Connecticut guard Paige Bueckers dropped 31 points on Monday night with six stolen points to get the Huskies past South Carolina’s no. (David Butler / Pool Photo / AP)
Paige Bueckers had the perfect time for no. 2 UConn taken over.
After a late South Carolina rally forced overtime into their game at Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Connecticut, Bueckers scored seven straight points in the final seconds – including a 3-point bucket – giving the Huskies a win of 63-59 over the top-ranked Gamecocks.
“She’s a player,” South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said after the game against Bueckers. via Charlotte Carroll of The Atheltic. “She always makes big shots when her number is called.”
UConn continues after South Carolina run
The first half was a tough defensive battle as each team went to the locker room at halftime with just 24 points. The Huskies were kept from the three-point line to 0-6, though they forced 13 turnovers in South Carolina.
In fact, the only three-pointer made by anyone in the first two quarters comes at the buzzer, thanks to a wild half-lap from Zia Cooke.
UConn took a slight lead in the second half and took a short lead of seven points halfway through the fourth quarter. Still, the quick 11-0 South Carolina burst brought the Gamecocks back into control of the game.
South Carolina held UConn by just five points during the first eight minutes of the final period, though the consecutive buckets of Bueckers had the game with just 49 seconds left.
With one last chance, the Gamecocks missed four different buckets on the final game – three of them were upright on the edge – and eventually sent the game overtime.
Aliyah Boston led South Carolina with 17 points and 15 rebounds. Cooke and Destanni Henderson each added 11. The Gamecocks had a 22-game winning streak before Tuesday’s loss.
Bueckers finished with a game-high 31 points and five assists while scoring six steals in the win. She was the only UConn player to score in double figures.
“I’m always surprised when she shoots and the ball doesn’t go in,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said: via Carroll. “There’s not much you can say. She’s the player. She’s the player who comes together and what people talk about.”
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