STORRS, Conn. (AP) —– UConn secured its 31st straight Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Women’s Tournament, fueled by Paige Bueckers’ scoring and KK Arnold’s defensive energy.
Bueckers delivered a stellar performance, tying her career high with 34 points in her final home game at Gampel Pavilion. She received a standing ovation from the packed crowd as she exited. Arnold made a significant impact off the bench, bringing defensive pressure that helped second-seeded UConn dominate No. 10 seed South Dakota State in a 91-57 rout on Monday night.
“Paige was Paige,” said UConn coach Geno Auriemma. “It was the perfect way to end a home career with a performance like that.”
Before leaving the court for the last time, Bueckers addressed the cheering fans. Expected to be the top pick in the WNBA draft, her focus remains on leading UConn to four more wins and securing the program’s 12th national championship.
“I haven’t had a wave of emotions hit me yet because we’re so locked in on the goal,” Bueckers said. “We didn’t see this as our last game at Gampel; we saw it as another step in the NCAA Tournament, another game we had to win to keep advancing.”
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