Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong, on ESPN's SportsCenter, talked about the trio's lone NCAA tournament run with Elle Duncan. After briefly talking about their bracket, seeding, watching the Selection Sunday and expectations, Duncan asked what an ideal gift for coach Geno Auriemma would be. The 11-time NCAA championship-winning coach turns 71 on March 23.
Bueckers briefly looked at her teammates, hoping to collaborate for a response, but the star guard quickly came up with a perfect answer:
"Your head coach Geno turning 71 on Sunday, what do you think would be the best gift for him?," she asked.
"A win," Bueckers responded (at 5:44).
Paige Bueckers and the No. 2 Huskies (Spokane 4) face the No. 15 Arkansas State on Saturday at the Gampel Pavilion, one day before Geno Auriemma's birthday.
While it will be a non-game day for the program to celebrate the legendary coach, the team will have to quickly refocus on the matters of the court. ESPN's matchup predictor gives UConn a 99.0% chance to qualify for the second round. Auriemma's team will face South Dakota State or Oklahoma State a day after the coach's birthday.
Paige Bueckers gets honest about the best and worst of Geno Auriemma
After the UConn Huskies roster was done watching the Selection Sunday in the school's kitchen, the lineup came out on the court to greet fans.
In a trending clip, KK Arnold asked Paige Bueckers about the best and worst parts of Geno Auriemma. Bueckers utilized the stage to poke fun at her coach.
"I would say that the worst thing is he is pretty delusional and he lies and he exaggerates," she said.
As the arena was left in chuckles, the guard slyly highlighted the better qualities of the coach by saying that he shares the same tendencies as her - leaving no room for critique.
"But the best thing is that he is just like me in all those places."
Whether it's calling out on habits off the court or dissecting on-court performances, Geno Auriemma and Paige Bueckers share a unique coach-player bond. Their relationship thrives on candid, direct and unfiltered conversations.
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