Women's Fastbreak On SI

Paige Bueckers Answers Geno Auriemma's Sideline Plea With UConn Career High

UConn Huskies star Paige Bueckers heeded Geno Auriemma's words en route to a career high in points scored in the NCAA Tournament.
Grant Young|
Mar 29, 2025; Spokane, WA, USA; UConn Huskies guard Paige Bueckers (5) looks on during a Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament basketball game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Spokane Arena. at Spokane Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images
Mar 29, 2025; Spokane, WA, USA; UConn Huskies guard Paige Bueckers (5) looks on during a Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament basketball game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Spokane Arena. at Spokane Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images | James Snook-Imagn Images

After entering the locker room at halftime down by four points, the UConn Huskies women's basketball team dominated in the second half of their Sweet Sixteen game against the Oklahoma Sooners in the 2025 NCAA Tournament, ultimately securing an 82-59 win to send them to the Elite Eight.

Prior to Saturday's contest, the Sooners were a perfect 22-0 this season in games they were winning at halftime. Then the Huskies outscored them 27-10 in the third quarter and have continued running away with the game in the fourth.

Per usual with UConn, a large part of their success has been superstar guard Paige Bueckers. While the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft scored 11 points in the first quarter, she didn't add any points in the second quarter and then took off in the second half.

Bueckers set her collegiate career-high in points scored during the win, with 40.

At one point before the fourth quarter, Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma was interviewed by ESPN's Holly Rowe and shared a hilarious sentiment.

"I think it's better. But there's times where she has the ball and the defense knows she's not gonna shoot it. And I'm thinking, 'Shoot it! You're open,'" Auriemma said when Rowe asked about Bueckers taking over the game in the second half.

"So hopefully in the fourth quarter, she'll just... I don't know. Maybe you should talk to her!" Auriemma added to Rowe.

While it's unknown whether Rowe spoke to Bueckers, whatever the Huskies star did before the fourth quarter worked.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.

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