For each of the four press conferences preceding the second round of the women's NCAA tournament, each coach was asked, "What has your experience been like at University Park?"

The first three coaches from St. John's, Virginia Tech and Maryland raved about the Bryce Jordan Center and Penn State. Connecticut women's basketball head coach Geno Auriemma wasn't posed that question, but echoed the same sentiments in his own unique way until he was asked if he would come back for a regular-season game.

"It's too hard to get to; it's too far away," Auriemma said. "My guys get plane-sick when they come over those mountains, so we would have to wait 'til we get a team with a little bit more ... what's the word ... intestinal fortitude."

Right now, the No. 2-seed Huskies don't have to worry about a nauseous plane ride back just yet. They will face No. 7-seed Virginia Tech in the late game tonight, 30 minutes after the No. 2-seed Terrapins face the No. 7-seed Red Storm at 7, as the second round of the NCAA tournament begins at the Jordan Center.

In the first game, Connecticut defeated a feisty Coppin State team, whose high school band and ravenous fans kept the game exciting through a close first half. On the other hand, few Huskies fans made the trip to State College for the late game on Sunday night.

That made Auriemma reflect even more on the Penn State location issues. Reporters asked if a largely blue-seated building without many white-shirted Connecticut fans was a good thing for women's basketball.

"Nope, it's a lousy situation," Auriemma said. "Anything I say is going to be construed as self-serving anyway, but it's just the way I am, you know. I also think the pre-determined sites aren't any good, but what do I know?"

He pointed out the lack of students that would be able to travel to University Park late on a Tuesday night, a time slot determined so television could place the Huskies in prime time. Auriemma proposed the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds get home games in the first two rounds. That would have meant more time in Connecticut this year.

But at the same time, he would rather play a bad team on the road than a good team at home. Unfortunately, Auriemma's Huskies will get a fight from the Hokies, who two years ago were a Big East conference opponent.

For teams like St. John's, which are "living a dream," playing anywhere in the NCAA tournament has been phenomenal. Junior guard Kia Wright has even heard people say that the No. 7-seed Red Storm are overrated going into their game as the underdog against Maryland.

"We take that as motivation," Wright said. "We've been criticized all year, but we've proven them all wrong."

Getting the fans onto the bandwagon was never a problem, as a sea of red overflowed the Jordan Center on Sunday as St. John's beat No. 10-seed Cal.

"Yesterday I was looking at the crowd and wondering where all these people came from," Wright said. "Even at school we didn't have that much."

So when Auriemma had time to reflect some more on what he said at the press conference, he didn't back down on his beliefs, but downplayed the whole attendance issue.

"That was just me being a wise guy," Auriemma joked.