NCAA analyst gives his 2 cents on frustrated Geno Auriemma’s unfiltered take on Paige Bueckers’ struggles: “Rolls his eyes basically”

Paige Bueckers is the key player for the Geno Auriemma-coached UConn Huskies. The superstar guard is among the best players the Hall of Fame coach has had in his illustrious career.

However, even superstars experience slumps. Bueckers is going through one, and NCAA analyst Robin Lundberg believes her coach is getting frustrated.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Lundberg said:

"He (Geno Auriemma) was not happy. The thing is that great players have to deal with doubles and traps. That could include seeing them coming and beating them off the dribble before they get there, that could also include passing the ball quickly..

Bueckers and the No. 5 Huskies lost 80-76 to the No. 19 Tennessee Volunteers on Thursday. After the game, Auriemma said his star players didn’t perform as expected.

"The bottom line is we have some players on our team that are supposed to be our best players,” Auriemma said. “And they've got to play better. That’s all there is to it."

He also said Bueckers' situation has been a conundrum, as she is a dominant ballhandler but struggles when trapped.

"It’s a real kind of conundrum,” Auriemma said. “Paige wants the ball in her hands all the time, then when they trap her, she doesn’t want the ball in her hands. So, we try to get her moving without the ball, and it’s so-so."

"We’ve got to come to some sort of definitive thing here,” Auriemma said. “How we’re gonna handle it. But right now, it’s not the winning edge for sure."

Lundberg said Auriemma's statements were essentially an eye roll

"At the end of Geno Auriemma's speech he rolls his eyes basically. I mean, I'm not so sure that's the proper tact to publicly call out a player. But I mean, Geno has the results to back it up."

How has Paige Bueckers performed in recent games?

Paige Bueckers has not recorded a 20-point game since her 22-point performance against the Creighton Bluejays on Jan. 25. Since then, she has posted eight points against the DePaul Blue Demons, 18 against the Butler Bulldogs, and 14 against the Tennessee Volunteers.

Her previous performances came in wins, so they weren’t as scrutinized. However, the Huskies' loss to Tennessee has put extra attention on Bueckers. That comes with the territory of being the undisputed favorite for the No. 1 pick in the upcoming WNBA draft.

However, Paige Bueckers has a chance to bounce back in UConn’s next game against the Providence Friars. A 20-point performance would go a long way in silencing the doubters as the NCAA tournament approaches.

In the meantime, the Huskies will look to avoid back-to-back losses and regroup as they face Providence on Sunday.