‘Best player in America’
Auriemma backs Bueckers after leading Huskies past Orange
The UConn women’s basketball team had just completed its NCAA Tournament second round win over Syracuse Monday night when Geno Auriemma settled behind a microphone to offer his assessment of what unfolded at Gampel Pavilion.
It didn’t take long before he explained the win.
“We have the best player in America,” Auriemma said. “Just saying that because the numbers, in this world of analytics, the numbers say that she is and the whole stat sheet says that she is and everybody that watched knows it. We’re fortunate.”
In a season when Iowa’s prolific scorer Caitlin Clark emerged as the face of her sport, Paige Bueckers is making a March Madness pitch to regain the title. Once among the biggest names in all of college sports, Bueckers has seemingly been overshadowed this season. Yet ...
“Paige was amazing her freshman year,” Syracuse coach Felisha Legette-Jack said Monday night. “You thought that was optimum of what you’re going to get from her.
“She’s way better. She’s way better. The game in her head is a chess match. You know, she attacked that middle. If nobody came, she knew how to float it. ... She can pass it down or pitch it out. She can pitch it behind her. I mean, she’s just a seasoned vet and her coming back another year for (UConn) ... you better enjoy her because you’re not going to find a Paige walking through that door I don’t care how good — I’ve seen a lot of great players come through this door. A lot. I’ve known Geno since I was a freshman at Syracuse University. Paige is one of the top three that ever came
through those doors.”
Bueckers had 32 points, 10 rebounds and six assists Monday. He had 28 points 11 rebounds and seven assists in the first round win over Jackson State.
In the Big East Tournament, she averaged 27.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists.
After missing all of last season with an ACL injury and part of the season before with a knee injury, Bueckers is back thriving on the biggest stage.
“She’s a forgotten entity in the country, you know?” Auriemma said after the win over Jackson State Saturday. “I think maybe she reminded everybody that she’s still pretty good.”
UConn is off to Oregon for its 30th consecutive Sweet 16 appearance. The Huskies play Duke Saturday night (8 p.m., ESPN),