Tag: UConn Women’s Basketball

Bill Fennelly was flabbergasted after Sarah Strong’s spectacular night vs. Iowa State

His flabbers were GHASTED.

UConn freshman Sarah Strong was so good when the Huskies played Iowa State that Cyclones head coach Bill Fennelly couldn’t believe it.

Listen, we tried to tell everyone about Sarah Strong. We even made this handy dandy guide of stellar freshmen you need to know headlined by her. However, we realize that not everyone will pay attention to what we say. Sometimes, they have to see it in person, and that’s precisely what happened to Bill Fennelly.

On Tuesday, Strong went scorched earth on the Cyclones, dropping 17 points in the 3rd quarter alone, as she shot her way to a career-high 29 points. (She also added nine rebounds and four assists, because why not.) Postgame, Fennelly was stunned by what he witnessed. “I don’t know if you can put it into words,” he told the media. “There’s certain people — Geno’s had them over the years — that the game looks really easy and it just pisses you off…She was so much better live than on video.”

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Paige Bueckers and UConn wore perfect blonde wigs to honor coach Chris Dailey

“She said we ate.”

On Wednesday night, plenty of shenanigans were happening to honor Uconn coach Geno Auriemma for his new all-time wins record, including a literal goat. But Paige Bueckers and the team wearing blonde wigs to celebrate Geno’s long-time coaching partner, Chris Dailey, might be the best of the night.

Geno doesn’t reach the top of college basketball’s wins list without receiving help along the way. Someone was there to support him and help UConn become the powerhouse it is. That person is coach Chris Dailey, who has been by Geno’s side for 40 years. YES. FORTY YEARS.

That kind of tenure is invaluable. So, to make sure that Dailey also felt love on such a massive night for the program, Paige Bueckers and UConn wore blonde wigs to a postgame press conference and in the locker room. Of course, as you might suspect, it was Paige’s idea. BRILLIANT.

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UNC women’s basketball loses ranked battle with Paige Bueckers and the Connecticut Huskies

UNC women’s basketball lost for the first time this season on Friday night, dropping a ranked battle against Paige Bueckers and UConn.

After three straight wins to open the 2024-25 women’s basketball season, the North Carolina Tar Heels ended up on the wrong side of a Friday night battle against No. 2 Connecticut.

The Huskies pulled away for a convincing 69-58 victory thanks to 29 points from star senior Paige Bueckers.

The Tar Heels beat Charleston Southern, UNC Wilmington, and North Carolina A&T all by at least 19 points to jump over the Blue Devils in the latest USA TODAY Sports Women’s Basketball Coaches Poll, but they never stood a chance on Friday.

Bueckers scored five points in the first 90 seconds, and the Huskies led 25-14 after the opening 10 minutes. She finished the game with four rebounds and assists apiece, and freshman Sarah Strong (a North Carolina native) tacked on 14 points, 13 rebounds, and six assists in the dominant display.

UNC and Duke face off for the first time in Chapel Hill on January 9th before a battle in Durham on February 27.

When will UConn’s Geno Auriemma break college basketball’s all-time wins record?

Here’s when Geno Auriemma could make college basketball history.

UConn head coach Geno Auriemma is on pace to make college basketball history this season. If you’re here, you’re probably wondering when he could break the sport’s all-time wins record.

Here’s the answer: Per Maggie Vanoni of CT Insider, if UConn wins its first four games of the season, Geno will surpass the current record holder Tara VanDerveer (1,216) on November 20 when the Huskies play the FDU Knights, pushing him to 1,217 total career wins.

The fantastic thing is that UConn seemingly expects him to do it that night because several former players will already be on hand that day to celebrate the school’s national championships, and tickets to that game are already sold out.

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UConn’s Geno Auriemma blasts current NIL landscape in rant about a broken system

Geno Auriemma is ranting about the NIL system — again.

UConn coach Geno Auriemma went on another rant about the NIL landscape and offered his solutions to fix the system.

This isn’t the first time the women’s basketball coach has expressed disapproval of how NIL currently works. He landed in hot water in January after lamenting the transfer portal’s challenges. During a speech, fans thought he was seemingly taking a swipe at a former player who transferred to another school.

Earlier this week, Auriemma was asked about suggestions he might have to fix NIL. Geno didn’t appear upset about NIL itself or any players getting paid. He’s seemingly frustrated that the NCAA hasn’t crafted any rules yet to fix some of the issues. Here’s what he said: (See the clip below/19:26 mark of the YouTube video. Warning: NSFW language):

“Do we keep the charade of student athlete and amateurism? Or do we call it what it is — semi-professional, pay-for-play sports? Keep the charade of student-athlete…Let’s just call it what it is. We’re gonna pay these guys to play basketball…and then let’s make it a business and figure out how do we manage this business.”

“Other sports have done it…They sign kids to contracts, and then you’re bound to your contract…Let’s do it. You already got kids holding out. You already got guys playing and going, ‘I ain’t playing until I get more money’. So, we become professional sports. Let’s say it, and let’s act it. And let’s stop the charade…”

“Let’s sign kids to a contract, and let’s put a buy-out in. Let’s make it a business because that’s exactly what it is. That would fix it. And let’s have a salary cap…”

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USC, UConn women’s basketball set up made-for-TV showdown

JuJu Watkins and Paige Bueckers met on April 1 of this year. They will meet again in December on national TV.

USC and UConn met in the Elite Eight at the 2024 Women’s NCAA Tournament. These two women’s basketball powers are among the favorites to reach the 2025 Women’s Final Four. USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb and UConn coach Geno Auriemma want their teams to be tested and challenged, so it should come as no surprise that the two coaches set up a made-for-TV college basketball showcase.

JuJu Watkins of USC and Paige Bueckers of UConn are expected to be the two foremost stars in women’s college basketball next season. If USC and UConn live up to their potential, JuJu and Paige could meet at the Final Four. Because of this game in the regular season, a Final Four clash would be a rematch.

USC has an upgraded roster this women’s basketball season. Kiki Iriafen and Talia von Oelhoffen have significantly improved the quality of the Trojans’ projected starting five. USC also has the No. 1-ranked recruiting class in the country for the 2024 cycle. UConn should be better next season if only because the Huskies were hammered by injuries this past season and should have a lot more depth than they did in 2024.

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Geno Auriemma shockingly didn’t even try to recruit UConn-obsessed Caitlin Clark out of high school

Caitlin Clark loved UConn but Geno Auriemma never gave her a chance.

Geno Auriemma has expressed he doesn’t want to give Caitlin Clark more motivation ahead of Iowa’s matchup with UConn in Friday’s Final Four battle. It seems he already failed at that mission long ago.

According to a story from ESPN’s Wright Thompson, as Clark dominated during her high school days with Dowling Catholic High School in Iowa, she understandably had aspirations of at least being evaluated, let alone recruited by Auriemma’s historically successful program. But for as much as Clark had hoped UConn would at least take a look at her game, it appears Auriemma never really gave her an earnest thought in those days.

More from ESPN:

“Honestly, it was more I wanted them to recruit me to say I got recruited,” Clark told ESPN. “I loved UConn. I think they’re the coolest place on earth, and I wanted to say I got recruited by them. They called my AAU coach a few times, but they never talked to my family and never talked to me.

“Clark’s coach at Dowling Catholic High School, Kristin Meyer, said that while some of the top schools in the country flooded into open gyms to see Clark play, there was one notable absence. “Geno never came,” Meyer told ESPN.

Phew. Now, that is a story I’m sure both Clark and Auriemma haven’t forgotten to this day. For as successful as Auriemma has been with his Huskies, he never even tried to recruit arguably the greatest college basketball player of all time. That’s kinda wild to consider, even in hindsight.

And now, with a trip to the 2024 national championship game on the line, he has to face down Clark, hoping (praying?) she doesn’t light up his team.

Gulp.

Geno Auriemma jokingly tried to stay on Caitlin Clark’s good side to stop her from lighting up UConn

Geno Auriemma is treading VERY lightly with Caitlin Clark.

To reach the Final Four yet again, Geno Auriemma’s UConn Huskies have an almost impossibly difficult task in front of them: Beating Iowa’s Caitlin Clark at the peak of her college powers.

And after watching what Clark did to LSU in an instant classic Elite Eight battle, Auriemma isn’t taking any chances. In fact, he’s seemingly pulling out all the stops to ensure she doesn’t have any extra motivation for Friday’s semifinal heavyweight fight.

After UConn beat USC to advance to the Final Four on Monday, Auriemma started joking about everything he overtly appreciates about Clark as a player. Why? This was his earnest effort to keep her hopefully grounded so she doesn’t light the Huskies up:

Talk about some elite gamesmanship. Auriemma knows that if Clark comes locked in ready for a historic performance, then UConn probably doesn’t have much of a chance to win. This is how you keep expectations low — by staying on a superstar’s good side.

Dawn Staley dubbed Paige Bueckers the most elite women’s basketball player ever and here’s why

Dawn Staley dubbed Paige Bueckers women’s basketball royalty, and her reasoning makes it hard to disagree.

Paige Buckers is one of the best shooters in the country, and South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley knows it. It’s why Staley thinks Bueckers is the most elite player women’s basketball has ever offered.

Dawn Staley is careful and intentional about her words. When she compliments a women’s basketball player, people listen. She has a deep appreciation for the sport and its athletes, so it’s not surprising that she dropped heavy praise for UConn superstar Paige Bueckers.

Bueckers has been a household name for years and has battled her way back from injuries to drop serious buckets this season, propelling UConn all the way to the Sweet 16. In a newly released clip, LSU’s Hailey Van Lith and Flau’jae Johnson, plus Staley, give Paige her flowers. But it’s Staley’s words that you need to hear.

Here’s what Dawn shared about Paige (See the clip below and the 8:09 mark of the YouTube video):

“Paige is great. I think Paige is probably the elitist basketball player to ever grace our game. You look at her efficiency — she doesn’t take bad shots.”

How to buy NCAA Tournament Portland Regional Women’s Sweet 16 and Elite 8 tickets

Want to watch March Madness and the women’s Sweet 16/Elite 8 live in Portland this weekend? Tickets are still available for as little as $23.

Only 16 teams remain in the 2024 NCAA Women’s Tournament, and half of them will be playing in Portland, Ore. this weekend.

That’s right, March Madness heads to Portland as Moda Center at the Rose Quarter is set to host a weekend of Sweet 16 and Elite matchups that will eventually send two teams onto Cleveland and the Final Four.

SHOP: Portland Regional Sweet 16 and Elite 8 tickets

Individual tickets to Portland’s Sweet 16 action give access to both games on a single day.

On Friday, March 29, No. 2 Stanford kicks off the Portland Regionals when they take on No. 3 North Carolina State at 7:30 p.m. EDT.

That game will be immediately followed by No. 1 Texas vs. No. 5 Gonzaga.

SHOP: Friday Sweet 16 tickets for as little as $23

On Saturday, March 30, the other Portland Regional gets underway with JuJu Watkins and No. 1 USC vs. No. 5 Baylor at 5:30 p.m. EDT.

That game will be immediately followed by Paige Bueckers and No. 3 UConn vs. No. 7 Duke.

SHOP: Saturday Sweet 16 tickets for as little as $37

If you want to catch all the action, weekend passes are still available for as little as $146.

The weekend passes include access to all four of Thursday and Friday’s Sweet 16 games and then both Saturday’s and Sunday’s Elite Eight showdowns between the winners of Thursday and Friday’s Sweet 16 contests.

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