“He’s just very hard on me”: When Paige Bueckers shared how Geno Auriemma pushes her leadership skills ahead of NCAA final vs Dawn Staley and co

Paige Bueckers came close to winning her first NCAA title in 2022 when the UConn Huskies faced Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks in the national championship game. In the press conference ahead of that NCAA final, the UConn star shared how her leadership skills improved under Geno Auriemma, which Fox 61 posted on its YouTube channel on Apr. 3, 2022.

Bueckers revealed that the UConn coach pushed her hard to become used to a leadership role with the Huskies. Auriemma's guidance paid dividends for UConn in the 2021-22 NCAA season as Bueckers reached the title game for the first time in her college basketball career.

"He’s really taught me to be a leader," Bueckers said (Timestamp 1:27). "He knows that I see the game sort of different than other people and I have a high IQ. He wants me to share with my teammates and he wants me to lead by example."

"He’s just really hard on me and making sure that I’m using my voice and I’m leading."

Unfortunately for Paige Bueckers and Geno Auriemma, the result didn't go their way in the title clash against the South Carolina Gamecocks. UConn suffered a 64-49 defeat in the championship game, with the Huskies producing one of their worst offensive performances in the final.

Bueckers was the only UConn player to score in double figures in that contest, dropping 13 points in 39 minutes. She shot 6-for-13 from the field, including 1-for-3 from beyond the arc. The Huskies struggled with their outside shooting in the final, knocking down just four of their 16 attempts from the 3-point area.

The Gamecocks got off to a fast start, building a 22-8 lead after the first quarter. UConn managed to cut the deficit to seven points early in the fourth, but South Carolina pulled away in the end, finishing the game on an 18-10 run.

How Paige Bueckers' UConn reached the 2025 March Madness

Paige Bueckers and the UConn Huskies will head into the 2025 NCAA Tournament with momentum on their side after dominantly winning the Big East Tournament. They defeated St. John's, Villanova and then-No. 22 Creighton by an average of 26.3 points to nab their fifth straight Big East Tournament championship.

Paige Bueckers (#5) of UConn is named the Most Outstanding Player after the Huskies won the Big East Tournament championship against the Creighton Bluejays at Mohegan Sun Arena. Photo: Getty

Before that tournament win, the Huskies finished the regular season with a 28-3 overall record. Auriemma's team dominated the opposition in the Big East Conference, recording a perfect 18-0 slate to capture another regular season title.