UConn women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma said it wasn't until about a month ago that he realized this year's team had championship potential.

"We were incorporating so many new faces that we struggled a little bit to find our rhythm and our chemistry," Auriemma told "CBS Mornings" on Tuesday. "Maybe it was that South Carolina game at South Carolina, where everything just kind of came together. We were healthy. We've got all the right pieces, and we got a glimpse of what we could be if we just really locked in."

The Huskies claimed their 12th national championship on Sunday night, establishing Auriemma as the coach with the most national titles in Division I basketball history, in both the women's and men's programs.

Auriemma, who guided UConn to its first championship since 2016, suggested his coaching days might be numbered.

"I don't know how much longer I can do it but it's been one heck of a journey for me," he said.

The veteran coach described the joy of helping his players achieve childhood dreams as "one of the highlights of my career."

"You can't put a price tag on that when you can have a hand in providing that much fun and that much joy to a bunch of kids that put their trust in you," Auriemma said.

He shared an emotional moment with senior standout Paige Bueckers — nicknamed "Paige Buckets" — after the game, simply telling her "I love you" as she came off the court.

Reflecting on the growth of women's basketball during his career, Auriemma said the sport's evolution from "a little, tiny, niche sport" to one receiving significant investment and television coverage in recent years.

"People have seen this is a really, really great product that we should really be invested in," Auriemma said. "You can't discount how many little kids are just fascinated by these players... And that's how sports grows, when people have idols, and we've just created a whole new world of idols."