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Paige Bueckers is inevitable, and she's leading UConn back to the Final Four
The superstar put in another herculean performance to ensure the Huskies a spot in Cleveland.
Daniel Connolly
April 02, 2024
Photo by Tyler Schank/NCAA Photos via Getty Images
When UConn took on Notre Dame at Gampel Pavilion on Jan. 27, there were a scores of alumni in the house. Members of the 2003, 2004, 2013 and 2014 championship teams were being inducted into the Huskies of Honor, which meant the likes of Diana Taurasi, Breanna Stewart, Stef Dolson, Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis and a dozen more — along with Sue Bird and Ted Lasso star Jason Sudeikis — were all there to watch the current team take on one of its biggest rivals.
Entering the final quarter, UConn trailed just 60-57 — but then got outscored 22-10 over the last 10 minutes and lost by 15 on the Gampel floor. In particular, Paige Bueckers had her worst game of the season, scoring just 17 points on a rough 5-17 shooting performance. The Huskies’ current star fell flat in front of the former stars — and she knew it.
“The Notre Dame loss just took a piece of my soul,” Bueckers admitted. “The way everything worked out — it’s alumni weekend, everyone was there, home court, Gampel game and we just played terribly.”