BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — In a double-overtime thriller that put UConn’s record streak of women’s Final Four appearances at serious risk, Paige Bueckers came through for the Huskies — and earned a trip home to Minneapolis.
The sensational sophomore scored 15 of her 27 points after regulation, and UConn beat NC State 91-87 on Monday night to reach its 14th straight Final Four.
“Two days ago I said, ‘Win or go home’, but we won and I’m still going home,” said Bueckers, who missed two months with a knee injury this season. “This is crazy. I’m just so excited no matter the location, no matter where it is.”
Bueckers, who grew up 10 miles outside the site of the Final Four, scored the first five points in the second overtime to lift the Huskies (29-5), who will face defending champion Stanford in the national semifinals on Friday night.
Bueckers returned last month from the left knee injury that sidelined her for 19 games, and in eight appearances before this one, she wasn’t quite the same. But against NC State, she looked like the player who was named AP Player of the Year in 2021. She was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Bridgeport Region.
“Thank God Paige came back, because she just gives everybody so much confidence and then everybody just kind of played and everybody took turns making plays,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “It was just an amazing basketball game and it was a great showcase for our sport.”
Auriemma said it was one of the greatest games of his Hall of Fame career at UConn. The Huskies were ranked No. 5 in the final AP Top 25 before the tournament; the Wolfpack were No. 3, and both talented rosters shined.
“It was just amazing. … No one wants to lose,” Auriemma said. “Everyone was making big play after big play. no one backed down from the moment. It’s a shame one of us had to lose. Would be great if both of us could go.”
NC State was within 86-84 late in the second OT. Christyn Williams made a free throw and then a layup with 21 seconds left to give UConn an 89-85 lead.
Jakia Brown-Turner — who had forced the second overtime on a 3-pointer with 0.8 seconds left in the first extra period — then made a layup to get the Wolfpack within two, but Williams converted a layup off the inbounds to seal the win.
UConn had lost senior center Dorka Juhasz to a forearm injury earlier in the game.
“This team has been through so much and it’s only made us stronger,” Bueckers said. “And if we see one of our sisters go down, we’re going to do it for her. We all love each other, we’re all so close. It just signifies what we’ve been through all year. Whole bunch of adversity, highs and lows, ups and downs. We stayed composed and we stayed together.”
Brown-Turner finished with 20 points for NC State (32-4), and Elissa Cunane scored 18. Williams had 21 points for UConn and freshman Azzi Fudd had 19.
Both teams had chances to win in the final 30 seconds of regulation. UConn’s Olivia Nelson-Ododa was fouled with 28 seconds left and missed both free throws. On the ensuing possession, Diamond Johnson dribbled down the clock and drove before passing it back out to Kai Crutchfield, who was way off on a deep 3-pointer from the wing.
This was the first double-OT game in women’s NCAA Tournament history in the regional final or later. UConn won an overtime game for the first time in its storied tournament history; the Huskies had been 0-5 after regulation.
NC State was trying to reach the national semifinals for the second time in school history. The Wolfpack made it that far in 1998, beating the Huskies in the Elite Eight that season to advance. None of the current roster had been born then.
“This journey has been incredible and this team has done so much and accomplished so much,” said Cunane, a senior. “Although this is hurtful right now, proud of all we’ve done this season. I couldn’t be more proud of the team.”
Crutchfield, Raina Perez and Kayla Jones all came back this year using their extra COVID-19 season that was granted by the NCAA to try and lift the Wolfpack to new heights. They succeeded, advancing farther than the team had in 24 years.
“What a legacy they have now,” coach Wes Moore said. “Another step would have made it better.”
The Huskies dealt with injuries and COVID-19 issues all season and had their most losses since 2012, including their first conference defeat in nine years and their first loss to an unranked team since 2012.
Things have been looking up for UConn since the team started getting healthy, starting with Bueckers.
