University of 海角换妻 guard Paige Bueckers, the 2020-21 AP Women鈥檚 Player of the Year, returned to the starting lineup in Saturday鈥檚 NCAA Tournament first-round blowout of Mercer University.
Bueckers missed 19 games earlier in the season due to a leg fracture. She鈥檚 played in five games since Feb. 25, but she hadn鈥檛 started in a game until Saturday鈥檚 83-38 win.
鈥淕etting my body prepared, my mind prepared 鈥� in the last 10 days, I really locked in on that, and that鈥檚 helped me gain confidence in my movements and what I鈥檓 doing on the court,鈥� said Bueckers, who had 12 points, five assists and two steals Saturday.
UConn head coach Geno Auriemma said he wanted Bueckers to 鈥済et her mind right鈥� after the team鈥檚 last game, a victory over Villanova University in the Big East Tournament championship game. Auriemma had Bueckers in for 25 minutes Saturday, the longest time she has played in a game since her return from injury. Auriemma says he likely won鈥檛 restrict her minutes going forward.
鈥淚nitially we did when she was first coming back, but right now I just kind of go by what I see and what it feels like and what I think 鈥� trying to read her mind and trying to read her body language,鈥� he said.
Overall, Auriemma felt that the Huskies struggled on offense Saturday until the second quarter and that when the offense did finally get going, it was because of UConn鈥檚 play on defense. The Huskies forced 21 turnovers in the game. At one point, the Huskies went on a 20-0 run. That was part of a third quarter in which UConn didn鈥檛 let Mercer score a point.
鈥淲e take pride here in putting our defense first and letting the offense come after that, so just being able to lock in, and no matter what team we鈥檙e playing, no matter what round it is, we鈥檙e just focused on that,鈥� Bueckers said about UConn's stifling defensive effort.
Saturday鈥檚 NCAA Tournament matchup with Mercer was played in Storrs. That鈥檚 where the Huskies' second-round game will take place, against the University of Central Florida on Monday.
