Paige “Buckets” Bueckers looks on course to be the No 1 pick in the WNBA draft after her career-high 40 points took UConn into the Elite Eight of college basketball’s March Madness
Last Updated: 30/03/25 2:13pm
Watch Paige ‘Buckets’ Bueckers break her career-best score of 40 points to help UCONN advance to the ‘Elite Eight’ of NCAA’s March Madness
US college basketball star Paige “Buckets” Bueckers enhanced comparisons with Caitlin Clark by scoring a career-high 40 points.
Bueckers excelled to land 29 of those 40 points in the second half as her UConn side beat Oklahoma 82-59 in Saturday’s Spokane Region 4 Sweet 16 matchup and enter the Elite Eight of March Madness.
The 6ft tall point guard’s 40 points also set the UConn program record for the most in an NCAA Tournament game. The win setting them up for a meeting with No 1 Southern California in their third straight Elite Eight appearance.
“Buckets” is favoured to follow Caitlin Clark as the No 1 pick in the WNBA draft once the competition is complete.
In Bueckers’ stellar second half she shot 12-of-16 from the floor, including 5-of-6 from 3-point distance. Bueckers finished 6-of-8 from long range for the game and 16-of-27 from the field overall.
The All-American also grabbed six rebounds, swiped three steals and blocked a pair of shots. Bueckers’ new career-high comes one game after she matched her previous personal best of 34 points in UConn’s second-round win over South Dakota State.
UConn guard Paige Bueckers shoots during the second half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament against Oklahoma in Spokane. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)
Ashlynn Shade had 12 points for UConn, Azzi Fudd added 10 points and Sarah Strong recorded 11 points and 11 rebounds despite shooting only 4 of 13 from the floor.
Payton Verhulst led Oklahoma with 16 points, while Raegan Beers recorded 10 points and 10 boards.
Bueckers said: “Honestly, we just want to keep our season going as long as possible. We all love playing together. We love playing here. We just love this program and everything it means. So we want it to keep going as long as possible.
“We knew we were getting good shots in the first half. Stuff wasn’t dropping, so we just wanted to stay consistent in the looks that we were getting and how we were getting them. So just trying to stay aggressive, read what the game is calling for, and just trying to do what it takes to win.”
Bueckers looks to pass the ball during UConn’s comprehensive victory
She added: “Everybody at this point of the season is trying to keep winning, to win a national title and keep the season going as long as possible, everybody has the same goal.
“Whether your season is ending or your career is ending, you want to stay in one game at a time, one practice at a time, one possession at a time, and just focus on that and maximizing that, and not getting too caught up in the future. But you do know in the back of your mind that every possession counts. And it’ll be my last season here at UConn.
“But you try to just stay in the present.”
