2 Connecticut knocked off visiting No. "The whole time, she's seeing things that others don't see," Lobo said. 1 South Carolina. "Every hour of every single day, I always wanted to have a basketball in my hand," she said. Bueckers has heard the talk that she would be an WNBA lottery pick as soon as she is eligible. Her 31-point effort against the Gamecocks was the her third straight game scoring at least 30, something no other UConn player — including Taurasi, Moore or Stewart — has ever done. The coach said he has been impressed by the way his freshman star studies the game. Twitter Facebook Email. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. The UConn star swept the Big East’s weekly awards Monday, winning both player of the week and freshman of the week. “That will always be in the back of my head, because I never want to get away from basketball,” she said. All rights reserved. When she wasn’t there or in a nearby park shooting, she was in her room, working on her form or jumping up against a wall trying to improve her vertical leap, she said. “She’s that player that comes along that people talk about — ‘Hey did you see that kid from Connecticut?’ She’s that kid.”. "I just wanted to be super good at it because I loved it so much and that’s just what I did all the time was play basketball.". “I'm just trying to prove him wrong and make him be quiet sometimes,” she said. UConn freshman Paige Bueckers will miss Saturday’s game against Georgetown because of an ankle injury, the program said. Legal Statement. But Geno Auriemma said he has asked her to do more than star players such as Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore or Breanna Stewart needed to do in their first years. “Because if I don't, we lose.”. Bueckers bounced a pass over to Olivia Nelson-Ododa. Paige Bueckers is living up to the hype and rewriting the UConn record books The UConn freshman is special. “She celebrates her teammates more than she ever celebrates herself and that is the kind of teammate that is really, really easy to like,” she said. "She is blessed with not only talent, but a mind for the game, confidence and athleticism. Bueckers and Auriemma also seem to understand each other. A gift of $17 makes a difference. She hit a 3-pointer, stole the inbounds pass and laid it in. (Rafael Suanes / Georgetown Athletics) It wasn't luck, Bob Beuckers said. facebook twitter reddit link It was a matchup between No. Paige Bueckers was about 7, sitting on a couch watching the Los Angeles Lakers, when her dad told her to pay close attention to Kobe Bryant because he was such a clutch player. She is the fourth straight Gatorade high school player of the year to join UConn and the 11th since 1997. One of her best friends, 2018-19 high school player of the year Azzi Fudd, has been recruited to join her at UConn next season and she's looking forward to that partnership and to playing in front of UConn fans once the pandemic is over. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. She can remember a game when she was a third grader, playing on a fifth-grade team that was losing by five points with about seven seconds to go. "It just means a whole lot to me for me to be able to be there for my team, especially when they are counting on me to hit those shots," Bueckers explained. She can remember a game when she was a third grader, playing on a fifth-grade team that was losing by five points with about seven seconds to go. Bueckers became a leader early. or redistributed. Fox News Flash top headlines for February 18. "So for her to grow and feel comfortable to say to a junior, ‘This is what you need to do or this is what they are doing and this is how we counter it,' to be that voice in the huddle is important.". PAIGE BUECKERS ð ¥First player in UConn history with 3 straight 30-point games. With the shot clock about to expire and her team ahead by a single point in overtime, Paige Bueckers threw up a long 3-pointer that hit the back of the rim and bounced high into the air. Former UConn star and now ESPN analyst Rebecca Lobo said that may be one reason those players accept her has a leader, despite her youth. Paige Bueckers in her element ESPN ranked her as the number one player in 2020. Bueckers deflects praise, instead crediting her teammates, coaches and a deep faith in God for her success. 'S seeing things that others do n't have the patience. `` recruit, Paige Bueckers freshman star studies game. Be quiet sometimes, ” Nelson-Ododa said had made 11 of 12,. 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