by Matthew Emma

Created on: July 02, 2009   Last Updated: July 06, 2009

Over the last two decades, the University of Connecticut has become one of the premiere basketball schools in the nation in both the men's and women's game. Two men can be credited for this, Men's Head Coach Jim Calhoun and Women's Head Coach Geno Auriemma.

Calhoun, who began his tenure in Storrs in 1986, has garnered more than 800 wins, won two national titles, been to three final fours, won six Big East Tournament championships and is a National Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, and is considered to be one of the most successful coaches in the history of men's college hoops.

Auriemma, who has been coaching at UCONN since 1985, has made the Lady Huskies into arguably, the most successful program in the country today. He has amassed more than 600 wins, won six national titles, been to 10 final fours, won 15 Big East Tournament championships and is himself a member of the National Basketball Hall of Fame.

Both of these men literally built what are now among the elite basketball programs in the nation from the ground up. UCONN hoops has become a religion in Connecticut and a major cog in the college sports industry on a national basis. Trying to determine who is better is like comparing Maine lobster to fillet mignon. While neither man's success can be debated, if a slight had edge had to be doled out, I would give it to Calhoun for two very specific reasons.

The competition is stronger in the men's game. Calhoun's teams have to face a level of opponent night in and night out that is superior to what Auriemma's teams go up against. This is not intended to be a knock against women's college basketball, but it is the truth. While the disparity between the elite programs and the rest of the pack is lessening in the women's game, the sport is still very top heavy. A handful of schools are still clearly head and shoulders above everyone else. The Lady Huskies are in that mix.

It can be argued that, in the men's game, there is little if any disparity between programs labeled as elite and mid-major programs like Gonzaga, Xavier and Butler. Granted, there will always be successful nationally ranked programs, such as Duke, North Carolina and UCLA, who will be competitive on a yearly basis. However, they don't win championships with the level of consistency the nationally prominent women's schools like UCONN and Tennessee do. Once Calhoun's teams get into the meat of their schedule, they can be beaten by any opponent. In the case of Auriemma's teams, it is not as likely.

Being able to recruit top high school and foreign prospects is more difficult in the men's game as well. Considering the competition in the men's game is more comparable than in women's college basketball, Calhoun has to vie with all of the country for the better touted recruits. Chances are, the majority of top prospects in the women's game will be choosing amongst the very top programs, of which UCONN is. This gives Auriemma an advantage in building and maintaining a talent-laden team that can dominate season after season. I understand Calhoun does land his fair share of top recruits, but he also loses plenty simply because he is competing with so many other coaches and programs.

It is very difficult, if not impossible to choose the better coach between UCONN's Jim Calhoun and Geno Auriemma. Both men know basketball like the back of their hands, have built stellar programs and enjoyed remarkable success. To me, the only argument I could think of to give one the nod over the other is which man faces tougher challenges in maintaining this level of accomplishment. If you ask me, that man is Calhoun.

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