Paige Bueckers makes admission on "power of friendship" leading UConn to natty win

UConn women’s basketball star Paige Bueckers has specified an important factor that helped the Huskies win this year’s NCAA national championship.

The senior guard appeared on Wednesday’s edition of the "TODAY Show" for an interview about her team’s title win. While pointing out the factors that propelled the Huskies to victory, she emphasized on the bond shared by team members.

In the post put up on X by the '@salt3dwounds' account, she can be seen alluding to the narrative, which was first pushed on social media.

"I saw on social media, they were saying UConn won based on the power of friendship. It's so accurate," Bueckers said. "Just how much we love each other, how much we're connected, how much we've been through as individuals, as a team, and how much it has bonded us and helped us become national champions. So I wouldn't trade it for anything.”

The UConn women's basketball team had a stellar season, where they won the Big East regular season and the Big East tournament titles as well.

The Huskies were dominant in their conference, avoiding defeat all season with an 18-0 record. Geno Auriemma’s team had a 37-3 overall record and were seeded No. 2 in the NCAA Tournament.

Bueckers and her teammates extended their dominance into March Madness, picking up wins over Arkansas and SD State in the first and second round, respectively.

UConn went ahead to beat Oklahoma in the Sweet 16, before picking up statement victories over No. 1 seed USC in the Elite Eight, and No. 1 seed UCLA in the Final Four.

They faced last season’s national champions, South Carolina, in the championship game, and dominated from start to end, sealing an 82-59 win for the program’s 12th national title.

Alluding to Bueckers’ point, coach Auriemma pointed out after the final win that the team fell in love with each other in February after the loss to Tennessee.

This was evident in the bond between the team’s big three: Bueckers, Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd. The entire UConn team has also spoken about their admiration for one another at different times.

Paige Bueckers expresses gratitude to teammates

After the title win, Bueckers spoke to ESPN while tearing up, and was grateful for her time with UConn.

“Unreal,” she said. “Just so much gratitude for everything this program has meant to me, for how much my teammates mean to me, and this is from the top to the bottom."

The Huskies will be without Bueckers from next season, as she is projected to be the top pick in this year’s WNBA draft.