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- The Weekly: Paige Bueckers set to make US national team debut
The Weekly: Paige Bueckers set to make US national team debut
Also: The Huskies had a surprise guest in attendance for Wednesday's win over Creighton.
Daniel Connolly
February 12, 2026
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Paige Bueckers set for US national team debut
For the first time in her career, Paige Bueckers will represent the United States senior national team. On Wednesday, the reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year was named to USA Basketball’s 12-player roster for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament in San Juan, Puerto Rico. While the Americans have already qualified for the World Cup after winning the 2025 FIBA AmeriCup, it’ll still compete in the six-team round robin tournament from March 11-17.
Bueckers has not yet suited up for the senior national team but has extensive experience at the youth level. She’s won gold medals at the 2017 FIBA Americas U16 Championship, the 2018 FIBA U17 World Cup, 2018 Youth Olympic Games and 2019 FIBA U19 World Cup, and also competed in some 3×3 competitions.
Sarah Strong sits, then returns
On Saturday, UConn made the surprising decision to sit Sarah Strong against Butler, citing rest. The superstar could’ve played if needed, but the Huskies ended up winning by 32 anyways. Strong explained that she’d been dealing with tightness in her calves but felt better after the break.
She returned to action on Wednesday against Creighton, dropping 16 points, three rebounds and three assists in just 19 minutes.
UConn’s new “student” reporter
During Geno Auriemma’s postgame press conference on Wednesday, a new “student” reporter asked the first question: Former NBA player Boban Marjanović.
The 7-4 social media star visited campus as part of a video skit with Bleacher Report. Earlier in the day, he went to the Daily Campus building, UConn’s student paper, to receive an assignment for the game from associate sports editor Avery Becker.
Marjanović then watched the Huskies beat Creighton from the student section before making his way to the press conference room. Sitting in the second row, he asked Auriemma about Sarah Strong’s return and then followed it up with a query about the coach’s restaurant.
Perhaps the most endearing part of the interaction came from Auriemma, though. The coach asked Marjanović if he knew UConn signee Jovana Popovic since both players hail from Serbia. The former NBA player hadn’t heard of her, so Auriemma excitedly gave him a quick scouting report.
“She’s really good,” he said. “She’s a great kid and we’re really looking forward to having her here, so you have to come back…and watch her play.”
Marjanović will write a recap of the Huskies’ victory over the Bluejays, which will appear in the Daily Campus later this week.
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Rankings and awards
AP Poll: UConn remained the unanimous No. 1 in the AP Poll.
Big East weekly honors: For the first time since Dec. 15, Azzi Fudd brought home Big East Player of the Week after putting up 21.0 points on .516/.545/.800 shooting. She also averaged 3.0 assists and 3.0 steals per game.
Positional awards: Sarah Strong and Serah Williams are both top 10 candidates for their respective positional awards. Strong is up for the Katrina McClain Award, which goes to the top power forward in the nation, while Williams is in the mix for the Lisa Leslie Award, given to the best center in the country.
NPOY candidates: Strong and Azzi Fudd both made the cut for the Wooden Award’s top 20 midseason watch list, which features the frontrunners for the organization’s All-American team and national player of the year award.
Follow the @UConnWBBWeekly on X/Twitter:
Boban seemed to have fun in Storrs:
Azzi being Azzi:
Is this good?
What can’t Paige do?
Quote(s) of the week
Two quips from Geno Auriemma after Wednesday’s win:
“We already had a Croatian kid (Nika Mühl) who almost made me quit coaching.”
"I don't make any (halftime) adjustments anymore now that I know that they don't listen."
The week ahead
Saturday: UConn travels to Milwaukee to take on Marquette. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. ET on FS1.
Wednesday: The Huskies will take on Villanova with a chance to clinch a share of the Big East regular season title. That game is set for 7 p.m. ET on Peacock.
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