PAIGE Bueckers admitted she’s been preparing her whole life to play on the biggest college basketball stage.
The 23-year-old superstar is preparing for one last crack at the the NCAA Tournament this month.
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And the prospective No. 1 overall WNBA Draft pick is ready to make this next few weeks count.
Bueckers has enjoyed a stunning season with the UConn Huskies.
She has one more year of college eligibility but is ready to make the move to the WNBA.
The 23-year-old will likely follow Caitlin Clark in becoming a No. 1 overall WNBA Draft pick.
And Clark helped increase the spotlight on women’s college basketball during her time with Iowa.
“Obviously, very excited,” Bueckers said earlier this month.
“This is what you prepare for your whole entire life, whole entire season.
“I don’t know. I’m just excited. March is great. Playing during this time is great.
“We just want to continue to keep getting better and keep looking forward to the future.”
Bueckers has never lost a Big East game in her basketball career, and continued that trend this season.
The women’s basketball star helped the No. 1-ranked Huskies destroy the Creighton Bluejays in the Big East tournament championship game.
That win gave UConn its 30th conference tournament title, the most in Division I history.
It was also the school’s 12th straight tournament win.
Buckers was fantastic during the game, finishing with 24 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and two steals.
Her performance led to her becoming the first player to win Big East Tournament MVP three times.
“It’s very cool,” Bueckers said.
“It’s hard to do something that’s never been done at UConn before.
“I feel like everything’s been accomplished, so I’m grateful and blessed.
“But it’s really a team achievement, a team award, a testament to the coaching staff, my teammates, who do a whole bunch for me so I’m able to go out there and perform alongside of them.”
UConn has won 11 national championships but the last came in 2016.
They were runners-up in 2022 and also made it to the Final Four in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2024.
Bueckers is hoping for another deep run this spring, which culminates in a 12th championship for her school
She said, “I love playing with this team. I love playing at UConn. I love playing in these environments.
“So I wanted to show it more and enjoy it more, and not feel the pressure, not play with pressure, but just play with joy.
“There’s an emphasis on me having fun during this last postseason run, just enjoying it, just embracing it.
“I think we’re growing every single day. Like my other years here at college, the coaches do an amazing job preparing us for whatever is going to come our way.
“They won 11 national titles so they know what it looks like.
“I think our chemistry is growing. We want to be playing our best basketball right now but I think we have the tools and we just need to continue to keep getting better.”
