Geno Auriemma quietly celebrated 71st birthday in Connecticut

UConn women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma recently turned 71 years old. He celebrated his birthday quietly on Sunday before his team faced South Dakota State in the NCAA Tournament. In contrast to last year's big celebration for his 70th birthday, this time the only tribute was a simple birthday message on a whiteboard in the locker room. During a pregame film session, players sang to Auriemma. He joked that even a nod from star player Paige Bueckers felt like a nice gift. Auriemma hoped to see the UConn men’s team win their game as a birthday present but they lost by two points. On the same day, the Huskies played in front of a sold-out crowd at Gampel Pavilion. This season, UConn has experienced record attendance, largely thanks to Bueckers and their strong social media presence. The team sold out season tickets for the first time in nearly two decades and had sellouts for 14 out of 17 home games. Three seniors, including Bueckers, played their final game at home. Fans eagerly await news on Azzi Fudd's future as she could enter the WNBA Draft or choose to return for another season. In other news, Auriemma shared his thoughts on the NCAA Tournament potentially expanding. While the women's tournament has increased in size, Auriemma worries that adding more teams may dilute the competition. He emphasized the importance of rewarding teams with strong seasons rather than including those with losing records from larger conferences.