Women's March Madness 2025: UConn's Paige Bueckers sets program record with 40 points in Sweet 16 win

SPOKANE, Wash. -- The UConn Huskies advanced to the Elite Eight with an 82-59 win over Oklahoma on Saturday. Paige Bueckers was the spark -- or better said, the fire -- with 40 points, a career high and a new UConn Women's NCAA Tournament single-game record. 

"That was as good a game as I've seen her play the whole time she's been here at the most important time," UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. 

The Huskies have yet to play a close game in this tournament. UConn is outscoring opponents by 126 points through three rounds of the Big Dance, and it all starts with Bueckers.

Bueckers scored 11 points in the first quarter, and although it was early it seemed the Huskies were getting ready to run away with it. But then Bueckers went scoreless over the next 10 minutes and Oklahoma entered halftime with a 36-32 lead.

She was cold, but Bueckers shook it off with a little help from Auriemma.

"Yeah, just an everyday interaction between Coach and Paige, him getting on me, him holding me accountable," Bueckers said. "I did have some mental lapses and some mental mistakes that I can't have at this point of the season. So just, obviously, taking them but not letting them affect me in a negative way, affecting me in a positive way to not make those mental mistakes again, and turn it up a notch."

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Bueckers scored eight points in the first few minutes of the third quarter, and then got a steal with 5:37 on the clock that led to a Kaitlyn Chen layup. The sound from UConn fans all over Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena was deafening. Bueckers then got her own bucket 20 seconds later.

There was still a lot more basketball left to play, but at that point it felt like the game was over.

The fans went crazier with every shot she hit. Bueckers checked out with three minutes remaining and got a standing ovation. It was well deserved as she outscored Oklahoma 29-23 all by herself in the second half. 

The Huskies have made it to 15 of the last 16 Final Fours, and the one they missed was in 2023 when Bueckers was out with a torn ACL. The Huskies also missed the Elite Eight that year, but that was not going to happen during Bueckers' last NCAA Tournament.

"Everybody at this point of the season is trying to keep winning to win a national title and keep their season going as long as possible," Bueckers said. "... You do know in the back of your mind that every possession counts, and it will be my last season here at UConn. So obviously, you know that, but you try to just stay in the present."

The Huskies will face the winner of the USC vs. Kansas State matchup.