Paige Bueckers refuses to lose against Syracuse: 'We have the best player in America'

At this time last season, Paige Bueckers had to get away from Gampel Pavilion. While UConn beat Baylor in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in front of a raucous sellout crowd in Storrs, she had reached a breaking point personally.

Bueckers had spent the entire season as the ever-supportive teammate on the sidelines while recovering from a torn ACL, but she wanted to be out on the floor playing. She needed it.

It all boiled over postgame.

“Last year after the Baylor game, it was a second round game, I just went to my car and I was so emotional,” Bueckers said. “These high-stake games, these games that mean everything, I missed it so much.”

She made up for lost time on Monday night. With the season on the line, Bueckers scored 32 points on 14-25 shooting, grabbed 10 rebounds, dished out six assists and picked up four steals to help the Huskies advance past Syracuse, 72-64. She simply refused to let UConn lose.

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