Uconn basketball The Star Paige Bueckers wanted to thank her followers one last time before playing her latest university game at Gampel Pavilion.
Bueckers coincided with his personal record of 34 points to help Huskies advance to their 31 ° Sweet 16 appearance with a victory in the state of South Dakota in women. NCAA Tournament Mondays.
The Uconn Guard, Paige Bueckers, addresses fans after his last game at Gampel Pavilion at the end of a second round game against the state of South Dakota in the NCAA tournament, on Monday, March 24, 2025, in Stords, Connecticut. (Photo AP/Jessica Hill)
The fifth year senior received an ovation standing from the crowd sold when she left the court a few minutes before the end of her last game at home.
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“It means everything,” Bueckers said. “We started playing here with cardboard cuts such as fans, so just to have gone through that and then experienced the other side, which was incredible. The atmosphere was incredible. You can’t even hear waiting times, you can’t even hear faults, you can’t even hear when the whistle blows only because of how strong they are and how much support they show.
“It has been a dream to play here, a dream to use this uniform, a dream to play in this environment. So much more times you want this to continue happening, you simply take all the opportunities you have and never take it for granted.”
But it was a kind gesture of Bueckers that contributed to that atmosphere on Monday night.
The UConn Huskies guard, Paige Bueckers, leaves the floor after defeating the Jackrabbits of the South Dakota state in Harry A. Gampel Pavilion on March 24, 2025. (David Butler II-Imagn images)
The UConn star, Paige Bueckers, shines in the farewell game at home while Huskies compete for the National Championship
Insider CT He informed that Bueckers bought 1,500 tickets and handed them fans as a way of thanking them for their support.
“They have given me a lot and given the team so much, the support,” he said, through the exit. “We would not be where we are without them. They are the best followers in the country. You see that in the environment like tonight. They are my friends. They are my classmates. They are the people with whom I go to class.
“I was just trying to return as much as they give us, because it means everything. To be able to support them and do it so that our last game at home this year was a great environment, it was great to do it.”
The UConn Guard, Paige Bueckers, leads to the basket against the state of South Dakota during the NCAA tournament, on Monday, March 24, 2025, in Storrs, Connecticut. (Photo AP/Jessica Hill)
UConn moved to Oklahoma at the Sweet 16 on Saturday at Spokane, Washington, where Bueckers will seek to win the National Championship before moving on to the WNBA Draft As the expected general selection No. 1.
