UConn Huskies Coach Geno Auriemma Buries Beef With WNBA Star

UConn-based reunions and reconciliation when the Dallas Wings did battle with the Golden State Valkyries on Tuesday.

Husky headlines dominated the WNBA Western Conference clash that concluded Commissioner’s Cup competition for both sides: the teams of newly-crowned national champions Paige Bueckers and Kaitlyn Chen faced off in a professional setting for the first time while their head coach Geno Auriemma ended his battle with Wings star Arike Ogunbowale.

Following Dallas’ 80-71 victory, Auriemma shared a brief handshake and hug with Ogunbowale, who deemed it enough to humorously declare peace with the longtime Storrs boss in the aftermath.

“Dapped up Geno after the game,” Ogunbowale said in a postgame X appearance, capping her note off with laughing and crying emojis. “The beef is officially over.”

Ogunbowale has long been a cursed name in Storrs: she and Auriemma had been best of enemies ever since a 2014 Twitter exchange that saw Ogunbowale, then a sought-after recruit from Milwaukee, eschew UConn on her list of desired destinations, which included her eventually landing spot of Notre Dame. Auriemma responded in turn by telling fans to “stay tuned for my list of the 5 players I saw the past 7 days that I have zero interest in recruiting. [sic]”

Ogunbowale perhaps officially introduced herself to national audiences with a breakout run at the 2018 NCAA Tournament, which featured a game-winner in overtime in the Final Four round against Auriemma’s Huskies. Her Fighting Irish also disposed of UConn in the following Final Four en route to a return to the national title game.

After that, Ogunbowale became the fifth pick of the 2019 WNBA Draft, her selection sandwiched by former UConn rivals Katie Lou Samuelson and Napheesa Collier. She’s now joined by Bueckers in North Texas and the two put up sterling efforts in Dallas’ first home win of the season.

Bueckers, fresh off a career-best in scoring, had 20 points while Ogunbowale was behind her with 19. The two also united for seven steals, accounting for nearly half of Golden State’s 16 turnovers. Though Chen did not play shortly after rejoining the Valkyrie roster, reigning Sixth Woman of the Year and fellow former Husky Tiffany Hayes, put up 10 points off the bench in defeat.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags