Huskies star Paige Bueckers takes her final bow on UConn’s home court

The second-seeded UConn Huskies entered this year’s women’s NCAA Tournament with high expectations. 

Huskies guard Paige Bueckers’ 34 points led the team to Monday’s victory over South Dakota State in the second round in Storrs. The 91-57 win punched UConn’s ticket to the Sweet 16, where the Huskies will meet No. 3 Oklahoma.

The game also marked the last time Bueckers would take the court at the Gampel Pavilion in a UConn uniform.

Bueckers addressed the Huskies faithful moments after Monday’s game. 

“It means everything,” Bueckers said as she stood at center court holding a microphone. “We started playing here with cardboard cutouts as the fans, so just to have gone through that and then experienced the other side of it, which was amazing. The atmosphere was amazing. You can’t even hear timeouts, can’t even hear fouls, can’t even hear when the whistle blows just because of how loud they are and how much support they show.

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“It’s been a dream to play here, a dream to wear this uniform, a dream to play in this environment. As much more times you want this to continue to happen, you just take every single chance you have and never take it for granted.”

The win over South Dakota State also secured the Huskies’ 31st consecutive Sweet 16 appearance. While UConn had a sluggish start to Monday’s game, Bueckers scored the Huskies’ final 10 points of the first quarter.

“It is incredible to watch,” UConn guard Azzi Fudd said. “You almost feel sorry for the other team when Paige is locked in. There is nothing you can do to stop her. No matter what shot she takes, the ball is going to go in. It was fun to watch and see what she does.”

It has not been the easiest five years for Bueckers. She missed one season and was limited to 17 games in another. She has one last chance to win a national championship before going to the WNBA, likely as the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.

“When you’re in high school, it seems so easy, you know? I go to UConn and win a national championship,” longtime UConn head coach Geno Auriemma said. “The reality hits, and you realize it’s incredibly difficult to do that. So, I don’t want anyone to feel less than full when they leave here if they don’t have a national championship.

“She’s put herself in that position that if she leaves here without winning one, she’s going to feel less than full. I don’t feel that way and, as I said, she’s doing things that no one’s ever done before. She’s had to do a lot for us the entire time she’s been here, and she’s getting rewarded. Everything that you all have said about her, that everybody’s written about her, it’s all true.”

There will be a time when Bueckers will reflect on the memories of her time playing in Connecticut. She was not ready to consider Monday’s win as the final chapter of her UConn career.

“I’m sure we’ll have more time to reflect on it when the season is over,” Bueckers said. “Right now, we’re super focused on the present but obviously just extremely grateful, and you can’t really put into words how much this place has meant to me. I’m forever indebted, and it’s become my second home.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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