LONDON (AP) Geno Auriemma never thought he’d have a chance to coach the U.S. women’s Olympic basketball team.

He had heard the talk: He was too abrasive, too politically incorrect.

None of that mattered to USA Basketball and when Auriemma was offered the job he 2009, he jumped at it. Now he has the U.S. women’s basketball team one victory away from a fifth straight gold medal.

The Americans will play France on Saturday night in the Olympic final.

“Being able to coach this team, there are no other opportunities you could possibly hope for,” Auriemma said. “For me, winning the gold medal is something that I probably won’t be able to talk about or fully express until it actually happens, cause I’m sure you can’t prepare for it, how you’re going to feel or what it means to you personally.”

For all his perceived faults, Auriemma has proven to be the right choice.

He is used to the pressure of being expected to win and knowing that anything less than a title is considered a failure. He has guided UConn to seven national championships, including four perfect seasons and an NCAA record 90 straight victories.

The U.S. team, which has won an unprecedented four straight gold medals and hasn’t lost a game in 16 years, hasn’t missed a beat under Auriemma.

It helps that half the players on the Olympic team are UConn alums, used to his system and his personality.

“Coach really hasn’t changed much,” said Diana Taurasi, who helped Auriemma win three NCAA titles in college. “He’s the same guy, just gives us a little more freedom now that we’re older and pros. He listens to us more. Everyone knows what coach has done for women’s basketball. He brought a different point of view to things.

“It’s not all flowery, flowery women’s basketball. It’s not just skirts and cupcakes. Sometimes there’s some steak and cussing. That’s life, it’s not all that pretty.”

Taurasi fully supports Auriemma and said if the Americans win the gold medal the first thing she’ll do is “put it around his neck. That’s how much he means to me.”

Before that can happen, the Americans have to deal with upstart France, which is playing well in only its second Olympic appearance.

“They’re a team nobody really talked about heading into the tournament, but personally I knew that was going to be a team we might have to face,” said U.S. point guard Sue Bird.

France is undefeated in the tournament like the U.S. although the Americans have beaten teams by 34 points a game, France just eight.

 

Nonetheless, Bird knows a win won’t be automatic.

“I’ve played with all their girls and know how talented they are,” she said.

Both teams are assured of walking away with at least the silver medal, but anything less than gold for the Americans would be considered a monumental failure.