On Monday, the UConn Huskies Women’s basketball team edged out JuJu Watkins and the USC Trojans in the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight round to set up a Final Four date with Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes. Uconn guard Paige Bueckers showed up for the Huskies, filling the stat sheet in a stellar outing. She scored 28 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, dished six assists, stole the ball thrice, and blocked two shots to lead UConn past the finish line. The Huskies’ run this year has been redemption for Bueckers, who missed most of the 2021-22 season and the entirety of the 2022-23 season after suffering a torn ACL.
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The hard-fought game was tied at the half before the Huskies built a slender four-point lead in the third quarter. They outscored the Trojans 25-22 in the fourth quarter to win the game 80-73 and advance to the semifinals.
Bueckers’ absence was a massive blow to the Huskies in the past season, which saw them being eliminated in the Sweet Sixteen stage last year. Her return to the court and exceptional form have helped UConn reach the Final Four for the third time in four seasons. During the post-game interview, an emotional Bueckers explained what the win meant to her, saying,
“I give all glory to God. He works in mysterious ways. Last year I was praying to be back at this stage and he sent me trials and tribulations, but it was to build my character. It was to test my faith to see if I was a believer. But I just kept on believing… So much pride and joy for this team. We are not even supposed to be here and here we are. A Godly miracle.”
paige bueckers post-game interview pic.twitter.com/nMPr3FaMHJ
— ◇ (@d9Hoops) April 2, 2024
Bueckers has tasted nothing but success when she has been on the court. In her Freshman season, the Huskies made it to the Final Four stage, and the following year they went one step further and lost in the final. They failed to advance past the Sweet Sixteen stage without their star guard after that. But now the team has a chance to end their eight-year wait for a national title with Bueckers looking great on the hardwood.
Huskies’ date with destiny against the Hawkeyes
While the win over the Trojans was impressive, the job doesn’t get any easier for Bueckers and the Huskies. Waiting in the wings is a semifinal clash against Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes, who took down the reigning champions, the LSU Tigers, on Monday.
Like Bueckers and the Huskies, Clark and the Hawkeyes are on their path to redemption. They finished runners-up last year and are looking to go a step further in their superstar guard’s final year with the team. UConn will have to plan meticulously and execute perfectly to avoid becoming another victim of Caitlin Clark’s incredible run in the NCAA Tournament, where she’s averaging 32.3 points, 9.5 assists, and 7.3 rebounds per game.
While the Huskies have 11 national championships, the Hawkeyes are chasing their first. Despite the discrepancy in success, Clark and Iowa will likely be the favorites to win the contest.
