“Need to have the same treatment as Caitlin Clark or better”: Fans back Paige Bueckers after UConn destroys South Carolina

College basketball fans showed support for UConn senior guard and potential 2025 WNBA No. 1 draft pick Paige Bueckers after she led the No. 7-ranked Huskies to a 29-point rout of No. 4 South Carolina on Sunday.

Bueckers was three rebounds shy of a triple-double, tallying 12 points, seven rebounds, 10 assists, and one steal in an all-around outing that had fans expressing their admiration for the 6-foot guard.

A fan wished Bueckers would get the same treatment as Iowa legend and 2024 WNBA top pick Caitlin Clark in the 2025 draft.

"Paige Bueckers needs to have the same treatment as Caitlyn Clark or, better, a bucket fr ! 💯🫡"

Other fans showed their utmost love for the fifth-year guard, with one user pointing out that Bueckers is his "Greatest Of All Time."

Other fans congratulated Bueckers for inflicting a rare home loss to South Carolina, who were unbeaten in 71 home games before the game against UConn.

"Well done Paige," one user wrote on X.

"Omg near tripple double🔥," an excited college basketball fan exclaimed.

"Facilitated a heck of a game," a fan added.

"Buckets 🔥🔥🔥," another fan stated.

"Real PG," a college hoops enthusiast opined.

Bueckers achieved the double-double despite shooting poorly from the field. She finished with a 3 of 12 clip but made 2 of 5 of her 3-point attempts. She was perfect from free throws, burying all her four attempts from the 15-foot line.

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UConn's 3-point accuracy overwhelms misfiring South Carolina

UConn picked apart defending champions South Carolina from downtown. The Huskies broke the game wide open by making 13 of 28 3-pointers, compared to the Gamecocks, who only made three out of 17 tries.

Azzi Fudd, Ashlynn Shade and Paige Bueckers combined for 11 3-point makes for UConn, forcing the hapless South Carolina defense to close in on the Huskies' shooters, opening the lanes for Geno Auriemma's bigs to operate with ease.

Sarah Strong and Jana El Alfy were the main beneficiaries of UConn's Sunday shooting spree. Strong, the top freshman of the 2024 class, tallied 16 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, two steals and one block.

El Alfy added eight points, six rebounds, one assist, and one steal. The frontline duo combined for 9 of 15 from the field and 5 of 5 from the free-throw line to dominate the paint over their South Carolina counterparts.

No. 2 freshman Joyce Edwards carried the fight for the Gamecocks with 17 points, five rebounds and two blocks. MiLaysia Fulwiley and Te-Hina Paopao also scored in double figures for the Dawn Staley-coached squad but the lack of 3-point shooters proved to be a big issue that the Gamecocks need to address if they are trying to contend for the 2025 NCAA Tournament.