No doubt, Paige Bueckers is the top asset for the Huskies this season. As she heads into what could be her final year, she’s aiming to go big for the title. Last season, she led the team with an average of 21.9 points per game and racked up 53 blocks, all while in recovery from her injury. Now, she’s back with full strength. But do you know the Huskies coaches have had to work with her on a specific mindset?

It’s so true that it’s all about balancing being unselfish and knowing when to take the shot. Chris Dailey, UConn’s associate head coach, put it perfectly, “When you are open, and you have an open shot, that’s your shot, you take it. If someone has a better shot, you pass it.” 

There have been moments when Paige’s plan to pass the ball raised some eyebrows. One has to be in the 2022 NCAA Tournament when the 23-year-old was seen as such. For instance, in the Elite Eight Game against North Carolina State, she finished with 14 points but took only four shots in the second half. 

“That’s kind of a philosophy we’ve lived by and Paige has bought into the unselfish part for sure.” Revealing their surprise method to WFSB 3, she said, “And now, we’ve tried to teach her is that when you pass up shots and you put your teammates in a bad situation that’s being selfish. So as unselfish as you think it is, you’re actually not helping them or team. So, we kind of had to retool the unselfish part for her.”

Consequently, her hesitation to take shots impacted the team’s ability to rally for a win in a regular-season game against Iowa, where she bagged just 17 points and only attempted three shots in the fourth quarter. This even had head coach Geno Auriemma asking her to step up her assertiveness. 

However, the good part is the Huskies guard has taken this feedback to heart. Now, she’s focusing on being more aggressive while keeping that team-first mentality. Meanwhile, here’s another excitement surrounding the program: the coaching duo of Geno Auriemma and Chris Dailey’s 40th anniversary at UConn. 

Geno & Chris celebrating four decades of excellence at Storr’s powerhouse

This year marks a significant milestone for UConn as they honor the legendary duo of Geno Auriemma and Chris Dailey throughout the 2024-25 season. The main celebration is on November 20, when they take on Fairleigh Dickinson at Gampel Pavilion. 

All student-athletes who played under Auriemma and Dailey since 1985 are invited back to join. As Auriemma approaches an incredible career record of 1,213-162, he stands just three wins shy of surpassing the recently retired one of the most legendary coaches Tara VanDerveer’s wins record. 

Huskies have to win against Boston University and South Florida before their matchup with Fairleigh Dickinson to make it more memorable for their HC. Taking the reins when the program had only one winning season, this magical duo has secured at least 25 wins for 31 consecutive seasons to date.

Well, beyond numbers, this says a lot about the legacy of excellence they’ve built together over the years. As the new season begins soon, all eyes are on Paige Bueckers and Co. Let’s see what they’ve got in their store!