$1.4M NIL-valued Paige Bueckers has a 3-word reaction to UConn alum Aaliyah Edwards' presence during the game

UConn star Paige Bueckers and former Husky Aaliyah Edwards have developed a close relationship that extends beyond the court. Edwards, a Washington Mystics rookie, often attends UConn games to support her former teammates.

On Tuesday, Edwards shared several photos on her Instagram from the night of the UConn game against Fairleigh Dickinson on Nov. 20, which was part of coach Geno Auriemma’s 40th coaching anniversary celebration.

"Alum duties with the fam. Congrats Coach and CD," Aaliyah captioned the post.

Paige Bueckers, who has a reported $1.4 million NIL valuation as per On3, reposted one of those photos on her Instagram story.

"Alum is crazy," Paige wrote, expressing her excitement to meet her friend.

P. Bueckers' Instagram story (@paigebueckers/IG)

The picture showed Edwards taking a selfie with Bueckers, Azzi Fudd, and Caroline Ducharme, alongside UConn greats Diana Taurasi and Renee Montgomery, who were also in attendance to honor Auriemma.

The same night against the Knights at Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, coach Geno Auriemma earned his 1,217th victory after the Huskies blew out Fairleigh Dickinson 85-41.

Freshman forward Sarah Strong stole the show by scoring a game-high 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the field. Meanwhile, Paige Bueckers contributed 16 points, nine rebounds, and five assists in the win.

Paige Bueckers stats vs. Holy Cross (Dec. 3)

UConn senior guard Paige Bueckers had a decent game against the Holy Cross Crusaders on Tuesday night upon their return to Storrs.

Bueckers had a quiet game in terms of points compared to her usual scoring outputs, finishing with 11 points on 4-of-9 from shooting, including 2-4 from beyond the arc. However, the Minnesota native contributed 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals to the Huskies' dominant 88-52 win over the Crusaders.

Paige Bueckers' game by numbers

• 28 minutes played
• 11 points
• 7 rebounds
• 5 assists
• 3 steals
• 1 block
• 1 turnover
• 4-9 FG
• 2-4 3PT
• 1-2 FT

Despite the modest scoring numbers, Bueckers remains a scoring leader for the No. 2 Huskies, averaging 20.4 points per game through the first seven games.

The Holy Cross game was the first UConn played since returning from the Bahamas, where they captured the Baha Mar Women’s Championship title.

The 6-foot guard was a key player during UConn’s two-game stint in Nassau. She scored 23 points in the semifinal win over Oregon State and added another 29 points in the championship game victory over No. 18 Ole Miss. The Huskies (7-0) will play No. 22 Louisville on Saturday at Barclays Center.