Watch Paige Bueckers stun crowd with UCONN record

Paige Bueckers wasn’t just the best player on the court Saturday – she was the only story that mattered.

With a blistering, career-high 40-point performance, Bueckers dragged UConn out of a sluggish first half and lit up Oklahoma in an 82-59 win that pushed the Huskies into the Elite Eight.

At halftime, UConn trailed 36-32. By the final buzzer, it looked like a mismatch. Bueckers scored 29 of her 40 in the second half alone, including a personal 10-0 run in the fourth quarter that turned the game into a rout. Her six 3-pointers tied her own career high. She finally exited the court to a roar, with 3:06 left and UConn up 80-51. Job done.

She passed Tina Charles for fourth on UConn’s all-time scoring list—just days after dropping 34 points in her final game at Gampel Pavilion. And she’s doing it when UConn needs her most.

Is Paige Bueckers the No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft?

That’s now the only question left. She confirmed Friday she’ll enter the 2025 WNBA Draft, putting to rest the idea she might delay it. The Dallas Wings hold the top pick - some fans had speculated she might wait a year to avoid landing there. If that was ever true, she’s over it.

Her performance Saturday was a bold punctuation mark: yes, she’s ready. As UConn coach Geno Auriemma said, “Obviously, Paige was spectacular.” The step up is getting closer.

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