It’s Saturday night, March 29, 2025, just past 11 p.m. EDT, and I’m still buzzing from what I just saw. Paige Bueckers UConn’s superstar guard went off tonight in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, dropping a career-high 40 points to lead the No. 2-seeded Huskies past No. 3 Oklahoma, 85-74, in Spokane, Washington. Not only did she light up the scoreboard, but she also smashed a UConn record for the most points in a single NCAA Tournament game by a women’s player. I mean, we’re talking history here 40 points in March Madness, a first for the program that’s basically the gold standard of women’s hoops. How’d it happen? What’s it mean? Let’s unpack this epic night.
The Game That Did It
So, picture this: Spokane Arena, packed crowd, UConn facing Oklahoma in a Sweet 16 showdown. The Huskies are coming off a solid second-round win over South Dakota State, where Paige tied her career high with 34 points in her Gampel Pavilion finale. Oklahoma’s no pushover they’d just set an NCAA Tournament record with 72 rebounds against FGCU two days ago. The game starts tight, and at halftime, UConn’s trailing 36-32. Paige has 11 points, but it’s taken her 11 shots she’s grinding, not quite clicking yet.
Then the second half hits, and holy cow, it’s like someone flipped a switch. Paige explodes 29 points in those 20 minutes, finishing with 40 on 16-of-27 from the field, 6-of-8 from three, plus six rebounds, three steals, and two blocks. Posts on X from @John_Fanta and @UConnWBB are losing it she’s unstoppable, hitting step-back threes, midrange jumpers, everything. Oklahoma’s got no answer; their defense collapses trying to contain her. By the end, UConn’s up 85-74, headed to the Elite Eight, and Paige has etched her name deeper into UConn lore.
Breaking the Record
Here’s the biggie: that 40-point outburst? It’s the most ever by a UConn women’s player in an NCAA Tournament game. Before tonight, the bar was lower nobody in the program’s insane history (11 titles, 23 Final Fours) had hit that mark in March Madness. Maya Moore, Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird legends, all of them never dropped 40 in a tournament game. Paige had already tied Moore with multiple 30-point NCAA games after Monday’s 34, but this? This is new territory.
Back in 2021, as a freshman, Paige set a UConn record for most points in a tournament debut with 24 against High Point. She’s been flirting with history ever since, but injuries like that tibial plateau fracture in 2021 and an ACL tear that wiped out her 2022-23 season kept her from a full-on takeover until now. Tonight’s 40 beats anything from the last 25 years of UConn tournament play, per posts floating around X. It’s not just a number; it’s a statement Paige is back, healthy, and rewriting the books.
How She Did It
Let’s talk about the performance itself it’s unreal. First half, she’s efficient but not dominant 11 points on 11 shots, keeping UConn in it while Oklahoma’s rebounding machine (they grab 47 tonight) controls the pace. Second half? She turns into a one-woman wrecking crew. She goes 10-for-16 after the break, including 5-of-6 from deep. X clips from
@UConnWBB show her splashing a corner three, then a pull-up in transition ice-cold. She’s not just scoring; she’s clutch every time Oklahoma creeps close, she answers.
Her stat line’s bonkers: 40 points, 59% field goal shooting, 75% from three, plus those six boards and defensive plays. Teammate Azzi Fudd, who’s seen it all, told ESPN earlier this week, “When Paige is locked in, there’s nothing you can do.” Tonight proves it Oklahoma throws double-teams, switches, everything; she shrugs it off. Coach Geno Auriemma, the winningest coach in NCAA history, probably just sat back grinning his star’s delivering what he’s dreamed of since she picked UConn over every other powerhouse in 2019.
The Context of Her Journey
This isn’t just a random hot night Paige’s story makes it bigger. She rolled into UConn as the No. 1 recruit in 2020, a Minnesota kid with a silky game and sky-high hype. Freshman year, she’s a phenom first rookie to sweep the Naismith, AP, USBWA, and Wooden Awards, leading UConn to the Final Four. Then the injuries hit knee surgeries, a lost season, doubts about whether she’d ever be that Paige again. She’s open about the mental toll watching from the sidelines in 2023, rehabbing while Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese stole the spotlight.
But 2024-25? It’s her redemption arc. She’s averaging 19.2 points and 4.8 assists on 41.1% from three for a 33-3 Huskies squad. She’s won Big East Player of the Year, snagged three Big East Tournament MOP awards (a first), and now this 40 in the Sweet 16. Posts on X tonight call it “Bueckers Mania,” and it fits she’s peaking at the perfect time, chasing that national title she’s wanted since she was a kid dreaming of UConn.
Why It Matters for UConn
UConn’s no stranger to greatness 11 championships, a record 31 straight Sweet 16s (extended tonight). But they haven’t won it all since 2016, and Paige is their shot to end that drought. The roster’s deep Fudd’s back from her own injuries, dropping 44 points across the first two tournament games; freshman Sarah Strong’s a double-double machine. Together, they’re a plus-50.9 net efficiency trio, best in Division I per ESPN stats. Still, Paige is the engine her 40 tonight isn’t just a record; it’s a lifeline keeping UConn’s title hopes alive.
Next up? The Elite Eight on Sunday against either No. 1 USC or No. 5 Kansas State. USC’s a beast even without JuJu Watkins (out with a knee injury) Kiki Iriafen’s a problem, dropping 36 in the second round. But Paige versus USC’s defense could be the matchup of the tournament if it happens. Win that, and it’s Final Four No. 24 two games from No. 12.
The National Buzz
This isn’t just a UConn story it’s shaking women’s basketball. Paige’s 40 comes as the sport’s exploding UConn’s ticket sales topped $3 million last year, an NCAA record for a women’s public team. She’s the presumptive No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft (April 14, eight days after the title game), but she’s all-in on this run first. X is lit up @John_Fanta’s calling it “incredible,” fans are hyping her as the best in the game. ESPN’s Rebecca Lobo, a UConn legend herself, broke the news yesterday that Paige is draft-bound post-tournament tonight’s proof she’s leaving on her terms.
It’s bigger than stats too. With Clark gone to the WNBA, Paige is the face of college hoops her NIL deals with Nike, Gatorade, and more show her star power. Tonight’s 40 could’ve been 50 if she hadn’t sat late selfless, letting teammates eat too. That’s her team-first, even in a record-breaking night.
What’s Next?
Sunday’s Elite Eight is the next test 5:30 p.m. EDT, win or go home. Paige told the crowd Monday, “This is my last year to get what I came here for a national championship.” She’s got three games left, max, to do it. USC’s the favorite if they meet, but after tonight, who’s betting against her? The Final Four’s in Cleveland UConn’s been there 23 times; Paige wants 24 and that elusive ring.
For now, it’s celebration time in Storrs. That banner in the Huskies of Honor she got Monday? Add a new line: 40 points, March 29, 2025, NCAA record. She’s not done yet, but tonight, Paige Bueckers didn’t just set a record—she reminded us why she’s one of the greatest to ever wear that jersey.
The Game That Did It
So, picture this: Spokane Arena, packed crowd, UConn facing Oklahoma in a Sweet 16 showdown. The Huskies are coming off a solid second-round win over South Dakota State, where Paige tied her career high with 34 points in her Gampel Pavilion finale. Oklahoma’s no pushover they’d just set an NCAA Tournament record with 72 rebounds against FGCU two days ago. The game starts tight, and at halftime, UConn’s trailing 36-32. Paige has 11 points, but it’s taken her 11 shots she’s grinding, not quite clicking yet.
Then the second half hits, and holy cow, it’s like someone flipped a switch. Paige explodes 29 points in those 20 minutes, finishing with 40 on 16-of-27 from the field, 6-of-8 from three, plus six rebounds, three steals, and two blocks. Posts on X from @John_Fanta and @UConnWBB are losing it she’s unstoppable, hitting step-back threes, midrange jumpers, everything. Oklahoma’s got no answer; their defense collapses trying to contain her. By the end, UConn’s up 85-74, headed to the Elite Eight, and Paige has etched her name deeper into UConn lore.
Breaking the Record
Here’s the biggie: that 40-point outburst? It’s the most ever by a UConn women’s player in an NCAA Tournament game. Before tonight, the bar was lower nobody in the program’s insane history (11 titles, 23 Final Fours) had hit that mark in March Madness. Maya Moore, Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird legends, all of them never dropped 40 in a tournament game. Paige had already tied Moore with multiple 30-point NCAA games after Monday’s 34, but this? This is new territory.
Back in 2021, as a freshman, Paige set a UConn record for most points in a tournament debut with 24 against High Point. She’s been flirting with history ever since, but injuries like that tibial plateau fracture in 2021 and an ACL tear that wiped out her 2022-23 season kept her from a full-on takeover until now. Tonight’s 40 beats anything from the last 25 years of UConn tournament play, per posts floating around X. It’s not just a number; it’s a statement Paige is back, healthy, and rewriting the books.
How She Did It
Let’s talk about the performance itself it’s unreal. First half, she’s efficient but not dominant 11 points on 11 shots, keeping UConn in it while Oklahoma’s rebounding machine (they grab 47 tonight) controls the pace. Second half? She turns into a one-woman wrecking crew. She goes 10-for-16 after the break, including 5-of-6 from deep. X clips from
@UConnWBB show her splashing a corner three, then a pull-up in transition ice-cold. She’s not just scoring; she’s clutch every time Oklahoma creeps close, she answers.
Her stat line’s bonkers: 40 points, 59% field goal shooting, 75% from three, plus those six boards and defensive plays. Teammate Azzi Fudd, who’s seen it all, told ESPN earlier this week, “When Paige is locked in, there’s nothing you can do.” Tonight proves it Oklahoma throws double-teams, switches, everything; she shrugs it off. Coach Geno Auriemma, the winningest coach in NCAA history, probably just sat back grinning his star’s delivering what he’s dreamed of since she picked UConn over every other powerhouse in 2019.
The Context of Her Journey
This isn’t just a random hot night Paige’s story makes it bigger. She rolled into UConn as the No. 1 recruit in 2020, a Minnesota kid with a silky game and sky-high hype. Freshman year, she’s a phenom first rookie to sweep the Naismith, AP, USBWA, and Wooden Awards, leading UConn to the Final Four. Then the injuries hit knee surgeries, a lost season, doubts about whether she’d ever be that Paige again. She’s open about the mental toll watching from the sidelines in 2023, rehabbing while Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese stole the spotlight.
But 2024-25? It’s her redemption arc. She’s averaging 19.2 points and 4.8 assists on 41.1% from three for a 33-3 Huskies squad. She’s won Big East Player of the Year, snagged three Big East Tournament MOP awards (a first), and now this 40 in the Sweet 16. Posts on X tonight call it “Bueckers Mania,” and it fits she’s peaking at the perfect time, chasing that national title she’s wanted since she was a kid dreaming of UConn.
Why It Matters for UConn
UConn’s no stranger to greatness 11 championships, a record 31 straight Sweet 16s (extended tonight). But they haven’t won it all since 2016, and Paige is their shot to end that drought. The roster’s deep Fudd’s back from her own injuries, dropping 44 points across the first two tournament games; freshman Sarah Strong’s a double-double machine. Together, they’re a plus-50.9 net efficiency trio, best in Division I per ESPN stats. Still, Paige is the engine her 40 tonight isn’t just a record; it’s a lifeline keeping UConn’s title hopes alive.
Next up? The Elite Eight on Sunday against either No. 1 USC or No. 5 Kansas State. USC’s a beast even without JuJu Watkins (out with a knee injury) Kiki Iriafen’s a problem, dropping 36 in the second round. But Paige versus USC’s defense could be the matchup of the tournament if it happens. Win that, and it’s Final Four No. 24 two games from No. 12.
The National Buzz
This isn’t just a UConn story it’s shaking women’s basketball. Paige’s 40 comes as the sport’s exploding UConn’s ticket sales topped $3 million last year, an NCAA record for a women’s public team. She’s the presumptive No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft (April 14, eight days after the title game), but she’s all-in on this run first. X is lit up @John_Fanta’s calling it “incredible,” fans are hyping her as the best in the game. ESPN’s Rebecca Lobo, a UConn legend herself, broke the news yesterday that Paige is draft-bound post-tournament tonight’s proof she’s leaving on her terms.
It’s bigger than stats too. With Clark gone to the WNBA, Paige is the face of college hoops her NIL deals with Nike, Gatorade, and more show her star power. Tonight’s 40 could’ve been 50 if she hadn’t sat late selfless, letting teammates eat too. That’s her team-first, even in a record-breaking night.
What’s Next?
Sunday’s Elite Eight is the next test 5:30 p.m. EDT, win or go home. Paige told the crowd Monday, “This is my last year to get what I came here for a national championship.” She’s got three games left, max, to do it. USC’s the favorite if they meet, but after tonight, who’s betting against her? The Final Four’s in Cleveland UConn’s been there 23 times; Paige wants 24 and that elusive ring.
For now, it’s celebration time in Storrs. That banner in the Huskies of Honor she got Monday? Add a new line: 40 points, March 29, 2025, NCAA record. She’s not done yet, but tonight, Paige Bueckers didn’t just set a record—she reminded us why she’s one of the greatest to ever wear that jersey.
