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CBS News
30-03-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Bueckers has career-high 40 points to lead UConn past Oklahoma during March Madness
Paige Bueckers scored a career-high 40 points, rescuing UConn from its first-half doldrums and single-handedly turning a tight game against Oklahoma into an 82-59 rout on Saturday that sent the Huskies to the Elite Eight of the women's NCAA Tournament. Bueckers had 29 points after halftime for the Huskies, who trailed 36-32 at the break. The likely No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft eclipsed her previous career best of 34 points, set Monday in UConn's second-round victory over South Dakota State, her final home final game at Gampel Pavilion. The electrifying senior guard matched her career high with six 3-pointers, the last two during a personal 10-0 run in the fourth quarter. Bueckers checked out of the game with 3:06 left and UConn ahead 80-51. "Obviously, Paige was spectacular," UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. "That was as good a game as I've seen her play the whole time she's been here, at the most important time. When you're a senior and you've been around as long as she has, this is what you're here to do. This is why you came here." The second-seeded Huskies (34-3), winners of 13 straight, will face the winner of Saturday's late game between Southern California and Kanas State in a regional final on Monday. Ashlynn Shade added 12 points and Sarah Strong had 11 points and 11 rebounds for UConn, which is seeking to extend its record by winning a 12th national title. The Huskies reached their 18th Elite Eight in the past 19 seasons, but Auriemma's team hasn't won it all since 2016. "Honestly, we just wanted to keep our season going as long as possible," Bueckers said. "We all love playing together. We love playing here. We just love this program." Payton Verhulst scored 16 points for third-seeded Oklahoma (27-8), which reached the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2013. The Sooners have never beaten the Huskies in a series that includes the 2002 national title game. "I just said to our seniors, obviously this loss sucks, it should hurt, there's going to be tears and heartbreak, but I think the biggest message that I wanted them to hear was that they started this culture at Oklahoma," Verhulst said. The Sooners jumped out to an 8-0 lead. The Huskies' first points came on Bueckers' 3-pointer just over three minutes into the game, which touched off a 11-0 UConn run. The Huskies led 17-12 after the opening quarter. Verhulst hit a deep 3-pointer to put the Sooners back on top, 24-23. She added a jumper and another 3 to extend the lead to 29-23. Verhulst had 13 points in the second quarter. Reyna Scott's 3 sent the Sooners into the break with a four-point lead. Bueckers — who led UConn to last year's Final Four, where it lost to Caitlin Clark and Iowa — came out after the break and made clear her collegiate career would continue, scoring eight points early in the third quarter to put the Huskies ahead. Her fast-break layup stretched the lead to 48-40 and the Huskies controlled the game from there, leading by 59-46 heading into the final quarter. She added a deep 3 that gave UConn a 62-46 lead and put the game out of reach for Oklahoma — but she kept on scoring anyway, sending a message to any opponent that might seek to stop the Huskies' pursuit of a championship. "Everybody at this point of the season is trying to keep winning, to win a national title and keep the season going as long as possible," Bueckers said. "Everybody has the same goal. Whether your season is ending or your career is ending, you want to stay in one game at a time, one practice at a time, one possession at a time, and just focus on that and maximizing that, and not getting too caught up in the future." Bueckers surpassed Tina Charles for fourth place on UConn's career scoring list. The playmaking guard from Minnesota with the signature French braids arrived at UConn in 2020 and was the consensus national player of the year as a freshman. But her next two seasons were derailed by injuries. She sat out the entire 2022-23 campaign with a torn ACL. ___ This story has been corrected. A previous version reported incorrectly that UConn lost to South Carolina, not Iowa, in the 2024 Final Four. ___ AP March Madness bracket: and coverage: Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here .
Chicago Tribune
30-03-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Women's Sweet 16 roundup: Paige Bueckers scores a career-high 40 in UConn rout — and Texas outlasts Tennessee
SPOKANE, Wash. — Paige Bueckers scored a career-high 40 points, rescuing UConn from its first-half doldrums and single-handedly turning a tight game against Oklahoma into an 82-59 rout Saturday that sent the Huskies to the Elite Eight of the NCAA women's tournament. Bueckers had 29 points after halftime for the Huskies, who trailed 36-32 at the break. The likely No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft eclipsed her previous career best of 34 points, set Monday in UConn's second-round victory over South Dakota State, her final home game at Gampel Pavilion. The electrifying senior guard matched her career high with six 3-pointers, the last two during a personal 10-0 run in the fourth quarter. Bueckers checked out of the game with 3:06 left and UConn ahead 80-51. 'Obviously, Paige was spectacular,' UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. 'That was as good a game as I've seen her play the whole time she's been here, at the most important time. When you're a senior and you've been around as long as she has, this is what you're here to do. This is why you came here.' The second-seeded Huskies (34-3), winners of 13 straight, will face the winner of Saturday's late game between USC and Kanas State in a regional final Monday. Ashlynn Shade added 12 points and Sarah Strong had 11 points and 11 rebounds for UConn, which is seeking to extend its record by winning a 12th national title. The Huskies reached their 18th Elite Eight in the past 19 seasons, but Auriemma's team hasn't won it all since 2016. 'Honestly, we just wanted to keep our season going as long as possible,' Bueckers said. 'We all love playing together. We love playing here. We just love this program.' Payton Verhulst scored 16 points for third-seeded Oklahoma (27-8), which reached the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2013. The Sooners have never beaten the Huskies in a series that includes the 2002 national title game. The Sooners jumped to an 8-0 lead. The Huskies' first points came on Bueckers' 3-pointer just over three minutes into the game, which touched off a 11-0 UConn run. The Huskies led 17-12 after the opening quarter. Verhulst hit a deep 3-pointer to put the Sooners back on top, 24-23. She added a jumper and another 3 to extend the lead to 29-23. Verhulst had 13 points in the second quarter. Reyna Scott's 3 sent the Sooners into the break with a four-point lead. Bueckers — who led UConn to last year's Final Four, in which it lost to eventual champion South Carolina — came out after the break and made clear her collegiate career would continue, scoring eight points early in the third quarter to put the Huskies ahead. Her fast-break layup stretched the lead to 48-40 and the Huskies controlled the game from there, leading by 59-46 heading into the final quarter. She added a deep 3 that gave UConn a 62-46 lead and put the game out of reach for Oklahoma — but she kept on scoring anyway, sending a message to any opponent that might seek to stop the Huskies' pursuit of a championship. 'Everybody at this point of the season is trying to keep winning, to win a national title and keep the season going as long as possible,' Bueckers said. 'Everybody has the same goal. Whether your season is ending or your career is ending, you want to stay in one game at a time, one practice at a time, one possession at a time, and just focus on that and maximizing that, and not getting too caught up in the future.' Bueckers surpassed Tina Charles for fourth place on UConn's career scoring list. Texas 67, Tennessee 59 BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Madison Booker scored 17 points and No. 1 seed Texas outlasted fifth-seeded Tennessee in a tight battle. Jordan Lee scored 13 points and Taylor Jones added 12 points and eight rebounds for the Longhorns (34-3), who advanced to face TCU in the Elite Eight. The Horned Frogs beat Notre Dame 71-62 earlier Saturday to reach the first regional final in school history. Booker scored seven points in the fourth quarter, including four straight with the game tied at 54 with five minutes left. Tennessee pulled back within one on a jumper by Ruby Whitehorn, who led the Volunteers (24-10) with 16 points, before the Longhorns stretched their lead to eight. That was Texas' biggest advantage of the day, with Tennessee matching the Longhorns' biggest strengths: defense, rebounding and post play. The Vols outrebounded the Longhorns 39-36, had 15 second-chance points to Texas' five and got 36 points in the paint. Bryanna Preston added 12 points and four assists for Texas, which got 40 points in the post. Zee Spearman had 13 points for the Vols, who continued their run as the only school to appear in every Division I women's tournament with their 43rd straight appearance. Tennessee outscored Texas 17-13 in the second with Booker sitting on the bench much of the quarter after picking up two early fouls. Still, the Longhorns held a 34-30 edge at the half. Despite what coach Vic Schaefer said wasn't his team's best night, the Longhorns locked down on defense down the stretch against the highest-scoring team in the country. Texas held Tennessee to nine points in the fourth, forced four Tennessee turnovers over the final five minutes and held the Vols to no makes on their final five shots. Originally Published: March 29, 2025 at 8:08 PM CDT
Boston Globe
30-03-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Paige Bueckers scores career-high 40 to lead one-woman rout for UConn over Oklahoma
The electrifying senior guard matched her career high with six 3-pointers before checking out of the game with 3:06 left and UConn ahead, 80-51. We can't get enough of this duo 🔥 — NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) The second-seeded Huskies (34-3) have now won 13 straight. Ashlyn Shade added 12 points and Sarah Strong had 11 points and 11 rebounds for UConn, which is seeking to extend its record by winning a 12th national title. The Huskies reached their fourth Elite Eight in the past five years, but coach Geno Auriemma's team hasn't won it all since 2016. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Payton Verhulst scored 16 points for third-seeded Oklahoma (27-8), which was playing its first Sweet 16 game since 2013. The Sooners have never beaten the Huskies in a series that includes the 2002 national title game. Advertisement Bueckers took UConn to the Final Four last season, where it lost to eventual champion South Carolina. The Sooners jumped out to an 8-0 lead. The Huskies' first points came on Bueckers' 3-pointer just over three minutes into the game, which touched off a 11-0 UConn run. The Huskies led 17-12 after the opening quarter. Verhulst hit a deep 3-pointer to put the Sooners back on top, 24-23. She added a jumper and another 3 to extend the lead to 29-23. Verhulst had 13 points in the second quarter. Reyna Scott's 3 sent the Sooners into the break with a four-point lead. Bueckers clearly did not not want her collegiate career to end, scoring with eight points early in the third quarter to put the Huskies ahead. Her fast-break layup stretched the lead to 48-40 and the Huskies controlled the game from there, leading by 59-46 heading into the final quarter. Advertisement She added a deep 3 that gave UConn a 62-46 lead and put the game out of reach for Oklahoma.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Iowa women face Oklahoma in NCAA tourney's second round
No. 11 Oklahoma (26-7, 13-6 SEC) faces Iowa (23-10, 12-9 Big Ten) in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Sooners have gone 13-6 against SEC teams, with a 13-1 record in non-conference play. Oklahoma leads college basketball with 21.8 assists per game led by Payton Verhulst averaging 4.0. The Hawkeyes are 12-9 in Big Ten play. Iowa is 0-5 in one-possession games. Iowa vs. Oklahoma: Monday, March 24th – 3:00 p.m. WATCH: ESPN LISTEN: Hawkeye Radio Network Oklahoma makes 45.9% of its shots from the field this season, which is 6.6 percentage points higher than Iowa has allowed to its opponents (39.3%). Iowa averages 7.3 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.8 more makes per game than Oklahoma allows. Verhulst averages 2.3 made 3-pointers per game for the Sooners, scoring 14.8 points while shooting 34.8% from beyond the arc. Raegan Beers is averaging 17.7 points and 9.2 rebounds over the past 10 games. Taylor McCabe averages 2.0 made 3-pointers per game for the Hawkeyes, scoring 6.8 points while shooting 40.6% from beyond the arc. Lucy Olsen is averaging 21.1 points, 5.4 assists and 1.8 steals over the last 10 games. Sooners: 9-1, averaging 82.5 points, 43.3 rebounds, 21.9 assists, 7.1 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 43.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 68.9 points per game. Hawkeyes: 7-3, averaging 74.5 points, 32.5 rebounds, 18.6 assists, 8.2 steals and 2.3 blocks per game while shooting 47.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 62.6 points. BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Sooners -4.5; over/under is 157.5 Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Oklahoma Sooners and Iowa Hawkeyes play in NCAA Tournament second round
Iowa Hawkeyes (23-10, 12-9 Big Ten) at Oklahoma Sooners (26-7, 13-6 SEC) Norman, Oklahoma; Monday, 4 p.m. EDT BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Sooners -4.5; over/under is 157.5 BOTTOM LINE: No. 11 Oklahoma faces Iowa in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Sooners have gone 13-6 against SEC teams, with a 13-1 record in non-conference play. Oklahoma leads college basketball with 21.8 assists per game led by Payton Verhulst averaging 4.0. The Hawkeyes are 12-9 in Big Ten play. Iowa is 0-5 in one-possession games. Oklahoma makes 45.9% of its shots from the field this season, which is 6.6 percentage points higher than Iowa has allowed to its opponents (39.3%). Iowa averages 7.3 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.8 more makes per game than Oklahoma allows. TOP PERFORMERS: Verhulst averages 2.3 made 3-pointers per game for the Sooners, scoring 14.8 points while shooting 34.8% from beyond the arc. Raegan Beers is averaging 17.7 points and 9.2 rebounds over the past 10 games. Taylor McCabe averages 2.0 made 3-pointers per game for the Hawkeyes, scoring 6.8 points while shooting 40.6% from beyond the arc. Lucy Olsen is averaging 21.1 points, 5.4 assists and 1.8 steals over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Sooners: 9-1, averaging 82.5 points, 43.3 rebounds, 21.9 assists, 7.1 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 43.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 68.9 points per game. Hawkeyes: 7-3, averaging 74.5 points, 32.5 rebounds, 18.6 assists, 8.2 steals and 2.3 blocks per game while shooting 47.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 62.6 points. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
