'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
UConn Huskies guard Paige Bueckers is doing all she can to close out her college career strong by winning a national championship this year. Playing in the 2025 NCAA Tournament, the Huskies defeated the 10th-seeded South Dakota State Jackrabbits, 91-57, on Monday in the second round to qualify for the Sweet 16.
On the flip side, USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins' March Madness run abruptly ended as the spitfire scorer went down with a season-ending right ACL injury. Watkins went down in the first quarter of her team's eventual 96-59 second-round win over the Mississippi State Bulldogs.
With Watkins no longer being able to challenge for the national crown, Bueckers sent out a gesture of support for her recovery on Friday. In an Instagram post by ESPNW, Paige Bueckers was quoted as saying:
Trending
"We've exchanged numbers now, so we're locked in, and whatever she needs mentally, physically, needs to vent, ask questions. It's a long process and you learn about yourself."
College basketball fans and spectators then swarmed the comment section to show how much their hearts were warmed by Paige Bueckers' message to Watkins.
"This is why we love Paige. Paige is truly the best. Great teammate, and she is even looking out for players that are not her teammate," one fan said.
"Paige's simultaneous love for the game and players gets her 100% my respect. She used her voice, and she uses it well. True class act, we love you, Paige," another fan shared with a heart emoji.
"Paige is simply the best," another user posted.
"I love Paige, and JuJu is a generational talent. No hype here, just true basketball players," a fan commented with emojis.
For other users, the support from one face of college basketball to another speaks to the bigger picture of the growth of the women's game in its stature today.
"WNBA gonna be in great hands," one user claimed.
"These stars, the sign of support and care, their leadership is so much bigger than basketball @paigebueckers," another user wrote with emojis.
"Love the community support for JUJU. THE WOMEN'S GAME IS THE BEST THING GOING," a user exclaimed.
Although they will no longer have their once much-anticipated March Madness rematch, Paige Bueckers' Huskies and Watkins' Trojans are still in contention for the national title, through which they could match up in the Elite Eight even without the USC star.
Paige Bueckers has bounced back tremendously from her 2022 ACL injury
Back in August 2022, Paige Bueckers suffered an ACL injury as well during a pickup game that sidelined her for a whole year. If there's anyone JuJu Watkins can look to for advice in ACL recovery it's definitely the UConn Huskies senior, as she has since returned to top form with averages of a team-high 19.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 2.1 steals this season.
Now, Bueckers and the rest of the Geno Auriemma-coached team are preparing for their Sweet 16 matchup, which is the gutsy third-seeded Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday.
Dawn Staley, Geno Auriemma, or Kim Mulkey - who is NCAAW's highest-paid coach? Find out here
