Together again: Auriemma shrugs off Summitt spat

Nov 18, 2009 - 7:05 AM By PAUL J. WEBER Associated Press Writer

SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- It's safe to say that Geno Auriemma and Pat Summitt didn't spend much time catching up in Texas.

Auriemma and Summitt were at the AT&T Center on Tuesday night for a doubleheader in San Antonio, where the Final Four will be held in the spring. Summitt's sixth-ranked Tennessee Lady Vols beat Texas Tech in the first game before Auriemma's top-ranked Huskies demolished No. 10 Texas.

The two Hall of Fame coaches had a falling out two years ago when their powerhouse programs canceled their regular-season series. Auriemma said in April 2008 that it was because Summitt accused UConn of cheating in recruiting.

Auriemma said he'll say hello to Summitt like anyone else, but doesn't see why anyone expects them to, say, go to dinner.

"Why? I don't go out to dinner with these guys," Auriemma said, sitting between two of his UConn players. "And I like them."

All four teams in the San Antonio doubleheader actually did have a dinner together Monday night. Auriemma said that what people need to understand is that within Division I women's basketball, people wanted to see games other than Connecticut playing Tennessee.

Between 1995 and 2007, the Huskies and Lady Vols played at least once a year.

"Everybody in the country has to understand that the only people who really wanted the whole Connecticut-Tennessee thing were people outside women's basketball," Auriemma said. "That was just for the outside fans."

Auriemma made his comments after being asked about Summitt following the game. Summitt was not asked about Auriemma following Tennessee's victory and made no comment on her own.