“He can’t show that I affect his emotions”: Paige Bueckers uncovers Geno Auriemma’s emotional side after denial about tearing up

Geno Auriemma showed his emotional side after Paige Bueckers left the stage following her final press conference at Gampel Pavilion on Monday night. Bueckers sweetly shared the UConn coach's denial about tearing up after their second-round win over South Dakota State during Friday's locker room media availability session ahead of the Huskies' clash with Oklahoma.

Auriemma's expression changed as he watched Bueckers depart the media briefing for the final time in UConn's home ground. A reporter asked Bueckers about that emotional scene and Auriemma's reaction to it.

"He denies it. He can’t show that I affect his emotions that much," Bueckers said (Timestamp 1:25). "That me leaving will make him emotional or make him sad. He wants people to believe that me leaving is like the greatest day for him."

"I don’t know. I don’t. He says there weren’t tears for me in his eyes, but I know he’ll miss me."

A reporter followed up that answer by asking Paige Bueckers what it meant to her that Auriemma got emotional over her.

"It’s fun. It means a lot. We have a great relationship and like I said before, he doesn’t try to show to me at all that he likes me. So, to hear how he talks about me and how much I mean to him, it’s kind of unbelievable at times. But it means a lot," Bueckers added.

How Paige Bueckers and Geno Auriemma's UConn reached the Sweet 16

Paige Bueckers and Geno Auriemma's primary focus is now on the UConn Huskies' Sweet 16 showdown with the third-seeded Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday.

The second-seeded Huskies have dominated in this year's March Madness so far, beating No. 15 seed Arkansas State and No. 10 seed South Dakota State by an average of 51.5 points in the first two rounds.

UConn Huskies guard Paige Bueckers (#5) exits the floor after defeating the South Dakota State Jackrabbits in the second round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. Photo: Imagn

Paige Bueckers helped UConn record a resounding 103-34 victory over Arkansas State in the first round, scoring 11 points on 5-for-9 shooting. She also had four assists, two steals, two blocks and one rebound in 22 minutes of action.

Bueckers then wreaked havoc against South Dakota State in the second round, matching her career-high with 34 points. She shot 14-of-21 from the floor and 3-for-3 from the charity stripe in UConn's 91-57 win. Bueckers also had four steals, four dimes and three boards in the rout.