In March 2021, analyst Monica McNutt touted Bueckers as "arguably one of the best playmakers in the game". [29], As a junior on February 1, 2019, Bueckers scored a career-high 43 points in a 6966 win over Wayzata High School and surpassed 2,000 career points. The Huskies walked away with a 91-87 win after surviving double overtime -- the first time ever in an Elite Eight game -- against the No. However, Bueckers' injuries have led to a lot of what ifs for her and her team. [129] On December 10, 2019, she was honored as USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year. The Huskies are already shorthanded with Aubrey Griffin (ankle, leg, back) and Azzi Fudd (foot) out. [104][105] On December 5, Bueckers injured her left knee while dribbling the ball up the court with 40 seconds remaining in a 7354 victory over Notre Dame, and had to be carried off the floor by teammates. UConn's first loss came at the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas last November, a 73-57 result in favor of South Carolina. Paige Decker is on Facebook. UConn guard Paige Bueckers fell to the floor with a noncontact injury late in the second half on Dec. 5 in Storrs, Conn. "We have Paige Bueckers and they don't," she said. UConn is 1-1 since Bueckerss injury, losing at unranked Georgia Tech last Thursday and beating unranked U.C.L.A. [91] In July 2021, she won the Best Female College Athlete ESPY Award. I mean, that could happen anytime. [68] On January 21, 2021, she made a three-pointer with 25 seconds left to help defeat rival Tennessee, 6761, despite shooting 3-of-14 from the field for a season-low nine points. UConns star guard became the first freshman ever to win The Associated Press womens basketball player of the year award Wednesday. [165] On March 31, Bueckers became the first student-athlete brand ambassador for the education platform Chegg. [72] In her next game, Bueckers recorded 31 points, six steals and five assists, scoring her team's final 13 points, in a 6359 overtime win over South Carolina, the number one team in the AP Poll. The Huskies' 2021-22 season opened with Arkansas, and this time UConn was able to turn it around and get a 95-80 win against the Razorbacks. [16] She joined Hopkins' varsity team in eighth grade under head coach Brian Cosgriff, averaging 8.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.4 steals per game. She also ranks third in the Big East with 2.5 steals per game. [6] She attempted her first ever NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race driving the No. Hopkins star Paige Bueckers is only a freshman", "Paige Bueckers is the Gatorade Female High School Athlete of the Year", "Method to Determine Classification 20192020, 20202021", "Prep athletes of the week: Hopkins freshman Paige Bueckers picks up where she left off", "Hopkins' Paige Bueckers Looking Like The Next Tayler Hill", "Meet the 2017 Star Tribune girls' basketball All-Metro first team", "Elk River completes undefeated season with title game win over Hopkins", "Elk River wins 4A title in rare battle of the unbeatens", "Hopkins guard Paige Bueckers sidelined with ankle injury", "Paige Bueckers, the Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year, still has one goal in mind: winning state", "Eastview wins the biggest prize, tops Hopkins for Class4A girls' basketball title", "Hopkins High School student-athlete named Gatorade Minnesota Girls Basketball Player of the Year", "Hopkins girls basketball: Bueckers reaches 2,000 points in 6966 win over Wayzata", "Bueckers 'toughs it out' for first state title", "Hopkins wins Class 4A title over Stillwater", "Hopkins High School's Paige Bueckers wins 2nd Gatorade Minn. [85][86] She was the first freshman to win the Nancy Lieberman Award as the top point guard in the nation. A little while ago, she was months away.. Connecticut - Northeast 10 Athletics Paige Decker #21 G So. "I like our chances," Auriemma said after the game. UConn (6-2), which is tied with Tennessee at No. [3] Four Decker brothers raced snowmobiles in the 1970s; Allen Decker was a factory rider for Bombardier along with teammate Jacques Villeneuve for the 197980 season. UConn is the No. [121], In addition to her athletic honors, Bueckers was again named to the university's dean's list for her first semester as a sophomore. Bueckers had her sights set on a national championship this coming season, telling Bleacher Report that it was the only thing that would make it a success. section: | slug: paige-bueckers-injury-how-uconn-stars-career-has-unfolded-what-this-all-means-for-huskies-in-2022-23 | sport: other | route: article_single.us | [21] That year, she assumed a more important role than in her eighth-grade season and became one of the team's leading scorers and passers. It wasn't how UConn wanted to wrap up its campaign, but the sky was the limit for the program because of what Bueckers accomplished as a freshman and what she could be capable of with another year of experience under her belt. Bueckers missed 19 games before returning in late February. 20 Providence. [77] Bueckers scored a game-high 28 points in a 6967 win over second-seeded Baylor in the Elite Eight to help UConn reach its 13th straight Final Four. 2019-20 Community Colleges of Spokane Men's Basketball NWAC Eastern Region Champions Won NWAC 1 st Round Game (tournament cancelled after game): 1 st-5 th overall in NWAC Championships 24-6 Overall Record: 13-3 Eastern Region Record Scored 89 points per game. G 5'11" Jr. Hopkins, Minn. Hopkins HS. [7] She qualified 33rd fastest, about 1/10 second behind the 32nd final spot. AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. ET, FOX. Its unclear how much, if any, time Bueckers will miss due to the injury. Other players working on recovery this offseason are Dorka Juhsz (wrist), Caroline Ducharme (hip) and Aubrey Griffin (back). [63] Megan Walker, UConn's top scorer from the previous year, had opted to forgo her senior season to enter the 2020 WNBA draft, leaving the 202021 team with no seniors. That usually comes a bit later for most players, but she's got it at such a young age. 14 UConn mens basketball at Villanova | 7:30 p.m. The other finalists she was considering were Notre Dame, Oregon State, Oregon, UCLA, Minnesota, South Carolina, Maryland, Texas and Duke. [3] Decker was awarded the tour's Rookie of the Year in 2013.[3][2]. So, Fudd is now UConn's only double-digit scorer returning. She only just returned to practice on Friday and is still working her way back into the mix. BRIDGEPORT For weeks before Paige Bueckers pulled the Huskies further into a historic run and back to where everything began her program's dynasty, her own legacy all anyone orbiting the UConn women's basketball world grew to understand was that she wasn't quite right and that was OK.. [3], Her sister Claire Decker also races for her family's Decker Racing team. Bueckers was averaging 21.2 points, 6.2 assists and 5.5 rebounds a game before her injury. [3], Decker raced in asphalt short tracks in Wisconsin and gradually branched out to other tracks in the Midwestern United States. ", "Paige Bueckers steps up as UConn hangs on, beats NC State in two OTs to advance to 14th straight Final Four", "Paige Bueckers and UConn top Stanford, 63-58, in a Final Four slugfest", "Bueckers Says She Will Play Through the Pain Against South Carolina", "Bueckers can't do it all as UConn comes up short for title", "UConn's Paige Bueckers named All-Tournament First Team", "AP All-America team includes milestone for Kentucky's Howard", "UConn Huskies women's basketball star Paige Bueckers to miss 2022-23 season after tearing ACL", "Injured UConn women's basketball star Paige Bueckers to bypass early WNBA draft entry, return to Huskies for 2023-24 season", "Paige Bueckers embraces job as 'coach' while sitting out UConn season", "Paige Bueckers player profile 2017 FIBA U16 Women's Americas Championship", "Haley Jones, Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd installed as top women's basketball prospects", "Hopkins' Paige Bueckers is MVP of U19 World Cup", "Bueckers crowned TISSOT MVP to headline All-Star Five", "2019 USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year", "Paige Bueckers Stays Humble Even as a National Champion and Youth Olympian", "Mission Accomplished: Team USA Wins Second Consecutive Women's Basketball Gold Medal At Youth Olympic Games", "USA Basketball announces 33 roster for World Beach Games", "ANOC World Beach Games: Team USA 3x3 falls to Brazil in quarterfinals", "Former UConn phenom Diana Taurasi says freshman Paige Bueckers 'best player' in women's basketball", "Paige Bueckers is living up to the hype and rewriting the UConn record books", "UConn's Paige Bueckers: 'I've always been a pass-first player,' will try harder to shoot more", "Why UConn women's freshman Paige Bueckers could be the national player of the year", "Trying 'to be more aggressive,' Paige Bueckers keys a dominant UConn win over High Point in opening round", "Now you see why Paige is all the rage at UConn", "UConn WBB's Paige Bueckers opens NCAA Tournament with historic performance", "How Connecticut freshman Paige Bueckers is breaking college basketball", "How Paige Bueckers' freshman season compares to other all-time greats", "Paige Bueckers and Geno Auriemma are chuckling through the early stages of their UConn basketball relationship", "Paige Bueckers drawing confidence from God as she leads No. [150][151] During her acceptance speech at the 2021 ESPY Awards, Bueckers celebrated and honored Black women, bringing attention to the racial disparities in media coverage of women's basketball players. The Huskies clearly needed to regroup after that, as they took a 57-44 loss to Georgia Tech in their first game without Bueckers. All rights reserved. Meanwhile, Williams left as the second-leading scorer behind Bueckers, as she averaged 14.2 points per game in 2021-22. For other uses, see, USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year, Morgan Wootten National Player of the Year, USBWA Women's National Player of the Year, 2017 FIBA Under-16 Women's Americas Championship, 2019 FIBA Under-19 Women's Basketball World Cup, allowed student-athletes to be compensated, FIBA Under-19 World Cup All-Tournament Team, "Paige Bueckers (USA)'s profile FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup 2019", "Something special from the get-go: Paige Bueckers, Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year", "For Hopkins' basketball phenom Paige Bueckers, 'The sky is the limit', "Paige Bueckers Is the Future of Basketball", "Gonzaga's Jalen Suggs, UConn's Paige Bueckers and the friendship that fuels March Madness", "Paige Bueckers, Chet Holmgren pulled up to watch Jalen Suggs in Las Vegas", "Hopkins star Paige Bueckers can go anywhere maybe even to the Gophers", "Bueckers: Balling before social media, the UConn legacy, learning from Taurasi and Irving", "UConn's Paige Bueckers facing an idol in Battle 4 Atlantis opener, Minnesota coach Lindsay Whalen", "Can this one super-prospect revive the greatest dynasty in sports? Bueckers' arrival in 2020 proved to be the push in the right direction UConn needed. Bueckers helped lead the Huskies to their 13th consecutive Final Four with 28 points in the regional final win over Baylor on Monday night, just the latest star turn for the phenomenal 19-year-old Minnesota native. With Bueckers joining them, UConn has just four healthy guards left: Christyn Williams, Evina Westbrook, Nika Mhl and Caroline Ducharme. UConn womens basketball blows out Georgetown in Big East Tournament Quarterfinals. And if you can give me a better argument, then I would say Ill vote for them, too. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. We've received your submission. She became the first player in program history to have three straight 30-point games. It can happen anytime. [27] As a freshman in college, Bueckers was called "the best player in basketball" by former UConn star Diana Taurasi,[135] and a "generational player" by South Carolina coach Dawn Staley. Dana Evans of Louisville was second with four votes. [79] At the Final Four, UConn was upset by third-seeded Arizona, 6959, and finished the season with a 282 record. Join Facebook to connect with Paige Decker and others you may know. Connecticut gp 29 pts/g 3.6 fg % 37.5 3pt % 28.0 ft % 75.0 reb/g 3.6 a/g 1.6 Player Profile Game Log Split Stats Claire and Paige qualified for the race, while Natalie was sent home. [173], "Bueckers" redirects here. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. But yeah, I dont like our team without her on the court. At Hopkins High School in Minnetonka, Minnesota, Bueckers was ranked as the number one recruit in her class by ESPN and received national high school player of the year honors. Working with the nonprofit branch of Chegg, she partnered with hunger relief company Goodr to host a free pop-up grocery market in Minneapolis to address food insecurity among college students. This leaves the Huskies with plenty of uncertainty and gaps to fill. [35][36] She was one of three finalists for the Gatorade National Player of the Year award. Second Five: Derrick McCauley, Waubay;. [44] Bueckers was selected to play at the McDonald's All-American Game and the Jordan Brand Classic, two prestigious high school all-star games, but both were canceled due to the pandemic. She worked out yesterday and said she felt good. Bueckers has averaged 21.2 points, 6.2 assists, 5.5 rebounds and 2.7 steals per game through six games. [109][110], Bueckers was cleared to return against St. John's on February 25, 2022. Still, UConn will be without its best player for a long stretch of the season. [5][6][7] Bueckers became friends with future National Basketball Association (NBA) player Jalen Suggs while in elementary school. She makes the game slow down for her. She's pointing and gesturing, she's screaming and chest-bumping a teammate, she's bouncing off her seat and reacting. The sophomore could potentially return by late January or early February. While the sophomore may set a personal goal to play in one of those games, Auriemma made it clear the team is not concerned about getting her back until shes ready. [49] She was named Gatorade Female High School Athlete of the Year,[18] Gatorade National Player of the Year,[50] Naismith Prep Player of the Year,[51] Morgan Wootten National Player of the Year,[52] and Minnesota Miss Basketball. UConn will likely not cruise through next season, but Auriemma's record speaks for itself, so the Huskies shouldn't be counted out any time soon. Olivia Nelson-Ododa and Caroline Ducharme added 14 points each. [32][33] Hopkins finished the season with a 320 record. Still, the Minnesota native filled up the trophy case in her first season, earning the Wooden Award, Naismith Trophy and AP Player of the Year honors. Shes done everything theyve asked her to do and now we just got to take a look and see: How far has she come? Now, the coach will have to find a way to cope without his go-to player. [37] Toward the end of the season, she suffered from a stress reaction in her right leg due to overuse. [3][4] As a child, she also played Little League Baseball as a catcher, as well as football and soccer, but focused on basketball by first grade. AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. The best insights from the ultimate insiders, 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Coach calls out ESPN for not inviting best womens college basketball player to ESPYs, UConn back in national championship for first time in six years, UConn star leads program to 14th straight Final Four in wild double OT win, UConn womens hoop star cleared to return vs. St. Johns, Knicks-Celtics game shows what NBA is missing, NHL, players union failing in this important area, MLB's rule changes will only bring needless new degree of confusion, The Marchand and Ourand Sports Media Podcast, The Show with Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman, Amazin' But True: A NY Mets Baseball Podcast, Gangs All Here: A NY Jets Football Podcast, Ariana Madix, Tom Sandoval have awkward moment amid cheating scandal, Canadian teacher with size-Z prosthetic breasts placed on paid leave. [169], In May 2022, Bueckers was named executive producer of WBB Takeover as part of a two-day basketball showcase hosted by the sports media brand Overtime.