“She’s an aggressive person by nature”: Geno Auriemma heaps praise for UConn star after commanding win vs USF

The UConn women's basketball team dominated the South Florida Bulls from start to finish on Sunday night. One of their players stood out to head coach Geno Auriemma, specifically pointing out her aggressive nature.

The Huskies routed the Bulls in an 86-49 victory at home that saw three players score in double-digits. Paige Bueckers led the way with 22 points and three rebounds, Ashlynn Shade provided 15 points, while Sarah Strong put up 13 points to go with seven rebounds and four assists.

UConn performed well on both sides of the ball. On offense, the Huskies shot 67% from the field and 38% from beyond the arc. On defense, they limited the Bulls to 36% shooting overall and 33% from deep. The Huskies alos won the rebounding battle 33-24 and had more assists (20) and steals (9-1) than USF.

With all the positives that came out of the game, one that stood out to Auriemma was Shade's aggression at both ends that helped the team secure the victory in convincing fashion.

"She's an aggressive person by nature, so I never understood, you know, her wanting to be cautious. So I think now she's just playing to her personality. She's quick, she's athletic, she's strong, so she has all the attributes that you know you would need to be that kind of Defender. And little by little, you know, she's starting to come out of her shell."

Shade gained notoriety for her talent as a freshman last year, winning the Big East Freshman of the Year award with 11.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and just over a steal per game. With Auriemma noting her improvement, it appears that she has taken a significant step in the right direction.

Auriemma's historic time at UConn, goals this year

Auriemma has been a longtime coach for the Huskies, taking over the program in 1985.

He currently boasts an impressive 1,215-162 record, winning the NCAA Tournament 11 times in his career. This past season saw the team go 33-6, getting to the Final Four before losing 73-69 to Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Having not won the national championship since 2016, Auriemma looks to tbring UConn back to the mountain top with a star core of Bueckers, Shade, and Strong.

UConn (2-0) will prepare for its next matchup against North Carolina at home on Nov. 15 at 6 p.m. ET.