UConn women's basketball's Paige Bueckers reacts to Geno Auriemma becoming all-time winningest coach
11/21/2024 10:39 AM
Geno Auriemma was met with a lot of fanfare from his current and former players who have played for the UConn women’s basketball program. The legendary coach now has the most wins of any basketball coach, men’s or women’s, in NCAA history with 1,217. Current UConn star Paige Bueckers spoke on her relationship with Auriemma and how he deserves to be celebrated, even if he does not take that time to do it himself very often.
“He gives credit to everybody around him, and he doesn’t really take it for himself,” Paige Bueckers said, via Alexa Philippou of ESPN. “But what he’s build here, it’s here because of him, so he definitely downplays it. He doesn’t want to do the whole thing: the celebration, the goats, the ice cream, it’s all extra to him. But he deserves it, and we want to celebrate him, because he doesn’t celebrate himself a lot. So everyone around him will make sure they do that job.”
Auriemma was met with a live goat during the festivities celebrating his 40-year tenure as the UConn women’s basketball coach. It was also a celebration of associate head coach Chris Dailey, who has been there for Auriemma’s entire tenure. Three different ice cream specials were sold at the school’s Dairy Bar celebrating both Auriemma and Dailey.
UConn women’s basketball honors Chris Dailey in hilarious way
Chris Dailey’s legacy is intertwined with Auriemma, and she is a legendary figure of the program in her own right. After the game, current players wore wigs that resembled Dailey’s hair.
Honoring the legendary CD pic.twitter.com/ZvmwItR3gm
— UConn Women's Basketball (@UConnWBB) November 21, 2024
It was Bueckers’ idea, as explained by Azzi Fudd, who returned to action for the first time since her ACL injury that she suffered just over a year ago.
“It was actually my idea,” Azzi Fudd said, jokingly, via UConn on SNY. “It was Paige’s idea. We had to get CD bobs to you know, celebrate her today.”
The idea to wear Chris Dailey wigs at the UConn podium postgame was from Paige Bueckers pic.twitter.com/qcBHLMFFjM
— UConn on SNY (@SNYUConn) November 21, 2024
Bueckers detailed how Dailey reacted to the wigs as well.
“She said we ate, but we didn’t eat as hard as she does,” Bueckers said.
“I think we ate,” Sarah Strong added with a laugh.
What was Chris Dailey's reaction to the wigs Paige Bueckers and the players wore?
"She said we ate, but we don't eat as hard as she does" pic.twitter.com/dTz9otq5zB
— UConn on SNY (@SNYUConn) November 21, 2024
After the historic night, Auriemma and UConn women’s basketball will try to add to the legacy that already exists. The team has the talent to win a 12th national championship this season, and it will be interesting to see how the Huskies fare over the course of the season and in March.
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