The UConn Huskies women’s basketball team won this year’s NCAA national championship, and for their star Paige Bueckers, they reached the pinnacle of women’s collegiate basketball through a very important piece of their gameplan. In her appearance on Wednesday’s edition of the “TODAY Show,” there were many factors that led to their victory; however, it was about the strong bond amongst the team, inside and outside the court, that made the difference.
“I saw on social media, they were saying UConn won based on the power of friendship. It’s so accurate,” Paige 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.”
With a bond like no other, the UConn Huskies defied all odds as they won the Big East regular season and the Big East tournament titles. It was a dominant season for them as they booked an unblemished 18-0 record in their conference while having an overall record of 37-3 and were seeded No. 2 in the NCAA.
March Madness came in, and they continued to steamroll past oppositions, picking up wins over Arkansas and SD State in the first and second rounds, respectively.
They went on to win against Oklahoma in the Sweet 16 before they imposed their dominance over No. 1 seed USC in the Elite Eight, and No. 1 seed UCLA in the Final Four.
Heading into the finals of the NCAA national championships, they faced defending natty champs South Carolina, but it meant nothing for the Huskies as they sealed their program’s 12th national title with a massive 82-59 win.
For Head coach Geno Auriemma, the team fell in love with each other in February after their loss against Tennessee, and from there, a bond amongst their big three, Bueckers, Sarah Strong, and Azzi Fudd, sprung into life which made a huge contribution to the team’s championship run.
Geno Auriemma’s parting words to Paige Bueckers
In a national championship sealed with an emotional hug, UConn Huskies Women’s Basketball team Head Coach Geno Auriemma sent Paige Brueckers to the big leagues with an emotional message while interlocked in a sweet moment on the court.
Talking to the media after the match, Auriemma wholeheartedly shared what was said during the lengthy hug between the mentor and the mentee.
“I love you,” Auriemma said he told Bueckers. “That’s all I could say. I love you.”
With Paige Bueckers set to step on a bigger stage called the WNBA, Auriemma and the UConn Huskies have given their newfound legend a send-off laden with a golden platter.
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
