- NCAA. Paige Bueckers' strong words about Geno Auriemma point to UConn mentality in March Madness
- NCAA. Paige Bueckers learns the one surprise thing Geno Auriemma demands of her in March Madness
Paige Bueckers and the Connecticut Huskies are one step closer to a national championship. UConn's 103-34 win over the Arkansas State Red Wolves on Saturday saw a reserved but efficient Bueckers steer a young group of Huskies into the second round -- the guard made five of her nine shots and scored 11 points, adding four assists and four stocks (steals and blocks) for good measure.
Bueckers has been touted as a superstar-in-waiting for years as the WNBA has loomed in the background. But Caitlin Clark reached the league first, in part due to some bad injury luck that Bueckers suffered, and Clark is the one now reaping the rewards of professional stardom.
WNBA's "nasty" message to the Wings as Clark hype reaches new level
Earlier this week, the WNBA revealed its national TV schedule for the 2025 season -- and Clark's Indiana Fever will have nationally-available broadcasts for 41 of their 44 regular-season games, the most of any team in the league. In contrast, the Dallas Wings -- expected to select Bueckers first overall in next month's draft -- will have 23 games, just over half, on national TV. This includes broadcasts on ABC, ESPN, and ION Television, another of the league's partners.
The message from the WNBA is clear for many: Bueckers will have to prove her mettle and her worth out of the chute in order to receive the same treatment as Clark. The Fever's popularity rose immediately after Indiana selected the former Iowa star last year, and Clark responded by winning Rookie of the Year and garnering MVP consideration; she is one of the favorites for the award in 2025.
But Bueckers isn't concerning herself with any of that right now. Her singular focus is on driving UConn to a championship, the Huskies' 12th in program history and their first since 2016. Defeating Arkansas State on Saturday -- with a typically-efficient display -- was merely the first step amid the madness of March.