Paige Bueckers stats tonight - How did UConn star fare in season opener? (Nov. 7)
Paige Bueckers made her season debut with UConn on Thursday, helping the Huskies demolish the Boston University Terriers 86-32 at the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut.
Bueckers, who opted to play for another season with UConn instead of entering the 2024 WNBA draft, started the game and quickly made her presence felt by dishing off to Ashlynn Shade for a 3-pointer.
Bueckers soon scored her first bucket, a jumper off a Sarah Strong assist that gave UConn a 9-0 lead. The 23-year-old guard then converted a layup off a Kaitlyn Chen dime.
Bueckers buried a 3-pointer off a Jana El Alfy assist at the 2:55 mark to give UConn an 18-2 advantage.
She crossed the double-figure mark with a jumper that gave UConn a 28-4 lead with 36 seconds left in the first quarter. Bueckers then recorded an assist to Morgan Cheli, who made a 3-pointer at the buzzer for a 31-6 lead.
By the end of the first period, the guard had already tallied 11 points on 4-for-5 shooting, three rebounds, two assists, three steals and one block.
Paige Bueckers had a quieter second period, missing her lone attempt from the 3-point line, but added a rebound and three assists to lift UConn to a 60-13 lead.
In the third period, Bueckers scored on a layup to bring UConn to a 65-13 lead just over a minute and a half in, but that would be her final field goal as she focused more on defense and playmaking. She added a rebound, two assists and two steals, extending the Huskies’ lead to 72-22 by the end of the third quarter.
Geno Auriemma rested Bueckers in the fourth as the game was already decided. Below are Paige Bueckers' final stats from the game.
Huskies vs Terriers game recap: Paige Bueckers efficient in season debut; Jana El Alfy, Sarah Strong also deliver for UConn
Paige Bueckers had an efficient night in 24 minutes of play for UConn. It took her five minutes to score her first two points on a jump shot.
Her 11-point burst in the first quarter helped set the tone for the game, as UConn’s lead ballooned to as much as 54 points over Boston University.
Two of Bueckers' teammates also shined in the game. Freshmen Sarah Strong and Jana El Alfy scored 17 points each to lead the team in scoring. Strong shot 8-for-12 from the field, including 1-for-4 from the 3-point line, and tallied four rebounds, three assists and six steals.
El Alfy had a double-double of 17 points and 11 rebounds in 18 minutes. The Egyptian center, who had one assist, one steal and one block, was 8-for-14 from the field and 1-for-3 from the free-throw line off the bench.
Ashlynn Shade also put up a big game for the Huskies, notching 10 points, three rebounds, three assists and six steals in 30 minutes of play. She shot 54.5% from the field, including 40.9% from the 3-point line.
UConn will aim to continue its strong start when it takes on South Florida on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. ET.