Paige Bueckers delivered another dominant performance, leading UConn to a commanding 78-40 victory over St. John’s. She finished with 16 points, five blocks, and four steals, while Azzi Fudd scored a career-high 34 points. With a crucial matchup against South Carolina on the horizon, Bueckers acknowledged the strength of the Gamecocks.
Paige Bueckers Praises South Carolina Ahead of Showdown
Following UConn’s win, Bueckers shared her thoughts on facing South Carolina, recognizing the Gamecocks as one of the toughest teams in the country.
“I think South Carolina is a great team, a great program, very well coached, have a lot of respect for them, for Dawn and the players, and it’s always a great matchup when we play them,” Bueckers said.
She continued:
“Like I said, they’re a great team, and they’re very disciplined. They have a way of playing, they’re very well-coached, and they stick to it. They have really good players.”
Over the years, the women’s game has seen several intense rivalries. UConn-Tennessee once set the gold standard, followed by UConn-Notre Dame, which featured multiple high-stakes matchups in a single season. While marquee showdowns still exist, there is now greater parity among top teams.
UConn head coach Geno Auriemma noted:
“That’s probably the natural progression of things.”
MORE: Everything Geno Auriemma Said Ahead of South Carolina Matchup
He added:
“I do think the landscape is littered with a bunch of really good teams, and more than a few, maybe, very good teams. I don’t know if any of us feel like we’re coaching a great team, which is probably the way it’s supposed to be—where multiple teams have, in their mind, a chance to go deep in the tournament. Probably some teams we’re not even talking about right now.”
UConn is set to play South Carolina on Sunday afternoon in what has become one of the premier matchups in women’s college basketball.
Dawn Staley’s Praise for Paige Bueckers Resurfaces
Despite Auriemma’s recent criticism of Bueckers, South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley has had nothing but praise for the UConn star. Staley, who has coached some of the best players in the sport’s history, spoke highly of Bueckers’ skill and efficiency. During last year’s March Madness, Staley said:
“Paige is great. I think Paige is probably the elitist basketball player to ever grace our game. You look at her efficiency—she doesn’t take bad shots.”
Hailey Van Lith, then playing at LSU, echoed Staley’s thoughts, highlighting Bueckers’ ability to make smart decisions under pressure.
“There are players like Paige Bueckers who haven’t always had the opportunity to be healthy throughout her college career,” Van Lith said.
She continued:
“But I think her finesse and her ability to make reads in very quick moments of live action—where teams are doing their best to throw every kind of defensive scheme at her—her poise and her consistency in making the correct read every time, it’s special. And you don’t really see that in a player as young as her.”
Auriemma’s Criticism of Bueckers After Tennessee Loss
Auriemma, however, was less complimentary following UConn’s recent 80-76 loss to then-No. 19 Tennessee. The Huskies, ranked No. 5 at the time, saw Bueckers score 14 points, though her performance did not meet Auriemma’s expectations.
“We have some guys on our team that are supposed to be our best players, and they have to play better,” Auriemma said.
He added:
“It’s a real conundrum—Paige wants the ball in her hands all the time, then when they trap her, she doesn’t want the ball in her hands.”
KEEP READING: Top 10 Women’s College Basketball Players in 2025
Despite the criticism, Bueckers remains one of the top prospects for the 2025 WNBA Draft. As UConn prepares to face South Carolina, she will have another opportunity to prove why she is considered one of the best players in college basketball.
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