when I first saw her play.
asserted
her → see → that
We’ve got you covered on the Liberty beat
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Madeline Kenney about all things Liberty and WNBA.
asserted
you → get → things
tRY IT NOWWhen the stakes get raised and the lights get brighter, a beast within Stewart awakens.
asserted
beast → try → Stewart
Doubting her team’s capabilities only fuels her.
asserted
Doubting → doubt → her
Stewart said as much Friday when asked about being overlooked by outsiders.
asserted
Stewart → say → outsiders
“Honestly, I know that I’m the best, and I feel that every time I step on the court,” Stewart said.
asserted
Stewart → know → court
“Nobody can do what I do, and just being confident …
asserted
I → do → what
I’m detaching from judgement.”
asserted
I → detach → judgement
The proof is in her trophy case that’s bursting at the seams.
asserted
that → burst → seams
“When you do look at her career, you look back and you realize there’s a regular-season Breanna Stewart and then there’s a postseason Breanna Stewart,” Auriemma said.
asserted
Auriemma → look → career
“And Breanna Stewart probably plays in the playoffs as good as anybody I’ve ever seen, except maybe [Diana Taurasi] in terms of winning when you have to win, winning in knockout games.”
asserted
you → play → games
Auriemma is obviously biased.
asserted
Auriemma → bias → ?
Stewart led UConn during one of the most dominant stretches in college basketball.
asserted
Stewart → lead → basketball
With Stewart, the Huskies posted two undefeated seasons and won four consecutive NCAA Tournament championships.
asserted
Huskies → post → championships
Stewart, one of women’s basketball’s most decorated stars, went a perfect 23-0 in March Madness contests.
asserted
Stewart → go → contests
She’s won three WNBA championships and four World Cup titles.
asserted
She → win → championships
She’s also a three-time EuroLeague champion and three-time Olympic gold medalist.
asserted
She → ’ → ?
She captured an Unrivaled championship in March, a EuroLeague championship in April, WNBA Commissioner’s Cup in June and the FIBA Women’s World Cup title in September.
asserted
She → capture → September
Auriemma shares in the Liberty’s opinion that New York is not a traditional No. 8 seed.
asserted
York → share → opinion
There’s truth in that, of course, because entering the final two games of the regular season, New York had the potential to finish as high as the fourth seed.
asserted
York → ’ → seed
“So when they got the eighth seed, I thought, ‘I don’t think that’s right,’ ” Auriemma said.
asserted
Auriemma → get → seed
“All [of Stewart’s] success has prepared her for what she’s doing now.
asserted
she → prepare → what
And you saw it at the Olympics when everybody started questioning, ‘Well, maybe this is the year France is going to get them.
asserted
France → see → them
And I thought to myself, ‘You can’t question that kid during the playoffs when there’s a medal or there’s a trophy that goes to the winner.’
asserted
that → think → winner
Auriemma believes the Liberty have a legitimate shot at heading to their third WNBA Finals in four years, though he also acknowledged the path there only gets more challenging as the playoffs go on.
asserted
playoffs → believe → years
“Now that they won and it’s going to be three-out-of-five … there’s more opportunities to go,” he said.
asserted
he → win → five
“This past time, it’s just boom, boom.
asserted
it → ’ → ?
But I am definitely going to get a chance to see them play, 100 percent.”
asserted
them → go → chance
Unprompted, Auriemma also offered his ideal finals matchup: “Maybe it’ll be them and Golden State, so maybe I get a chance to see a lot of my guys play.”
asserted
lot → offer → guys
Stewart is the lone Husky on New York’s side, and the Valkyries have Gabby Williams, Kiah Stokes, Tiffany Hayes and Kaitlyn Chen.
asserted
Valkyries → have → Williams
Asked who he thinks would win that series, Auriemma paused and smiled.
asserted
Auriemma → ask → series
“I have to think on that one,” he said.
asserted
he → have → one
The Aporia
