UCONN WOMEN’S BASKETBALL OFF TO RESOUJNDING START

By Arnie Leshin 

There’s a big stir in Storrs. Paige Bueckers is back after two seasons with knee injuries, she’s officially now a junior graduate, she’s full of pep and confidence and led the way to UConn’s resounding 102-58 trouncing of visiting Dayton before 9,865 watching the Wednesday season-opening rout. 

“I’d say we looked good out there,” said the 6-foot Bueckers. “We made our shots inside and outside, grabbed the rebounds, dished out assists, played tough D, and were talking about LSU’s first-game loss to Colorado.”

For her part, Bueckers played 21 minutes in her first official game in 584 days, turned in eight points on 3-of-10 shots, took down seven boards and handed out four assists. She was 2000-01 Player of the Year as a freshmen, and was heavily recruited but had already committed to UConn her junior year in high school in Hopkins, Minn.

But twice she came away with knee injuries that cost her two seasons, now she’s determined to make up for lost time.  

“I didn’t want her to be out there too long because we’ve got some tough games coming up, with several back-to-backs on the roads,” said Geno Auriemma, winner of a record 11 NCAA championships, “but she looked fine blending in there.”

Auriemma, in fact, is now in his 48th season at the University of Connecticut dynasty.

Now expected to be No. 1 now that Louisiana State lost by 14 to the No. 20 Buffalos, the Huskies scored the first basket and led to the final whistle. It was 26-13 after one quarter, 59-31 at halftime, 85-49 after three quarters, and the teams matched a 18-18 record in the final quarter by way of the reserves in a contest that the Storrs crowd truly enjoyed.

Mostly it came to see Bueckers’ return, she received the loudest ovation,  and In the pre-game warm-up the fans called out to her and she waved back. 

Auriemma cleared his bench early in the final quarter, with 6-foot-3 senior forward Aaliyah Edwards playing 23 minutes and having the game-high 25 points while coming down with nine rebounds and four blocks. Azzi Fudd, the 5-10 junior, was next with 14 points and seven assists, 6-1 senior Aubrey Griffin made good on 5-of-7 shots for a dozen points, and 5-11 senior Nika Muhl added 11 points and was 3-for-3 in 3s.

Caroline Ducharme, the 6-2 junior, scored 10 points, and scoring also came from freshmen Qadence Samuels, Ice Brady, and KK Arnold, the 6-3 Brady with nine points, same as the 6-foot Samuels and the 5-9 Arnold tallied eight.    

“Yes, I was overjoyed that Paige was back and everybody chipped in,” said a happy Auriemma, but we have some big games coming both home and away and I want her to be fresh and relaxed, but the team falls in real nice with her coming back.”

After the Nov. 16 contest at North Carolina State, UConn will play at Minnesota, travel to UCLA, and hit the road to Arkansas.