Paige Bueckers helped UConn do the improbable on Monday night: secure the team’s 23rd Final Four berth.
The No. 3 seed Huskies – who have been injury-laden once again this season – took down No. 1 seed USC 80-73. It was due in large part to Bueckers, who had 28 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks.
In short, she was doing it all.
“Paige always wants to be superhuman,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “She tries her damndest to be superhuman. … When you have players that think, there’s nothing I can’t do, there’s nothing that escapes me, they’re just on another level. They play the game on another level. They think on a different level. They inspire everybody around them. So, yeah, today was Paige doing Paige things.”
It was Bueckers’ third performance this tournament with at least 25 points, five rebounds and five assists. That ties her with Caitlin Clark and Courtney Vandersloot for the most by any player in a single NCAA tournament since 2000.
“Last year I was praying to be back at this stage,” Bueckers said on the ESPN broadcast. “So much joy and pride for this team, I’m so proud. We’re not even supposed to be here and here we are.”
She then expanded on…
