All-American guard Paige Bueckers made all the right plays down the stretch to send the red-hot UConn women’s basketball team to the Final Four where Iowa and Caitlin Clark await.
The UConn women’s basketball team knew that even in a diminished state, it could hang with almost any team in the country.
Head coach Geno Auriemma told his players as much during an impromptu speech during the Big East Tournament.
But a trip to the Final Four? The Huskies needed Paige Bueckers to live up to Auriemma’s controversial “best player in America” praise to have a chance of going that deep.
And the guard, who has dealt with so much in her college career, has been incredible at the 2024 NCAA Tournament, backing up her coach’s faith.
Behind Bueckers’ career-best seventh consecutive game of at least 20 points, UConn defeated USC 80-73 on Monday night to reach the Final Four.
She finished with 28 points on 11-of-23 shooting with 10 rebounds, six assists, three steals and two blocks.
Bueckers hit a rainbow 3-pointer with 3:42 left in the fourth quarter to give UConn a six-point lead, and it was all Huskies from there.
Aaliyah Edwards contributed 24 points, while reserve Ice Brady again played key minutes, blocking a fourth-quarter JuJu Watkins shot to help UConn gain control.
UConn will face No. 1-seed Iowa and superstar guard Caitlin Clark in the Final Four, setting up a thrilling matchup of backcourts. Clark just dropped 41 points in an Elite Eight win over LSU, making nine 3-pointers in the process.
Clark surpassed Bueckers in national popularity after the Huskies star tore her ACL and missed more than 500 days of competitive action.
But Bueckers did win National Player of the Year as a freshman. She’ll believe she can shock Clark and the Hawkeyes in her next appearance.
“How quickly people forget, right?” asked Auriemma pointedly in early March about how Bueckers’ pre-injury track record may be getting insufficient respect.
When UConn toppled Syracuse in the second round, the legendary coach told reporters: “We have the best player in America. The whole statsheet says that she is.”
Determining which individual player is better at this exact point in time is a subjective exercise. But seeing them go head-to-head on the court is a dream scenario that will at least ensure bragging rights for one side.
Back in 2021, Bueckers bested Clark in the Sweet 16. Clark already secured one act of revenge by knocking off LSU in the Elite Eight after losing to the Tigers in last year’s title game. She wouldn’t mind pulling off a similar trick against the Huskies.
The pair of guards are two of the best women’s basketball prospects of the decade. Clark is the presumed No. 1 overall pick of this year’s WNBA Draft, and Bueckers is almost certain to go in the top three in 2025.
News
The Entire Internet Is Destroying Angel Reese And Her Podcast Following Her Sketchy Interview With Travis Kelce’s Ex-Girlfriend Kayla Nicole
Angel Reese has been taking heat on social media following the newest episode of her ‘Unapologetically Angel’ podcast. Kayla Nicole and Angel Reese (Photo via Unapologetically Angel/YouTube) The Chicago Sky forward had Travis Kelce’s ex-girlfriend Kayla Nicole on this week, and they took a…
Kim Mulkey Reveals Why She Calls Angel Reese “ROTY” Despite the Fact That the Award Went to Caitlin Clark
Former LSU Tiger and current Chicago Sky rookie has impressed everyone in her first WNBA season. Both Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark had standout seasons, captivating fans and drawing significant attention to women’s college basketball. Clark’s impressive performances earned her the Rookie of the…
“She’s the white Angel Reese” – WNBA fans torn over Mercury’s Sophie Cunningham attacking Kamala Harris, aligning with MAGA
WNBA fans shared their two cents on Phoenix Mercury star Sophie Cunningham for aligning with the Republican party. This comes on the back of the guard taking to Instagram to share a story of Kamala Harris’ podcast appearance where she took…
VIDEO: The arena went crazy when CC and Kelsey did this! Caitlin Clark & boyfriend Connor McCaffery along with Kelsey Mitchell on sidelines for Pacers vs Grizzlies preseason game
2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark was spotted sitting on the sidelines with her boyfriend, Connor McCaffery. The two watched the preseason game between the Indiana Pacers and Memphis Grizzlies on Monday. Clark’s Indiana Fever teammate Kelsey Mitchell sat with the…
Caitlin Clark Was Suspiciously Missing As Boyfriend Connor McCaffery Attended Wedding & Dropped An Interesting 4-Word Message
Caitlin Clark was nowhere to be found as her boyfriend, Connor McCaffery, attended a wedding. Caitlin Clark and Connor McCaffery (Photo via Instagram) Last Friday, Iowa freshman Austin Ash shared photos from a wedding on his Instagram account, in which Connor McCaffery was…
VIDEO: Social Media Detectives Think They Found A Clip Of A Much-Younger-Looking Angel Reese In Tiny Orange Bikini, And Everyone Is Asking The Same Question
An old video of Angel Reese wearing very, very little and showing off a whole lot has surfaced on social media this weekend, and fans have been making all sorts of comments. Angel Reese (Photos via @crazyleaks0/X) Reese played out her first…
End of content
No more pages to load