The UConn Huskies are enjoying life in the post-Paige Bueckers era, opening the new season with a perfect 8\u20130 record. With Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong leading the charge, Geno Auriemma\u2019s team looks very much like a group capable of defending its crown.<\/p>\n
Watch What\u2019s Trending Now!<\/p>\n
But the grounds of Storrs still miss their MVP from last season. Paige Bueckers may not be a Lady Husky anymore, but the training arena continues to feel her presence. With the WNBA in its offseason, Paige has been back at UConn, joining practice sessions to stay sharp ahead of the upcoming Unrivaled season.<\/p>\n
This weekend, Paige was once again spotted practicing with the Huskies as they prepared for their upcoming games, including a big matchup against USC on December 13. She wasn\u2019t alone either. Former UConn star Aaliyah Edwards was also in the gym, getting work in with the team.<\/p>\n
View this post on Instagram<\/p>\n
Geno Auriemma was asked about having the two former Huskies back in the gym, and the forever-witty head coach had a perfectly humorous reply. \u201cI don\u2019t think there was anything special about\u2014 I mean, it was great to see Aaliyah. It was great to see Aaliyah, because we hadn\u2019t seen her in a while, and she looks fantastic. I mean, it was great to have her here,\u201d Auriemma told the media as per Sports Illustrated. \u201cThe other one is like having Dennis the Menace back on campus.\u201d<\/p>\n
Of course, seeing Aaliyah Edwards back on campus is always a welcome sight. The Connecticut Sun forward spent four years at UConn from 2020 to 2024 and helped lead the Huskies to the Final Four in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, all while earning first-team All-Big East and second-team All-America honors along the way.<\/p>\n
And the Dennis the Menace reference? Of course, that was aimed at Paige. Geno Auriemma didn\u2019t stop there, either. He took another lighthearted jab at Bueckers while talking to reporters.<\/p>\n
\u201cLike, would you be surprised if I said that every time Paige scores in practice, she has to remind everybody, \u2018I\u2019m in the W now! You can\u2019t guard me now!\u2019 Okay, great.\u201d He then kept the joke going, sarcastically asking the room, \u201cHey, did you guys know she was in the W?\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n This is just how the two of them are, and it\u2019s a big part of what makes their relationship so special. The banter between Paige and Geno has always been on another level. Remember last season when Auriemma jokingly called her \u201cdeluded\u201d because she always thought she was right and never acknowledged her mistakes? Geno has never been afraid to dish out tough love, and that straightforward honesty is one of the reasons Paige chose UConn in the first place.<\/a><\/p>\n But last season, when they finally won a championship together, we saw just how much genuine respect and love there is between them. Paige went through everything during her college career \u2014 from the highs of winning National Player of the Year as a freshman to the lows of a tibial plateau fracture, a torn ACL, a sprained knee, and even a heartbreaking championship loss. After all that, lifting the trophy with Geno by her side was the perfect ending to her UConn story.<\/p>\n