Geno Auriemma confident in another UConn title

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Connecticut women's basketball head coach Geno Auriemma is still confident in his program's ability to bring in another national title at some point in the future despite the fact that the 2020-21 national player of the year is out due to injury.

Auriemma told reporters before the pep rally that they were going to win another one. It's just a question of when. We're going to win another one. Sooner is better for me.

The program's first appearance in two years was in the national title game, where it lost to South Carolina. It was the first time in the history of the national championship game that the University of Connecticut lost.

With reigning national player of the year Aliyah Boston back this season as a senior and three other returning starters in tow, the Gamecocks are expected to win it all in 2022-23.

The best challenger to South Carolina for the time being was thought to be the Huskies, until Bueckers went down with an injured knee. The 5-foot-11 point guard from Minnesota missed 19 games in the 21st century due to injuries, but returned in time to help the University of Connecticut win the national title.

While the UCLA men have 11 titles, Auriemma is the only DI basketball coach with that many of his own, and a 12th title would be the best mark for any school. The Huskies will be looking to fill the voids of their seniors who were drafted into the NBA: Christyn Williams,Olivia Nelson-Ododa and E.

In order to make up for the losses, the University of Connecticut will rely on the likes of returners Azzi Fudd and Dorka Juhsz, as well as newcomers Lou Lopez Sénéchal and AaliyahEdwards.

We're trying to keep everyone in their normal rhythm. Asking them that will result in you having to do a little more. The little things that you're trying to impart on them have been great. They have been receptive and are embracing it.

Auriemma said he has addressed Bueckers' injury and its implications for the team a few times, but otherwise wants to keep it on the back burner as the squad looks to uphold their standard of excellence even without their star. All but two of the team's regular contributors missed time due to injury or illness at some point in the season, with Juhsz suffering a season-ending wrist injury in the Final Four.

The Huskies were able to beat two of the top teams in the tournament to get to the national title game.

"It was like that last year when we were going through those 20 games, we were a national championship contender until we got knocked out." We will not be anymore if that day comes. We have a good chance of winning the national championship. We will see where that leads. We still have a chance despite not being as good a chance as we were in June.

Auriemma was asked if he has more appreciation for the four straight titles that his team won in a row.

The more you get away from the run the more you realize it was a fantasy land. There is no guarantee that you will be in this game for four years in a row, so you have to maximize every opportunity that you can. I really like the opportunities that we have. It's hard to get to the Final Four for the 14th year in a row.

Bueckers has already said she will come back in 24 years. She could pursue three seasons of eligibility if she redshirted this season, thanks to the "freebie" COVID-19 year granted to all student athletes during the Pandemic.

In the first month of the season, it will play Texas, NC State, and Princeton, as well as traveling to Notre Dame and Maryland. It will play Tennessee and South Carolina in January and February respectively.