Paige Bueckers on JuJu Watkins after season ending injury
UConn’s Paige Bueckers knows what it’s like to tear an ACL, and shares some empathetic words for JuJu Watkins after suffering a season ending injury.
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Paige Bueckers and the UConn women’s basketball team have their eyes on the Elite Eight. Oklahoma stands in their way. And the Huskies and Sooners are playing in a Sweet 16 game of March Madness right now.
Bueckers, who is coming off a 34-point performance in the second round, is aiming to get Geno Auriemma and the Huskies to their second consecutive Elite Eight and their 28th overall. The Sooners, led by head coach Jennie Baranczyk and center Raegan Beers, are in their first Sweet 16 since 2013 and trying to get to their first Elite Eight since 2010.
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The Huskies have opened a 74-51 lead over the Sooners with about 4 minutes left in the contest.
UConn guard Paige Bueckers has 36 points so far — a new career high. She is 14-of-25 shooting (including 6-of-8 from 3) and has 6 boards, an assist, 3 steals, 2 blocks and 3 turnovers.
The UConn guard’s career-high in a game is now 36 points (so far). Her previous career-high was 34 points, achieved twice: Most recently in the second round against South Dakota State and for the first time against Arkansas in November 2021.
Paige Bueckers fueled the Huskies to a 59-46 lead after three quarters. UConn, which was down 36-32 at the half, outscored Oklahoma 27-10 in the third.
Bueckers scored 8 of the Huskies’ first 10 points in the quarter, bringing her to 21 on the day. Sarah Strong has been stuffing the stat sheet, posting a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds to go along with 3 assists, 2 steals and a block. Azzi Fudd has 8 points, and Ashlynn Shade has 12 off the bench.
Paige Bueckers (2,346) moved into a tie for fourth on the list after an 11-point first half. Maya Moore (3,036), Breanna Stewart (2,676), Napheesa Collier (2,401) and Tina Charles (2,346) lead the list.
Paige Bueckers is from Hopkins, Minnesota.
What year is Paige Bueckers?
Bueckers is a fifth-year senior.
Jennie Baranczyk (pronounced bah-RON-check) has led the Sooners since 2021 and has them in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2013. Oklahoma went 74-26 in her first three seasons and sits at 27-7 going into today’s game against UConn.
The Sooners led 36-32 at halftime. Oklahoma outscored UConn 24-15 in the second quarter.
Paige Bueckers recorded 11 points for UConn, and Azzi Fudd scored 6. Ashlynn Shade and KK Arnold came off the bench to add 8 and 3, respectively.
It was balanced offensive attack in the first two quarters for Oklahoma with all five starters on the score sheet. Payton Verhulst had 13 points, Renya Scott had 8, Raegan Beers had 5, Sahara Williams had 6 and Skylar Vann had 2.
ESPN is airing the game. Watch on Fubo (free trial).
UConn women’s basketball roster
The Huskies score 81.7 points per game (ninth in the country) and shoot 51.3% from the floor, tops in women’s college basketball. In addition to touting Paige Bueckers and her 19.2 points per game, the Huskies get 16.1 points from Sarah Strong and 13.4 points from Azzi Fudd per game. Here is the full UConn women’s basketball roster.
Oklahoma women’s basketball roster
The Sooners average 85.4 points per game (fifth in the country) and shoot 45.8% from the floor, including 32.3% from 3. Center Raegen Beers leads the attack, her 64.5% shooting good for fifth in the country. In addition to Beers’ 17.5 points per game, three other Oklahoma players average double digits in scoring: Payton Verhulst (14.9), Sahara Williams (10.4) and Skylar Vann (10.0). Here is the full Oklahoma women’s basketball roster.
The Huskies went on an 11-0 run to take a 17-12 after the first quarter.
Paige Bueckers led UConn with 11 points in the frame. Azzi Fudd added 3 points. KK Arnold nabbed two steals and assisted Ashlynn Shade on a layup.
Paige Bueckers’ opened the game against Oklahoma with a 3-pointer, which moved her up the all-time scoring list in the NCAA Tournament. She sits in ninth, ahead of Seimone Augustus and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis (374) and just behind Bridgette Gordon (388).
UConn women’s basketball national championships
Geno Auriemma has led the Huskies to a record 11 national championships: 1995, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016. The program recently shared a photo of him wearing all his rings on social media. Auriemma has been at the helm since 1985.
- Oklahoma: Reyna Scott, Payton Verhulst, Zya Vann, Sahara Williams, Raegan Beers
- UConn: Paige Bueckers, Jana El Alfy, Kaitlyn Chen, Sarah Strong, Azzi Fudd
Watch UConn vs. Oklahoma on Fubo (free trial)
How old is Paige Bueckers?
Paige Bueckers is 23 years old.
Paige Bueckers height
The UConn guard is 6 feet tall.
Where can I watch women’s March Madness?
ESPN and ABC are airing Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games. ESPN will air Final Four games. ABC will air the national championship game.
Paige Bueckers pronounces her name BECK-ers, according to the UConn 2024-25 media guide.
Azzi Fudd’s collegiate career won’t end following the 2025 women’s NCAA Tournament. Fudd, who played just two games during the 2023-24 season due to a torn ACL, has averaged 13.4 points on 48.6% shooting, two rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.2 steals per game in 30 games, including 26 starts, this year
During the NCAA Tournament, Fudd posted 27 points on 10 of 13 shooting, seven assists and six steals in a first-round victory over Arkansas State. Fudd then recorded 17 points and two steals in the 91-57 win over South Dakota State in the second round.
UConn vs. Oklahoma women’s basketball predictions
- Nancy Armour, USA TODAY: UConn
- Cora Hall, Knoxville News-Sentinel: UConn
- Meghan L. Hall, For The Win: UConn
- Cydney Henderson, USA TODAY: UConn
- Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY: UConn
- Cory Diaz, Lafayette Advertiser: UConn
- Maxwell Donaldson, The Gadsden Times: UConn
As the women’s NCAA tournament in disarray weeks ahead of the 2025 WNBA Draft. So as March Madness push for a national championship continues, let’s review Meghan L. Hall’s latest WNBA mock draft from For The Win to see who has helped their stock during the first two rounds of March Madness.
Here is the schedule for the remainder of the tournament.
Elite Eight
Sunday, March 30
- No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 2 Duke, 1 p.m. on ABC
- No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 3 LSU, 3 p.m. on ABC
Monday, March 31
- No. 2 TCU vs. TBD, 7 p.m. on ESPN
- TBD vs. TBD, 9 p.m. on ESPN
Both Final Four games on are Friday, April 4 at 7 p.m. ET and 9:30 p.m. ET. ESPN will air the contests. The national championship game is Sunday, April 6 at 3 p.m. ABC will carry the game.
Is Paige Bueckers entering WNBA draft?
Yes. She said as much on Friday. The 2025 WNBA draft isn’t called the Paige Bueckers sweepstakes for nothing. Bueckers burst onto the scene in 2021 with a breakout freshman campaign that earned her AP Player of the Year and Naismith College Player of the Year honors. Although a string of injuries forced Bueckers to miss significant time, including the entire 2022-23 season with an ACL tear, the fifth-year senior guard has returned to form and is looking to lead the Huskies to the Final Four for the fourth time in her career. Bueckers is currently UConn women’s basketball’s sixth all-time leading scorer with 2,290 points and is widely expected to be the No. 1 overall pick of the draft. — Cydney Henderson
