Caitlin Clark may be the biggest star not only in women’s basketball but also in college hoops today. However, UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma firmly believes his player in Paige Bueckers is way better than anyone else in the game today.
Auriemma made the declaration after Bueckers propelled the Huskies into the Sweet 16 after beating the Syracuse Orange on Monday.
Paige Bueckers Powers UConn Huskies vs. Syracuse Orange
The third-seeded Huskies came into the fight with the sixth-seeded Orange expecting a hard-fought contest, and that’s exactly what they got with Dyaisha Fair making things interesting for Syracuse in the second half.
However, Bueckers proved to be too much to overcome for Syracuse, with UConn eventually escaping with the 72-64 victory. The 22-year-old guard finished with 32 points, paired with 10 rebounds and six assists. She also tallied four steals and one block, all while shooting 14-of-25 from the field.
Bueckers did it all for the Huskies, and it paid off big time. Fair had 20 for Syracuse, including 18 in the second half in an attempt to stage a late fightback. Unfortunately for the Orange, that 11-point hole they put themselves into was just too difficult to overcome, especially against a player of Bueckers’ caliber.
“The stats will tell you one thing, you know? The 10 rebounds, six assists and the four steals,” Auriemma said of Bueckers’ performance in the game, per ESPN. “But it’s like when they happen and how they impact the game that’s so remarkable.”
UConn Huskies’ Paige Bueckers the Best in America?
After Monday’s display, there’s no denying now that Paige Bueckers is one of the best female basketball players in the nation. But for Geno Auriemma, that is still an understatement of her star player’s abilities.
Speaking to reporters postgame, Auriemma claimed that Bueckers is the “best player in America.”
“We have the best player in America. Just saying that because the numbers, in this world of analytics, say that she is. And the stat sheet says that she is. And everybody that watched knows it,” Auriemma boldly declared, via SNY.
Many might see this as Auriemma simply backing up his player. After all, with Caitlin Clark dominating the women’s scene as well and setting records in the process, it might be hard for the UConn Huskies head coach to argue his case.
Nonetheless, Bueckers is one of the top players in the game for a reason. Had it not been for a torn ACL in 2022, she might have been neck-and-neck with Clark for the top player title in college hoops. However, in the NCAA Tournament, she’s definitely solidifying her position as one of the best.
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