Women's March Madness 2025: UConn's Paige Bueckers ties career high in final home game as Huskies advance

With 3:38 remaining in No. 2 seed UConn's 91-57 win over No. 10 seed South Dakota State in the second round of the 2025 Women's NCAA Tournament, Paige Bueckers walked off the floor for the last time at Gampel Pavilion. She did so to a standing ovation after pouring in 34 points, tying her career high, to go along with three rebounds, four assists and four steals. 

Following the game, Bueckers took the public address announcer's microphone and addressed the adoring crowd as coach Geno Auriemma and her teammates looked on. 

"On behalf of our seniors, our whole entire team, I've had the time of my life here," Bueckers said. "It's been the five years I dreamt of as a kid. I can't thank you enough, we can't thank you enough for all the support. Thank you for making this a second home. Best supporters in the country. Thank you for this season, for everything. We'd love to see you in Spokane. Thank you for everything."

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Bueckers' 34 points were the most by a UConn player in the Big Dance since Maya Moore scored 36 against Notre Dame in the 2011 Final Four. Furthermore, this was Bueckers' sixth 25-point game in the tournament, which brought her into a tie with Moore for the most such games by a UConn player in the last 25 years. 

Bueckers now has 2,335 career points, which is sixth on UConn's all-time scoring list. That, despite playing just 119 games over her five years due to an array of injuries, including a torn ACL that sidelined her for the entire 2022-23 season. While Bueckers' college career hasn't gone to plan, she wouldn't change anything that's happened. 

"The emotions haven't hit me in a wave yet," Bueckers said during an interview with ESPN. "I almost got emotional before the game today just listening to gospel and being in a state of gratitude for everything that's come my way, come our way as a team. I'm just extremely grateful for the teams -- this year, last year, my whole entire five years -- my teammates, my relationships, the journey, the injuries, I'm grateful for it all. 

"The support here is second to none. I love playing here, I love wearing this jersey. It's just an honor to play here."

UConn is now on to the Sweet 16 for the 31st year in a row, which is the all-time record for consecutive appearances. There, the Huskies will face the No. 3 seed Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday. The Huskies' road will only get more difficult as they advance, but a national championship could soon be within reach. 

While UConn has a record 11 national titles, the storied program hasn't won it all since 2016. And for Bueckers, a trophy is the only blank spot on her historic resume. She said that her team has "confidence," but is trying to stay focused on the present. 

"We're just trying to take it one game at a time, one practice at a time, one rest day at a time, one travel day at a time," Bueckers said. "A lot of teams are playing for a national title and we know that, so we just have to keep chipping away and being the best version of ourselves every single day."