Paige Bueckers Still Driving UConn
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The UConn Huskies have won yet again. Connecticut went up against Villanova and won 90–51 to capture their 24th Big East Tournament title. With that win, the Huskies are sitting on a 50-game winning streak and a 34-0 record heading into March Madness.
Heading into the NCAA tournament, the big question is, can the Huskies run it back without Paige Bueckers? Luckily, the Huskies look built for March. In their tournament game, Azzi Fudd made 19 points while freshman star Sarah Strong added 18, with UConn making a 23–11 lead after the first quarter.
By halftime, the gap had turned into 49–23, with Strong already making up 15 points. This is the sixth straight Big East Tournament title since UConn rejoined the conference in 2021. Circling back to the Bueckers question, Geno Auriemma himself has answers for the same. And it sounds like Bueckers might not be entirely out of the picture.
“We have a lot of motivation to win, obviously, we’re UConn, so there’s pressure on us to win. We’ve been to so many Final Fours that the expectation is UConn goes to the Final Four. So there’s pressure everywhere you turn, but you do try to keep it in perspective," Auriemma said.
"What is the real motivation? Is there one this year? Maybe last year that was the thing. Maybe it was the Paige thing. I think Paige is still in the picture today because I think they would be really, really pissed if we didn’t win this thing, at the threat of her saying, ‘I knew you couldn’t do it without me.’ You know, that probably motivates them more than anything you can imagine."
Last season’s championship run ended a rare title drought for the Huskies and gave Bueckers the crowning moment of a historic career. The former No. 1 overall WNBA Draft pick finished her time in UConn with 2,439 points, third-most points in program history.
But the ripple effect of that run hasn’t faded. For a roster now led by Strong and Fudd, that challenge seems to have landed perfectly. The Huskies haven’t just replaced Bueckers’ production; they’ve built an even more balanced team. Still, Auriemma knows the next stage of the season brings a different kind of pressure.
“It’s not going to be easy. Certainly, it’s never as easy as sometimes it’s looked. And it’s going to be really hard, harder maybe this year than certainly last year, for sure. But I think we’re prepared for whatever happens. If we play well, we have a chance to win. If we don’t play well, we have a chance to lose. And that’s kind of been the case for 40-some years,” he said.
March Madness Awaits the Huskies
The real test now begins. With Selection Sunday approaching, UConn is expected to claim a No. 1 seed as it begins the quest for its 13th national championship. And this season could be much more dominant than last year’s 37–3 championship campaign.
And one of the reasons for that is Sarah Strong’s rise. The 6-foot-2 forward has developed into a multidimensional force on the court. In fact, soon after facing Creighton, Jim Flanery even revealed how impressive she is.
“One of our assistants was talking to one of their assistants, and there was a comment about she might be, this was from Connecticut, that she might be the best player we've ever had and will ever have. And I'm like, whoa. I mean, I'd only seen her on film, and it just blew me away. But then the more you play against her, the more film you see of her. Some of the stuff she does is effortless. It looks like she's four or five feet off of you. She's not up into you like KK is, but her steals numbers are just ridiculous because she's just this way, this way. And then she shoots the three so effortlessly and can get downhill. ... I don't know what her minutes are, but her efficiency is through the roof. She's really good.”
Alongside her, Azzi Fudd has embraced the role of the team’s offensive engine. After battling injuries earlier in her career, the senior guard has put together one of the most complete seasons of her time at UConn. She’s scoring more efficiently than ever while also contributing as a playmaker and perimeter defender.
Then there is Serah Williams, who has developed into a dependable presence in big moments. At the same time, freshman Blanca Quiñonez and sophomore guard Allie Ziebell have added scoring depth and outside shooting. Transfer guard Kayleigh Heckel has also blended smoothly into the backcourt rotation.
Now, with March Madness right around the corner, the Huskies could very well cut down the nets again.
-fd44250df32912986cc6690f0b8bfa32.png "Shivani Menon")
Shivani Menon is a sports journalist with a background in Mass Communication and a passion for storytelling. She has written for EssentiallySports, College Sports Network, and PFSN, covering Olympic sports like track and field, gymnastics, and alpine skiing, as well as college football, basketball, March Madness, and the NBL Draft. When she's not reporting, she's either on the road chasing sunsets or getting lost in the rhythms of electronic soundscapes.