"I'm spooked": Paige Bueckers reacts to 'scary hours' snap of teammates Sarah Strong and Jana El Alfy
The UConn Huskies women's basketball team is set for an intense 2024-25 season, aiming for a national championship run. There will be a lot of expectations on their star player, Paige Bueckers. The much anticipated season will have the Huskies face the University of Southern California on Dec. 21 at the XL Center.
Meanwhile, the UConn women’s basketball Instagram account has been building anticipation for the season. On Thursday, the team shared photos featuring Jana El Alfy and Sarah Strong with a Halloween-themed caption, "scary hours."
Bueckers reshared the image on her story, writing:
“I’m spooked.”
Besides Bueckers, Strong and El Alfy also posted the picture on their Instagram stories.
Strong was recently named to the 2025 Cheryl Miller Award watch list by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association.
In addition to this recognition, Strong was also the Big East preseason Freshman of the Year. The North Carolina native is the 2024 Naismith High School Player of the Year and was selected as McDonald's, Naismith, SLAM and Jordan Brand All-American.
Meanwhile, the UConn women’s basketball team has another much-anticipated addition: 6-foot-5 center Jana El Alfy. Originally from Egypt, El Alfy made the 6,000-mile journey to Connecticut about 16 months ago to join the team. However, her debut was delayed due to an Achilles injury. Now fully recovered, El Alfy is set to make a comeback at UConn’s frontcourt.
With a seating capacity of 16,294, the XL Center has already been sold out. The last time the teams met was in the Elite Eight, where UConn edged out USC in a thrilling 80-73 victory.
Paige Bueckers to debut signature Nike Shoe
Meanwhile, Bueckers became the first college basketball player to release a signature shoe in partnership with Nike. This long-anticipated sneaker, the Paige Bueckers x Nike GT Hustle 3, is set for Dec. 7.
According to The Sporting News, the shoe is priced at $190 and features a light blue, white and purple multicolor design. Bueckers first revealed her partnership with Nike in September 2023, just before her junior season at UConn.
“I am blessed and honored to announce my partnership with Nike,” Bueckers said. “Joining the Nike family is a childhood dream come true. I can’t wait to see what we accomplish together on and off the court.”
Personal details include area codes “860” for her Connecticut base and “612” for her hometown of Edina, Minnesota, alongside the motto “Be You, Be Great.” A design twist showcases her nickname “Buckets” on the heel.
Paige Bueckers is expected to be the top pick in the WNBA draft in April. She gained further recognition by earning a spot on the Naismith Women’s Player of the Year watch list this week.
Also read: UConn’s Paige Bueckers, Kamorea Arnold and Sarah Strong poke fun at each other with childhood pictures