The last dance is here, and UConn star Paige Bueckers is set to play in her last March Madness tournament in what has been a storied collegiate career. Can the Huskies capture their first national title since 2016?
Paige Bueckers Determined to Win a National Title, But Hopes to Cherish the Moment
With an abundance of accolades, star UConn Huskies guard Paige Bueckers is missing one thing on her resume: a national title.
Bueckers was recently named Big East Player of the Year for a record-tying third time this season. She’s currently averaging 19.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.8 assists this season on 57% from the field.
Entering the tournament as a No. 2 seed, she leads a young Husky squad that finished the regular season 31-3 and captured their fifth straight Big East tournament title.
While this is certainly not the end of Bueckers’ playing career, she’s nearing the end of her time at UConn.
“It’s like you know the end is near, so you’re trying to cherish it and drag it out as long as possible because you don’t want it to end,” she said.
As she reflects on her time as a Husky, she’s been preparing vigorously for the tournament.
“There’s a lot of pressure that can come with it. Win or go home. It’s my last one ever. There really are no do-overs, so just trying not to think about that and really just playing with passion, joy, and to have fun.”
This season, Bueckers has invested a lot into working with her personal sports psychologist. She explained that the pressure was beginning to get to her with her growing fame.
“He knows me extremely well, and he has different ways of talking to me that help me alleviate that stress,” Buckers stated.
From beauty campaigns to Gatorade commercials, Bueckers has helped UConn become one of the highest-earning NIL programs in college basketball during the month of February—in both men’s and women’s.
The rising star even had something special to unveil just as the tournament was about to begin. In a video to both UConn fans and the nation at large, she revealed the Huskies’ latest jersey.
WATCH: Paige Bueckers Flaunts New UConn Jersey Ahead of March Madness Run
“It has been an amazing journey. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I just can’t believe I’m never gonna wear this jersey again,” she said.
The video displayed UConn’s jerseys with one notable change. Instead of the traditional blue letters on the front, the ‘U’ in UConn will be red for March Madness.
Head coach Geno Auriemma spoke about Bueckers at great lengths.
“Now she knows the drill; she knows exactly what’s coming ahead of her—I think more of getting her to apply what she has learned to the other players on the floor that don’t have the same level of experience,” the coach said.
Win or lose, there is no argument against Buecker’s illustrious career with the Huskies. With a top WNBA draft pick on the horizon, she left her fans with a lasting message.
“The best fans and supporters in the country—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,” she said.
“To be able to have that opportunity to give them back some love, I think, is what we wanted to do.”
