IN PICS: Paige Bueckers sums up dream end to UConn career with gracious message and snaps from NCAA Finals

Modified Apr 09, 2025 01:45 GMT

NCAA Womens Basketball: Final Four National Championship - Source: Imagn — Paige Bueckers in the win over South Carolina. - Source: Nathan Ray Seebeck, Imagn

UConn Huskies Paige Bueckers put her stellar college career chapter to a perfect close after her win on Sunday, April 6. Matched up against the defending national champions in the South Carolina Gamecocks, Bueckers and Co. went off for a 23-point routing, 82-59, in the NCAA national championship game.

In the victory, the Hopkins, Minnesota native notched 17 points, six rebounds, three assists, a steal and two blocks in 38 minutes of playing time for the Geno Auriemma-coached squad for her first national championship berth. Bueckers was integral throughout the team's 2024-2025 campaign where they snapped a nine-year national title drought since winning it back in 2016.

Now that Bueckers has wrapped up her collegiate basketball stint of four years with the Huskies in a storybook fashion, she took the time to sum up her dream end to her college career. In a carousel post on her Instagram account on Tuesday, April 8, with photos from their post-game celebrations along with the gracious caption:

"God did! We did! National Champs."

In the photos, Bueckers is first seen celebrating as she cut down the basketball net and wore it on her neck as a tradition, which she has since gone viral for bringing it everywhere she goes now. The next set of pictures includes a group photo of the UConn team, her own individual shot, and a candid moment of her and coach Auriemma about to hug.

More candid photos of her and the rest of the Huskies have Aubrey Griffin, her family, Azzi Fudd, KK Arnold, and Jana El-Alfy. She then caps off the post with a photo of the whole UConn faithful as they celebrate their program's 12th national championship.

On the season, the spitfire scorer averaged a team-high 19.9 markers. 4.4 boards, 4.6 dimes and 2.1 steals per contest.

Paige Bueckers joins several UConn Huskies legends as national champions

Although Paige Bueckers has amassed a storied college basketball resume with a plethora of individual accolades and Big East conference success that has made her a bonafide UConn Huskies legend already, the only thing missing was a national title. Now that she has one, she cements her legacy along with program legends such as Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, Maya Moore and Breanna Stewart.

Bueckers is highly touted to be the top pick for the upcoming 2025 WNBA Draft, which is slated for Monday, April 14. Her selection will definitely be backed by her successful final season with the Huskies, finishing with an overall record of 37-3, 18-0 during conference play.

About the author

Koby del Rosario is a college sports journalist at Sportskeeda who took up BS in Advertising Management at De La Salle University, one of the big "four" universities in the Philippines. Koby has over four years of experience with Complex PH, M2.0 Communications, The LaSallian, Daily Tribune, and Time Attack Manila.

Koby's favorite college team would have to be the North Carolina Tar Heels. Apart from being MJ's alma mater, Koby has always been fond of the Jordan silhouettes that release in the school's colors (being a sneakerhead himself).

His past favorite college players would have to be Russell Westbrook (UCLA) and Markelle Fultz (Washington). With Russ, his 1-2 punch with Kevin Love during their UCLA days was something Koby marveled at as Russ became his favorite player to watch post-Kobe.

Besides playing basketball, Koby enjoys nightlife, collecting sneakers, and playing video games. Apart from hosting parties and taking pictures for parties/bars/clubs, Koby is learning to DJ as a hobby with all sorts of house and hip-hop as the main genres.

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash