paige bueckers: Paige Bueckers reacts to emotional Geno Auriemma moment in NCAA title win: "We both love each other even though we hate each other some days"

Paige Bueckers reacts to emotional Geno Auriemma moment in NCAA title win: "We both love each other even though we hate each other some days"

NCAA Womens Basketball: Final Four National Championship - Source: Imagn — Paige Bueckers and Geno Auriemma embraced as the senior left the court in her final college basketball game. - Source: Imagn

After three disappointing trips to the Final Four, Paige Bueckers and Geno Auriemma were finally able to win it all in 2025. With the 82-59 victory over the South Carolina Gamecocks, Bueckers finally took that final step and won the national championship as she wrapped her college career.

As the UConn Huskies built what felt like an insurmountable lead, the star guard was subbed out of the game. While leaving the floor, she embraced Auriemma for a long hug and she spoke about the moment during the postgame presser.

“Just putting it all together in one hug. What our journey has been together. He told me he loved me and I told him I hated him. But we love each other even though we hate each other some days,” Bueckers said.

According to former players, Geno Auriemma has a reputation as a tough coach. But at that moment, the head coach showed his more emotional side.

“Gratitude for all that coach (Auriemma) has meant to me and how much he’s shaped me to the human I am, to the basketball player I am,” Bueckers said.

Despite Bueckers establishing several school records and Auriemma’s long history of success, they had failed to get past that final hurdle together. But in her last chance, the Huskies responded by dominating South Carolina for most of the game.

For Auriemma, it also broke a streak of nine years without a title, including the COVID-19 shortened 2019-2020 when no tournament was played. It was also the 12th national championship for Auriemma and UConn, an NCAA women's basketball record.

Paige Bueckers will now enter the WNBA Draft, where experts expect her to be the first overall pick.

Paige Bueckers falls short on MOP

Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd, and Sarah Strong took turns dominating the NCAA Tournament, but in the end, Fudd took home the tourney’s Most Outstanding Player Award.

Paige Bueckers finished with 17 points, six boards, three assists, and two blocks against the Gamecocks. Bueckers also became the first UConn player to score 40 points in a tournament game, when she hit the milestone in the Sweet 16 victory over the Oklahoma Sooners.

However, she scored her fewest points in this tournament in the final two games, with 16 in the semifinals against UCLA to go with her championship game output.

Azzi Fudd finished with 24 points, five rebounds, and three steals in the title game to secure the award. Sarah Strong also made her case with 24 points, 15 rebounds, five helpers, three blocks, and two steals against South Carolina.

About the author

Allan Wolburg Robles is a College Sports journalist at Sportskeeda with over 17 years of experience in the field writing for publications including Reforma, Yahoo! OddsShark and Apuesta. Allan studied Communications at Anáhuac University, where he learned what would become the basis of a trade that was already a dream of his before starting college.

His favorite team is Army West Point as when he was young, Allan lived in West Point for a couple of years, went to pretty much every home game, a couple of Army-Navy games and even got to meet some of the players.

Allan's favorite players of all time include Tommie Frazier, who was unbelievable during the Nebraska dynasty of the early 90's. Tim Tebow was also a favorite, mainly because of his leadership skills, although he was also awesome on the football field. As a fan of defensive football, (or what's left of it), Sean Taylor could take over a game for Miami.

Allan has always considered himself a student of the game more than a fan of it. So the historical part and evolution of the game, as well as the ins and outs of what happens on the field, and being able to put it into words for the audience, are his biggest strengths.

Besides sports, Allan enjoys reading books, watching movies and spending time with his dogs.

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Edited by Ruth John S