Paige with
31 of UConn’s 63. Incredible end with 9 (all of UConn’s points in OT) straight. She’s a legend already.
Also, nice to see an OT game finally go UConn’s way
I was still skeptical about her being clutch and “go to” until this game. I needed to see her perform against
an elite team
under pressure. I was like Skip Bayless (Co-host of the Fox TV sports show Undisputed) when his co-host Shannon Sharpe tries to make a point, and convince him of a player’s greatness or value, and he says
“I need to see more.”
Well, I’ve seen more. For me, it wasn’t enough for her to do what she did against unranked BE teams. I needed to see her play against a top 5 elite team like SC that beat us last year. Color me convinced.
She didn’t shrink or disappear when she was needed most and the game was on the line. Geno and the entire team was looking to HER to come through in the closing minutes/seconds of the game. Her ardent fans can point to this game the rest of the season to illustrate her ability to play and lead this team against all comers.
“She’s doing it in pressure situations, which is really incredible at her age,” Nelson-Ododa said.
“She’s able to just take over a game. She just has this constant composure about herself. It’s incredible watching her play and seeing her grow each game.”
Which only adds another layer to what Bueckers, the Big East’s current freshman and player of the week, is doing. Her last five games: 27 points, 22, 32, 30 and 31.
Bueckers played all 45 minutes, and also had six steals, five assists and four rebounds,
and scored her team’s last 13 points, all against the No. 1 team in the country.
I’ve never seen a freshman come in and take charge the way Paige has. After the first game of the season, I commented that I wanted the ball in HER hands. I was impressed. I know what she did against HIGH SCHOOL level competition. I wanted to see her play against Division 1 competition (with the speed and complexities of the game at THIS level). Paige came in with a ton of hype, and she’s living up to it. If she’s this good now, how much better will she be as a junior and senior?

SMH.
I eagerly join the numerous other posters here that believe she is going to be a thrill-a-minute, and fun to watch over the remainder of her time here. I enjoyed this game, especially at the end. I’m still grinning, and in a much better mood than I would have been had they lost.

Is it possible that she plays her way onto the Mount? If she does, who comes off?
It sure feels good to get that win over SC. Now we can all relax and enjoy the rest of the season knowing (not assuming) we can hold our own against other elites. Unless you’ve been living in isolation, you’ve got to know there are numerous other D1 teams this year that are good and talented enough to make a serious run deep into the tournament. There are other “Arkansas’“ out there. UConn must be ready and able to get past them should they meet. I don't know about you, but I feel a lot better about going into the tournament having won this game than if we had lost.