UConn’s Paige Bueckers and Geno Auriemma share mutual respect heading into the Final Four

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) - Following UConn’s victory over Southern California that sent the Huskies to the Final Four, Paige Bueckers and coach Geno Auriemma huddled over the contents of the box score.

"When she was sitting up here, I pointed to her four turnovers, I said, 'What was that?' And she immediately went to the next column and she said, 'Look, I got it back, I got four steals,'" Auriemma said. "That's her mentality, it’s always, 'This is what I did to help us win, I'm not worried about what the other stuff was.'"

The ability to know what it takes to win while letting the "other stuff" slide is what makes Bueckers a rare talent, and among the best ever to play for UConn, Auriemma added.

"I've admired that in her forever, that she believes in herself, whether you believe in her or not," Auriemma said. "And I happen to believe in her 100,000 percent."

Bueckers finished with 31 points in UConn’s 78-64 Elite Eight victory over the Trojans, that sent the Huskies to their record 24th national semifinal in the women's NCAA Tournament. UConn is set to play No. 1 overall seed UCLA on Friday in Tampa, Florida, as the Huskies vie for their first national championship since 2016.

Bueckers is playing out her final season with UConn and is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft later this month. So far in the tournament, she’s been playing as if she doesn’t want to surrender her UConn jersey.

She had a career-high 34 points in a second-round victory over South Dakota State in her final game at Gampel Pavilion, then bested that with a 40-point performance over Oklahoma in the Sweet 16.

"Just staying present, staying in the moment, not worrying about the pressures or the stakes because everybody's dealing with it, everybody's there to win a national title, and nobody is there on accident," Bueckers said about her process. "Everybody there is elite and great and there for a reason. So just sticking to being in the moment, staying present and capitalizing off of everything."

Auriemma called her "the most incredibly positive human being" he’s ever been around. But he still holds her accountable when she slips. During the game against Oklahoma, Auriemma got after Bueckers for her defense.

“Just an everyday interaction between Coach and Paige,” Bueckers shrugged with a smile.

The exchange was typical of the relationship between coach and player forged over Bueckers’ career in Storrs. Both are serious about winning, but there’s also some good-natured banter.

“For her to get all the attention she gets, have all the demands on her life, all the expectations in her life, and still be able to deliver - I thought she was a unique individual when I saw her in high school,” Auriemma said.

Bueckers arrived at UConn in 2020 and was the consensus national player of the year as a freshman. She played just 17 games the next season and sat out the entire 2022-23 campaign with a torn ACL.

This season, she earned AP All-America honors and was selected as the Big East player of the year for the third time. She’s averaging 20.1 points a game.

Auriemma let his guard down a bit after Bueckers helped UConn secure the trip to Tampa, Florida, for the Final Four as the two hope to extend Bueckers’ college career a bit longer.

"I'm really going to miss her," Auriemma whispered, before quickly adding: "I can't say that out loud."