Tag: UConn Women’s Basketball

Geno Auriemma cracked a fitting ATM joke about stacking up more wins after hitting historic 1,200 wins milestone

We’ve never heard getting more wins be equated to withdrawing money, but it kind of works.

UConn women’s basketball has been going through a transformational season. Injuries have seemingly changed expectations and the team’s trajectory moving forward. Yet, under the guidance of head coach Geno Auriemma, the team is still maintaining its winning ways. Auriemma is now the third coach in NCAA Division I basketball history to get to 1,200 wins.

The 2023-2024 season has not exactly gone as planned for UConn women’s basketball. Despite star guard Paige Bueckers returning, the team lost Azzi Fudd, Aubrey Griffin and several other players to injuries. That reality has forced Bueckers and Geno Auriemma to reevaluate the team’s future. Add in the changing NIL landscape, which did not sit well with Auriemma, and the season has been all about adjusting and creating a new norm.

But Auriemma is still managing to thrive in the chaos. On Wednesday, he coached his way to 1,200 wins, joining Mike Krzyzewski and Standford’s Tara Van Derveer as the only three coaches in NCAA Division I basketball history to reach the milestone.

Overall, Auriemma was seemingly very grateful for the moment and happy with the achievement, but postgame, he did manage to crack a joke about if he will solely own the record for most wins.

Here’s what he said:

“I would think more along the lines of single digits, not hundreds. This isn’t a casino ATM, you know? They spit out hundreds. It’s been my philosophy since the beginning that there isn’t a number that I’m searching for…that I’m trying to reach. There is no whale that I’m chasing and obsessed over. When it’s over, it’s over. And, whatever the number is at that time is what it’s going to be…I could probably say with a great deal of certainty that I’ll never be No. 1 in wins…”

Geno Auriemma takes not-so-subtle shot at NIL era athletes in pointed rant about recruiting challenges

In a new rant, Geno Auriemma called out NIL era athletes. His words eventually prompted Angel Reese to defend a fellow player.

UConn women’s basketball head coach Geno Auriemma is in hot water after sharing his thoughts on how NIL deals have impacted the college landscape.

For many years, there has been much chatter about whether college athletes should be compensated for using their name, image and likeness (NIL). Universities nationwide have profited from stellar athletes (like Caitlin Clark) who draw attention and dollars to sports programs. That has prompted those same athletes to argue that they should see part of the money, spurring a massive culture-shifting movement for the foreseeable future.

However, some coaches don’t see it that way and are struggling to adjust to the impact NIL deals have made on their jobs, especially when it comes to recruiting and maintaining talent. Uconn Huskies coach Geno Auriemma recently shared what he feels are challenges in this new era.

Many fans quickly pieced together that he was seemingly taking a swipe at Lauren Park-Lane of Mississippi State when he mentioned Seton Hall during a press conference on January 13. She transferred from Seton Hall to Mississippi State after her 2022-23 season. The dig at Park-Lane prompted a response from the player herself.

As Auriemma’s words went through basketball circles, Park-Lane’s strength and conditioning coach and LSU star Angel Reese also responded, jumping in to defend the senior guard.

To be clear, Geno Auriemma is not wrong for sharing his thoughts, but coaches will never be able to have a nuanced conversation about the NIL era if they single out players or make sweeping assumptions about why a player may transfer.

Aubrey Griffin’s season-ending ACL injury proves just how cruel sports can be

You absolutely hate to see this.

The injuries the Uconn Huskies women’s basketball team has sustained this season seem unreal, but things are worsening. Aubrey Griffin is out for the season with a torn ACL.

On Tuesday, Paige Bueckers was asked about staying another year at UConn. She jokingly said that head coach Geno Auriemma likely wants her to play another due to the injuries that have piled up during the season. Despite her light demeanor, the reality of wanting more time with her teammates was something Bueckers hinted at when also asked about possibly moving on to the WNBA.

However, Bueckers’ decision may not get any easier because things just got way more complicated for UConn. Senior Aubrey Griffin, who had been out indefinitely since January 3, is now out for the season.

Griffin’s injury is the 4th season-ending injury for the team. When asked about Griffin’s injury just days ago, Auriemma was heartbroken.

We are sending thoughts and good vibes to Uconn women’s basketball.

Paige Bueckers is seemingly in no rush to declare for the WNBA draft

UConn star Paige Bueckers is all in on her teammates, and that means weighing her future in the WNBA.

Paige Bueckers is considered to be potentially one of the top picks in the WNBA draft should she choose to declare, but the hoops star recently insinuated that she might have unfinished business at UConn.

Paige Bueckers is a star who has become a driving force at UConn under head coach Geno Auriemma. However, during her college basketball career her team has faced some truly unfortunate headwinds with injuries.

This year has been no different. The team has endured injuries to Azzi Fudd, Aubrey Griffin, Jana El Alfy, Ayanna Patterson and Caroline Ducharme. Several of those have been season-ending.

On Tuesday, when asked about whether or not she had talked to Auriemma about playing another year, Bueckers made light of all the injuries, saying that her coach likely wants her to stay now.

However, what she said next when asked about potentially going to the WNBA may reveal where her heart truly lies.

Hoops fans ripped an unhinged hot take about UConn’s Paige Bueckers

Imagine being LOUD and WRONG at the same time. This is unhinged behavior.

Hot takes are not an unusual thing for the internet. It’s kind of its thing. However, some hot takes go too far and must be addressed, like when a sports branding consultant recently claimed that UConn star Paige Bueckers was not a household name.

UConn’s Paige Bueckers suffered an ACL injury during the 2022-2023 season, but true to form (and head coach Geno Auriemma’s prediction), she’s back this season and playing lights out basketball as expected.

Her impressive play against ranked teams is turning heads (especially around WNBA evaluators) amid a season where UConn has dealt with several gut-wrenching injuries.

So, it’s unsurprising that Jay “Chuck” Fields, a sports branding consultant, would be commenting, as many fans do, on women’s basketball and one of its biggest stars.

The problem is that Fields LOUDLY and INCORRECTLY said that Bueckers wasn’t a household name, alluding to the notion that she is not an Angel Reese or Caitlin Clark level of player. (By the way, if you’re going to insult someone, at least be grammatically correct.)

Women’s basketball fans responded (with the receipts!) and promptly roasted Fields. Please enjoy this content.

9 underrated women’s hoops freshmen who deserve more attention, including UConn’s KK Arnold and Texas’ Madison Booker

UConn’s KK Arnold, Texas’ Madison Booker and seven other freshmen players need more of the spotlight.

The 2023-2024 basketball season is underway, and while a lot of the women’s basketball chatter has been about top talents in the sport, this year’s freshman class has been making noise.

In November, For The Win listed five first-year students who needed to be on your radar, like USC’s JuJu Watkins, who has been playing lights out all season and leading her team. In ESPN’s latest ranking of impactful freshmen, Watkins is mentioned, but so are several other first-year players.

If you want to follow the development of some underrated talent, here are nine other players that you need to get into:

College hoops fans are devastated over news of Azzi Fudd’s season-ending injury

This is heartbreaking news.

On Wednesday, women’s college basketball fans were stunned to learn that Uconn Huskies guard Azzi Fudd will miss the remainder of the 2023-2024 season.

Fudd hoped to return to the Huskies this season after unfortunate injuries had stalled her playing career. She needed the time to get healthy and develop to make it to the WNBA after college. But, Fudd’s road back to total health will have to wait.

In a shocking turn of events, her lingering absence in recent days has now been explained. After only two games of playing time, she is out for the season with a brutal meniscus and ACL injury.

Per Alexa Philippou of ESPN, head coach Geno Auriemma shared his thoughts about Fudd’s setback:

“We’re all just so upset for Azzi. She worked hard to be healthy for this season, and it’s unfortunate when you put in a lot of hard work and have a setback like this. Azzi loves the game and works tirelessly. I’m confident she’ll rehab with the same work ethic and come back better than ever. We’ll obviously miss her presence on the court, but Azzi will continue to be a great teammate and important part of this team this season. Our program will support Azzi through her recovery however we can.”

Women’s college basketball fans couldn’t help but feel shock and sorrow over the news:

UConn Huskies fans loved a wholesome video of Aaliyah Edwards meeting her ‘mini me’

File this under things you love to see.

UConn basketball star Aaliyah Edwards met her “mini-me,” and the vibes are immaculate.

“Black girl magic” is more than a phrase; it’s a movement. From Angel Reese to Simone Biles to CoCo Guaff, black women are having a huge year. Impact like that doesn’t go unnoticed, and it trickles down to even the smallest of fans.

Enter Uconn basketball’s Aaliyah Edwards.

The Canadian forward has made a name for herself since joining the team in 2020 and earned six awards this year, including All-BIG EAST First Team and AP Third Team All-American.

With her signature purple and gold braids as a tribute to the late Kobe Bryant, it’s hard to miss Edwards moving up and down the court. In a fitting turn of events, the 21-year-old recently met a young fan who also has braids just like her.

Per a video posted to Edward’s social media that is absolutely precious, Ari, a young basketball fan, can be seen introducing herself as Edwards for Halloween and explaining details about who she is and what she does.

Later in the clip, there are several photos of Ari and Edwards posing and smiling when they met — just completely wholesome stuff.

Uconn Huskies fans immediately chimed in and applauded the video.

UConn guard Azzi Fudd says the WNBA can wait: ‘Why would I want to leave?’

Priorities first.

Azzi Fudd is clear about her priorities, and the WNBA will have to wait.

The Uconn Huskies guard is talented but has battled several injuries. A lingering foot issue kept her out of 11 games during her first year. Then, some awful knee injuries stopped Fudd from appearing in 22 games during her sophomore season.

In a recently posted clip, WNBA star turned ESPN basketball analyst and reporter Rebecca Lobo recently asked Fudd about her plans at the end of the upcoming 2023-2024 season.

“I plan on staying,” Fudd said calmly and confidently. “Why would I want to leave the basketball capital of the world?”

Despite being eligible to join the WNBA once she turns 22, Fudd plans to return to UConn. The move makes sense, given that she would have time to work on staying healthy and developing her game. Fudd would also likely be a top pick in 2025 and has several NIL deals that she can continue to utilize in the interim.

Also, with five Final Four appearances since 2017, there’s a chance Fudd could add hardware to her trophy case before joining the WNBA.

UConn guard Azzi Fudd says the WNBA can wait: ‘Why would I want to leave?’

Priorities first.

Azzi Fudd is clear about her priorities, and the WNBA will have to wait.

The Uconn Huskies guard is talented but has battled several injuries. A lingering foot issue kept her out of 11 games during her first year. Then, some awful knee injuries stopped Fudd from appearing in 22 games during her sophomore season.

In a recently posted clip, WNBA star turned ESPN basketball analyst and reporter Rebecca Lobo recently asked Fudd about her plans at the end of the upcoming 2023-2024 season.

“I plan on staying,” Fudd said calmly and confidently. “Why would I want to leave the basketball capital of the world?”

Despite being eligible to join the WNBA once she turns 22, Fudd plans to return to UConn. The move makes sense, given that she would have time to work on staying healthy and developing her game. Fudd would also likely be a top pick in 2025 and has several NIL deals that she can continue to utilize in the interim.

Also, with five Final Four appearances since 2017, there’s a chance Fudd could add hardware to her trophy case before joining the WNBA.