Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, on reloading Georgia’s program, Iowa’s personnel and Gabbie Marshall’s eyes

IOWA CITY — “Good morning, everybody!”

That was Katie Abrahamson-Henderson — Cedar Rapids native and Georgia women’s basketball coach — marching to the podium for Saturday’s news conference, a day before the Bulldogs face Iowa in a second-round NCAA battle.

It was nearly 2:30 in the afternoon, but it was morning somewhere.

If a team is a reflection of its coach, Georgia won’t be strung tight Sunday.

Some of Abrahamson-Henderson’s time on the stage was open-mic humor. All of it was fascinating.

Examples:

Q. How much would it mean as you rebuild this program, well, not really rebuild, but reload this program ...

Coach Abe: “Reload.”

Q. Yes, reload. So how much would it mean to be able to get a berth in the Sweet 16 in year one?

Coach Abe: “I mean, I should get a HUGE RAISE, everybody. Just kidding. I'm kidding.”

Q. Caitlin (Clark) is certainly the catalyst but what else about Iowa's offense makes them so dangerous to guard?

Coach Abe: “I wish I had their names in front of me ... She is phenomenal. (No.) 25 — what's her first name? Monika (Czinano), she's good. I love her. And (assistant coach) Jan (Jensen), she probably doesn't get a lot of credit for it. She's the reason those post players are that good. I think she's phenomenal.

“Obviously the cute little one with the eyes, who is that?”

Moderator: They all have eyes.

Coach Abe: “Cute eyes, pretty eyes — see, women know that. (Gabbie Marshall is) a really good defender and just — I would consider her besides Caitlin a sniper. She can knock down shots.

“Then everybody else plays their roles really, really, really well. Really well.”

Q: Your thoughts on (Iowa’s) Hannah (Stuelke, like Abrahamson-Henderson, a Cedar Rapids Washington alum)?

Coach Abe: “Yeah, I don't know if Hannah even knows I went to school at Wash. I was coached by a really good coach in Paul James. And Paul called me, he's like, ‘I'm sorry I'm not there. I'm in Florida.’

“I'm like, "You suck. You're in Florida right now?’ (Laughter)

“I mean, I don't know (Stuelke’s) stats and everything at Washington. You would have to tell me that but I love it. We would have had a lot of great players come out of Cedar Rapids. So that program really breeds great players.”

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com