UConn Huskies guard Paige Bueckers had her dreams of a national championship controversially ended with a borderline offensive foul call during her team’s narrow 71-69 Final Four loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Bueckers, who opted to play an extra year in UConn colors, also has to deal with some of her teammates moving on and one of her closest friends, guard Nika Muhl, announced a few weeks ago that she would not be returning to Storrs.
The UConn star posted a picture of the duo on her Instagram stories with the caption:
“I love you more than my life,” Paige Bueckers wrote. ” This me fr now that you leaving.”
Nika Muhl the glue of UConn
Nika Muhl is a defensive machine and has helped the UConn Huskies close out several tough games with her defensive awareness.
Muhl has won the Big East Defensive Player of the Year twice in her college basketball career and in the Final Four clash against the Iowa Hawkeyes, she competently kept star Caitlin Clark in check for the first half.
Clark finished 3-for-11 from the field and 0-for-6 from deep for 6 points in a difficult half against the determined Nika Muhl. The Huskies led 32-26 at the half.
Coach Geno Auriemma explained the strategy of using Nike Muhl as a defensive weapon to ESPN’s courtside reporter Holly Rowe at halftime.
“We’re trying to get (Clark) to go to some spots where maybe she’s not comfortable with and give (Muhl) as much help as we can,” Auriemma said.
UConn forward Aaliyah Edwards explained just how vital Muhl was to the Huskies’ setup after the game.
“She’s just the steady beat that really helps us go, helps us slow down, helps us just play at the pace that we need to play at on the defensive end,” Edwards said.
Paige Bueckers shows maturity in Iowa loss
Paige Bueckers was dissatisfied with how the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes ended with 10 seconds remaining after a disputed offensive foul was thrown on forward Aaliyah Edwards, allowing Iowa to win.
During her postgame news conference, Bueckers focused on the bigger picture and refused to be drawn into the controversial nature of the call that ended UConn’s dreams of a national championship.
“Everybody can make a big deal of that one single play, but not one single play wins a basketball game or loses a basketball game,” Bueckers said.
“I feel there were a lot of mistakes that I made that could have prevented that play from even being that big or causing the game.”
Coach Geno Auriemma will be delighted with standout Paige Bueckers’ growth and maturity as she seeks to restore her reputation as the top dog in women’s college basketball by playing an extra year for the Huskies.
News
WNBA feeling ‘Caitlin Clark effect’ as season tips off
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (left) scored 21 points in the pre-season game against Dallas Wings on May 3. PHOTO: REUTERS NEW YORK – A new era for…
Caitlin Clark’s First Regular Season WNBA Game Will Air on Disney+, a Win for Young Fans
Caitlin Clark, who has lived her own Cinderella story in the world of college basketball, will be unveiling the next chapter of her fairytale on Disney’s stage….
Angel Reese proven right as rookie inspires Chicago Sky to 48-point win against New York Liberty
Angel Reese wasted no time transitioning from the glitz and glamour of the Met Gala back to the hardwood, helping the Chicago Sky dismantle the New York Liberty – a formidable opponent that…
WNBA to start full-time charter flights for all teams this season
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced on Tuesday that the league will start using charter flights for all teams this season. Teams previously frequently used commercial flights for…
ESPN rolling out ‘WNBA Finals-level production setup’ for Caitlin Clark’s debut
The 2024 WNBA season tips off on May 14, and ESPN is going all-out for the league’s opener. Per a Friday release, the network “will utilize a…
Closing a historic chapter: Iowa women’s basketball says goodbye to senior class
All five seniors — Molly Davis, Sharon Goodman, Kate Martin, Gabbie Marshall, and Caitlin Clark — left their mark on the team in various capacities. Iowa guard…
End of content
No more pages to load