“The inexperienced part that’s nothing we can do about that.” Geno Auriemma hasn’t shied away from expressing his concern about one aspect that the UConn Huskies lack and is heavily relying on Paige Buecker’s solo excellence. However, the coach must have felt the relief last game where despite Bueckers sitting for the whole fourth quarter, the young Huskies posted 13 points cruising with a 86-49 victory over South Florida. If this level of teamwork continues, Auriemma’s now-revealed preseason hopes for the team could very well come to fruition.

A recent clip from a past interview with UConn head coach Geno Auriemma has come to light, thanks to a Instagram post, from his former mentee, Rebecca Lobo. In the video, Auriemma was asked about what he and the team have learned over the years from dealing with injuries. Without missing a beat, he revealed the valuable lessons they’ve gained and his overall philosophy for his 40-year-old team as well.

“It’s made us realize we can’t control everything. It’s given us an opportunity to prove to ourselves that we can overcome just about anything because we’re UConn. Yes. That’s a coaching point to our players. We can wallow and feel sorry for ourselves and everyone would understand. Or we can suck it up and say we’re Connecticut. And as long as we can put 5 healthy bodies on the floor, we are going to the final 4. That’s the only way I know how to do it,” mentioned Auriemma in the interview dated October 30, 2024.

Auriemma’s response was a clear reflection of the unwavering spirit he holds for the Connecticut program. Despite the setbacks of the past, he remains unfazed and he firmly believes that with five fit players on the court, they have every chance to make it all the way to the Final Four.

And so far this season, it seems his optimism has been justified. Even with four key players—Azzi Fudd and Aubrey Griffin, the seniors, among them—sidelined for recovery, UConn has continued to dominate in both the fixtures. But that doesn’t mean the coach is without his concerns as earlier he opened up about one weakness that has him feeling stuck at times.

UConn’s has unwieldy weakness but Azzi Fudd’s return could propel Geno Auriemma’s title dreams

UConn’s roster is led by three senior players who’ve been with the program since their college careers began, but the only one currently available is redshirt senior Paige Bueckers. In fact, Caroline Ducharme, who is also recovering from an injury, is the only other player with at least two seasons of experience, as she enters her junior year. This leaves Auriemma’s squad with four newcomers and five players who have seen limited action on big stage in the past. Thus, inexperience is certainly a challenge that could affect the team’s performance.

Having genuine concerns and challenges arising from the same, the 11x champion coach had stated, “I think I have to make a decision a lot of times is the inconsistency because of inexperience. They just haven’t been in those situations enough times or the inconsistency because mentally you know we need to learn how to focus better. We need to learn how to concentrate on exactly what it is. The inexperienced part that’s nothing we can do about that.”

His concerns aren’t without merit as nearly two-thirds of the team roster still lack experience in high-pressure situations. However, hopes are pinned on the potential return of Azzi Fudd, who could soon join Paige Bueckers in the quest for championship glory. If Fudd makes her comeback as expected in the third week of November, it would be a huge boost for the coach as it would not only curb the inexperience factor, but potentially bring him closer to fulfilling his eight-year-long dream of claiming another national title.