Geno Auriemma, Paige Bueckers describe embrace following UConn's national title win

Connecticut ended this season by winning their twelfth national championship. Geno Auriemma and Paige Bueckers ended her career today too with a wonderful moment embracing each other as she came off the floor for the final time as a Husky.

Following the 82-59 win over South Carolina, ESPN’s Holly Rowe asked both Auriemma and Bueckers about the hug between the two as she checked out for the last time for UConn. Auriemma was clearly still emotional about it as he expressed his love for her as an all-time player that he’s been able to coach.

Happy tears. Paige Bueckers came to UConn to win and she did just that. A perfect ending to her illustrious college career. pic.twitter.com/Eqv8iTqxwm

— Madeline Kenney (@madkenney) April 6, 2025

“I mean, they’ve all been gratifying. Don’t get me wrong. But, this one here, because of the way it came about and what’s been involved? Um, it’s been a long time since I’ve been that emotional when a player’s walked off the court,” Auriemma said.

“I love you,” Auriemma said was his message to her in that moment. “That’s all I can say. I love you.”

Rowe asked Bueckers the same question moments later with a similar message from her of gratitude. Their relationship wasn’t always easy but is one she appreciates for all that he got out of her in her collegiate career.

“Yeah, he told me he loved me and I told him I hated him, so,” Bueckers joked. “I love that, I love that man, like, more than words can describe, and there’s a lot of times I don’t, but it’s because he’s challenging me and making us all better in ways we never even knew we could and he always has our backs. That’s the thing. Like, sometimes, you feel like he’s on you and he has nothing but bad things to say but he always has belief, he always has your back.”

“The relationship that we have? I can’t even put it into words,” said Bueckers.

Bueckers was missing just one thing on her five-year resumé at UConn. She finally won a national title now with it being the program’s first since their four-peat in 2016 and their dozenth all-time all under Auriemma. With that, she cements her place forever in Storrs among the other greats from during his tenure.

Auriemma and Bueckers have spent a half-decade together accomplishing and achieving a lot for UConn. This title, and that hug, now encapsulates all of that in the final moment in the career of one of the school’s best-ever players.