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Paige Bueckers' 8-Word Verdict on Exchange With UConn Coach Geno Auriemma Says it All

UConn Huskies star Paige Bueckers shrugged off a blunt midgame exchange with coach Geno Auriemma with eight words.
Grant Young|
Mar 29, 2025; Spokane, WA, USA; UConn Huskies guard Paige Bueckers (5) runs back on defense against the Oklahoma Sooners during the second half of a Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament basketball game at Spokane Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images
Mar 29, 2025; Spokane, WA, USA; UConn Huskies guard Paige Bueckers (5) runs back on defense against the Oklahoma Sooners during the second half of a Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament basketball game at Spokane Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images | James Snook-Imagn Images

The UConn Huskies women's basketball team advanced to the Elite Eight of the 2025 NCAA Tournament largely on the back of star guard Paige Bueckers, who scored a career-high 40 points during UConn's March 29 Sweet Sixteen game against Oklahoma.

After the game, Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma said, "Paige was spectacular. That was as good a game as I've seen her play the whole time she's been here, at the most important time. And when you're a senior and you've been around as long as she has, this is what you're here to do. This is why you came here."

While there's no shortage of praise between Auriemma and Bueckers, the two aren't afraid to get blunt with each other from time to time. This was conveyed at one point in the first half of Saturday's game, where Auriemma could be seen getting upset at Bueckers, who scored zero points in the second quarter.

Of course, Bueckers bounced back from that second quarter scoring drought in a big way. And during her team's postgame press conference, Bueckers explained the normality of this moment between her and her head coach.

"Just an everyday interaction between coach and Paige," Bueckers said of the moment between her and Auriemma, per an X post from SNY.

"Him getting on me, him holding me accountable, I did have some mental lapses and mental mistakes that I can't have at this point of the season. So obviously just taking them, but not letting them affect me in a negative way, affecting me in a positive way to not make those mental mistakes again and turn it up a notch," Bueckers added.

Bueckers will be looking to build upon her Sweet Sixteen success on Monday against USC.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.

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