Playing in front of a sold-out Mohegan Sun crowd, Paige Bueckers dropped 21 points, dished out seven assists, and pulled down two rebounds to help seal the Wings’ 86-83 win over the Sun.
UConn faithful filled the seats, chanting her name like nothing’s changed. After the final buzzer, Bueckers found herself swapping hugs with Azzi Fudd and KK Arnold, swapping stories with old friends right there on the hardwood. Cameras caught every second. By midnight, their reunion photos were everywhere.
Paige Bueckers Reunites With Azzi Fudd, KK Arnold, and Geno Auriemma in Emotional Return
Friday marked Bueckers’ second WNBA appearance in Connecticut, but her connection to the state runs far deeper. The Mohegan Sun Arena was a second home during her time with the UConn Huskies under longtime head coach Geno Auriemma.
This time, Auriemma was watching from the stands. He watched as his former player led her new team to their third win of the season. He wasn’t the only familiar face. Former teammates Azzi Fudd and KK Arnold were also seen courtside. Fans captured moments of all three sharing hugs and laughs after the final buzzer.
Huskies catching up and getting their photo ops with Paige Bueckers đź’™ pic.twitter.com/16Fj1xyurC
— Emily Adams (@eaadams6) June 21, 2025
Catching up and getting their photo ops with Paige Bueckers đź’™, Emily Adams wrote on X. Carl Adamec shared a candid shot of Bueckers with Arnold postgame, a reunion that sparked more conversation than the box score itself.
Bueckers Leads Wings to Gritty Win While Fans Chant Her Name at Mohegan Sun
Even as the away player, Paige Bueckers felt right at home. The Connecticut crowd chanted her name like she never left. Her intro got the loudest cheers of the night, and every big moment she touched the ball, the place lit up again.
“It’s fun coming back here every single time, they’ve always shown so much love to me, and it’s been a state that’s done a lot for me,” Bueckers said postgame. “It’s always amazing to come back and to get another win here, continue to keep building on what we’ve been doing as a team, and keep striving for better.”
Paige Bueckers on playing in Connecticut
“It’s fun coming back here every single time…they’ve always shown love to me…it’s amazing to come back here and get another win here…it was a full team victory so that was fun to play that way.”
— Moreau Sports Media Prod Co. (@MoreauSportsCo) June 21, 2025
Head coach Chris Koclanes praised her maturity, saying she impacted the game in ways that don’t show up on the stat sheet.
“Even on a night like tonight, she carries us the first half, scoring-wise, and then doesn’t have a FG in the second half, but has five assists, plays fantastic defense, and continues to find ways to impact the game,” Koclanes said. “Off the floor, continuing to get more and more confident each day.”
