"It brings you to tears": Paige Bueckers reacts to Caroline Ducharme's UConn return after missing 462 days due to injury

UConn guard Paige Bueckers reacted to the return of teammate Caroline Ducharme in Saturday's game against Butler. Ducharme played her first game after missing 462 days due to a head injury.

Bueckers told SNY courtside reporter Chelsea Sherrod after the game she was overjoyed to see the 6-foot-2 guard to be back on the court knowing what she had been through to recover from that injury.

"It's crazy. It brings you to tears because of everything she's been through and everything's she's overcame and how much work she's put into it," Paige Bueckers said.

UConn coach Geno Auriemma inserted Ducharme with 2:21 left in the game and grabbed the final rebound of the game for UConn (26-3, 15-0), who beat Butler (15-15, 5-12) 86-47.

Bueckers noted that she and her teammates enjoyed the moment she entered the hardcourt to fulfill her comeback from being away for more than a year.

"She's dedicated her entire life to getting back, doing what she loves," Bueckers said. "Just to have that moment no matter how long or what the stakes are. "

"Just to see her back there doing what she loves knowing she's getting rewarded for a lot of hard work, a lot of faith and a lot of tough journey. It made her stronger and she never wavered."

UConn, who made the Final Four and was two points away from making it to the national championship with six healthy players, are getting their important pieces back together. Azzi Fudd returned in late November 2024 from a knee injury while Aubrey Griffin suited up last month.

Ducharme's addition strengthens the team's guard corps and the senior's experience could be valuable for the team in the latter part of the season, particularly the NCAA Tournament.

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Paige Bueckers' UConn limits Butler to 22 points in three quarters to gain a big win

Paige Bueckers and UConn played some stingy defense on Butler, limiting the Bulldogs to single-digit scoring in the first, second and fourth quarters for a combined output of 22 points en route to a 39-point win.

The No. 5 Huskies forced 22 errors that resulted in a 31-5 advantage in points off turnovers and came out with a 12-3 edge in steals. Bueckers played her part in the defensive masterclass with three steals.

Although UConn let their Big East foe score 25 on them in the third, the Huskies bounced back in the payoff period, using a 22-5 run to place a big emphasis on how the rout.

UConn shot 57.8% from the field and allowed only 32.7% of Butler's shots to come in. The Huskies outrebounded Butler, 33-26, and had a distinct advantage in assists (28-14).

Paige Bueckers finished with a double-double of 23 points and 10 assists while Sarah Strong added 16 points, nine rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks.

Ashlynn Shade contributed 14 points, three rebounds, two assists and one steal off the bench while Azzi Fudd and Kaitlyn Chen finished with 10 points each.

UConn hosts Creighton at home on Thursday in a rematch of their January 25 game where the Huskies won 72-61 at Omaha.