Paige Bueckers takes over to deliver UConn no. 2 to win in South Carolina no

UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma likes to make analogies with other sports, as the famous runner Jim Brown appeared when Auriemma talked about the sensation of freshmen Paige Bueckers.

Bueckers had his third straight game of 30 points or more – something no other UConn player has ever done – as the 31 points lifted No. 2 Huskies over No. 1 South Carolina 63-59 in overtime Monday night in Storrs, Connecticut. The 5 meter 11 guard scored the last 13 points of the Huskies, including all nine of the extra period, and played all 45 minutes. She made 14 of 26 shots on the field and had 4 rebounds, 5 assists and 6 steals.

“It’s very slow and I say that with a high degree of appreciation,” Auriemma said. “She takes her time … it’s like when Jim Brown runs. When he gets the ball, it’s like, ‘Should I go to that hole, that hole, that … what’s the best decision for me now? She she waits until the last minute and nothing rushes her in. So you can’t make her play faster than she wants to.

“When you’re a shooter as good as her … she really has a lot of confidence in her abilities. If she can get one, she thinks it works. I sometimes wonder how hard she has to work. Because of the defensive attention that she gets it every night. It’s just good. “

This game did not become a match of the first two ranked teams until Monday afternoon, when the Associated Press poll appeared. Eleven times national champion UConn has participated in many of these matches since reaching national status in the 1990s. Even though the Huskies are 14-1, this is not a strong team like many UConn in the past; even Auriemma would say that.

But he has a superstar freshman who expertly records the screens and takes steps forward in the biggest moments, like a long-time veteran. Bueckers, who was recruited no. 1st in the 2020 class, leads the Huskies in score (21.1 PPG), assists (5.6 APG) and steals (2.6 SPG). She shoots 56.9% of the field and 55.6% of the 3-point distance.

UConn has had a treasure trove of superstars from the past, who have also had outstanding freshman seasons, including Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore and Breanna Stewart for the past 20 years, all becoming WNBA MVPs. However, none of them played in a team with six other freshmen, as is Bueckers. It means it’s her team in a way it wasn’t for the other superstars as freshmen. She receives a huge spotlight and so far excels even beyond expectations.

“She’s a player,” said South Carolina coach Dawn Staley. “She takes great photos when her number is called countless times.”

However, if Gamecocks had hit one of the four shots they had on the basket at the end of regulation – Destanni Henderson’s jumper was short, then Victaria Saxton missed a return, followed by Aliyah’s two missed attempts. Boston – Bueckers would not have been the story of the night.

Gamecocks will get the missed matches, which ruined their normally lethal transition game, threw free throws (passed 8-of-15) and turnovers (21). They kept the Huskies 24 points below their season average of 87.1, entering the game, keeping them just 2 out of 15 behind the arc and beating them 52-39.

South Carolina finished the 2019-20 season in 1st place and started it in the same position, before losing to NC State on December 3rd. First-place Gamecock replacement Stanford fell after losing overtime to Colorado on Jan. 17 and Louisville took 1st place. When NC State defeated Louisville last Monday, South Carolina rose again. 1 in this week’s poll.

But it will be a short stay, because the mistakes of the Gamecocks and the big blows of Bueckers did it on Monday. The second of Huskies’ 3-pointers came from Bueckers with 13 seconds left, hitting the rim, jumping into the air and then falling through the net.

“I felt good when he left my hand,” said Bueckers, who missed five more 3-point attempts. “But, yes, I would say it was a very nice leap.”

It was kind of a night for her, but she’s already become a regular at just 14 games in her college career. [she missed one game with an ankle sprain]. Bueckers also had a 3-pointer with 28 seconds left against Tennessee on Jan. 21, which was the stab of that 67-61 victory.

“It’s still crazy for me,” Bueckers said of how her UConn career began. “Only the blessings I gave myself, only the opportunities I received. Everything is so crazy for me that I play here at my dream school in huge games like this, with an amazing team and coaching staff. day, every second, every minute, I am very grateful to be here. “