UConn superstar guard Paige Bueckers scored a career-high 40 points on Saturday in her team's Sweet 16 win over Oklahoma in Spokane, Washington.
However, she had only scored 21 points for the Huskies going into the game's third quarter. UConn coach Geno Auriemma talked with ESPN's Holly Rowe about getting Bueckers to play up to her usual standard.
Auriemma even joked at the end of the interview that maybe Rowe should talk to Bueckers about ramping up her level of play.
Well, whatever energy Auriemma put into the world worked, as Bueckers scored 19 points in the game's final frame and helped UConn post its commanding 82-59 final score.
Is this just one giant coincidence, or did Auriemma's interview indirectly inspire Bueckers' fiery 19-point fourth quarter?
Well, no matter what, Bueckers, Auriemma and UConn are officially headed to the Elite Eight of the 2025 women's NCAA tournament.
paige dropped 19 in the fourth quarter after this lmaoooo 40 for the night https://t.co/y4j2B5z36J
— whitney medworth (@its_whitney) March 29, 2025
This article originally appeared on For The Win: How Geno Auriemma inadvertently sparked Paige Bueckers' 40-point UConn game
