“No f***ing way”: Sue Bird dismisses Geno Auriemma supposedly “crying” for Paige Bueckers

Sue Bird shared her thoughts on UConn head coach Geno Auriemma's recent viral moment. During the postgame presser of UConn's 91-57 win over South Dakota State, Auriemma looked to be sobbing after star Paige Bueckers left the podium.

Bird wasn't buying it, though. The UConn legend dismissed the 70-year-old's apparent crying in the latest episode of her "A Touch More" podcast on Thursday.

"In the post-game conference, there was this moment where she exits the podium. And then, they get coach Auriemma in a moment where he has like a weird look on his face, he kind of rubs his nose. And, it's going around the internet that he was crying. I just wanna say, as someone who played there and knows this man pretty well, ain't no f*ck*ng way he was crying," Bird claimed.

"And, that has nothing with Paige. He might go home at night and cry about this. No way was he crying on that podium in that moment. Maybe if they win the championship, no chance. I can't wait for somebody to ask him. I'm looking forward to somebody asking him about that...You heard it here first, I said no chance he was crying," she added.

It is definitely hard to believe for not just the UConn faithful, but for college basketball fans and spectators as a whole to witness Geno Auriemma, who is best known to be a hard-nosed mentor, getting emotional over his graduating star. If anything, him crying over Bueckers just goes to show how important she is to their program. Still, Bird finds it hard to believe it.

"If anything, he was giving a look like, 'These f*ck*ng guys.' That's what I got. Like a, you know his shtick is to like be in with them all the time, and making fun of them. That's what I got," she later said.

Geno Auriemma praises Paige Bueckers during second-round press conference

During the press conference where Geno Auriemma supposedly became emotional about Paige Bueckers, the UConn coach showered her star senior with praise. He highlighted her work ethic and love of basketball, in particular. (Start at 13:10)

"Everything that you all have said about her, that everybody's written about her, it's all true," Geno Auriemma said. "Every part of it. I wouldn't be able to sit here and add anything to that. Her game and what she does speaks for itself and it's a testament to her, to her work, to her love of basketball, love of being in the gym.

"She's being rewarded and that in itself is just fulfilling. It is for me, and I hope it is for her."

Paige Bueckers had a brilliant game with 34 points on 14-of-21 shooting in just 29 minutes in the win.

The senior, who is still searching for her first NCAA Tournament title, will lead the Huskies in their next game on Saturday against the third-seeded Oklahoma Sooners in the Sweet 16.