Paige Bueckers sat to her coach’s left with a towel draped over her shoulders, fighting back tears. She was minutes removed from walking off the court at Target Center, a mere 10 miles from where she grew up, having lost in the national championship to South Carolina. While her coach, Geno Auriemma, was similarly disappointed in the result, he had watched for 40 minutes as his group was stifled by the Gamecocks’ swarming defense and over-whelming physicality; he knew full well who the better team was.
Despite having made 14 consecutive Final Four appearances, Auriemma sat at a dais and said it was difficult to predict how next season would go. Still, with his star guard by his side—both literally, and figuratively—he remained hopeful.
“I like our chances,” Auriemma said. “Provided we don’t have to navigate a season like we did this year—knock on wood—if we stay healthy, I expect to be back here next year.”
