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Paige Bueckers Sends Heartfelt Message to UConn Fans Ahead of Final NCAA Tournament

UConn Huskies star Paige Bueckers delivered a powerful message about her fanbase before the NCAA Tournament.
Grant Young|
Mar 2, 2025; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies guard Paige Bueckers (5) talks to the fans during senior night after the game against the Marquette Golden Eagles at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images
Mar 2, 2025; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies guard Paige Bueckers (5) talks to the fans during senior night after the game against the Marquette Golden Eagles at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

During this year's NCAA Tournament, the UConn Huskies women's basketball team is looking to produce its first national title since the 2016 season.

While Geno Auriemma has coached an unprecedented amount of basketball icons and superstars during his four decades at the helm of UConn's basketball program, there's no question that guard Paige Bueckers is among the very best, which is proven by the history she has made during her five seasons with the Huskies.

Bueckers is also beloved by the entire basketball community for her authenticity, humility, and the elite basketball ability she displays on the court. This adoration is intensified tenfold within the UConn fanbase.

Before what's going to be her final run at an NCAA championship with the Huskies, Bueckers was quoted in a March 17 article by People's Natasha Dye saying that Huskies fans are, "the best fans and supporters in the country. They travel. They're at every game. Sometimes we feel like at road games it feels like a home game just because of how much support we get.

"But just playing here and how much they've given to me, how much they've given to this team, this program, I just wanted it basically to be an ode to them and how amazing they are. To be able to have that opportunity to give them back some love I think is what we wanted to do," she added.

UConn fans will be tuned in to see whether Bueckers, Azzi Fudd, and Sarah Strong can carry the Huskies to glory. Their first NCAA tournament game is set for March 22 at 1 pm ET.

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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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