Women's college basketball insider paints grim outlook on Paige Bueckers after Final Four win

The UConn Huskies women’s basketball team is onto the National Championship following Friday night’s 63-58 victory over Stanford in the Final Four. Now, the Huskies face off against South Carolina in the title game on Sunday. When UConn goes up against South Carolina with a championship on the line, it will be doing so with star Paige Bueckers at less than full strength.

Earlier in the season, Bueckers suffered a tibial plateau fracture and a meniscus injury in her knee. She missed over two months while recovering from her injury. Bueckers returned for UConn’s final two games in the regular season, and then played in the Big East Tournament and has been on the court for the Huskies’ run in the NCAA Tournament.

On Friday night in UConn’s win over Stanford, Bueckers was not playing at full strength. The Athletic’s Chantel Jennings said that Bueckers’ injury is still noticeable, and that she is far from full health at this time.

“Paige Bueckers is not OK,” Jennings tweeted. “She might be staying in this game but there’s no way she’s 100%.”

Bueckers is tied for the UConn team lead with 14.6 points per game. She has played in just 16 games this season, but is also averaging 3.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.5 steals in 28.5 minutes per game. On the year, Bueckers is shooting 55% from the field and 35.4% from three-point range.

Bueckers is still contributing for UConn despite her injury

UConn has played in five games in the NCAA Tournament, and Bueckers has at least 12 points in four of those five contests. She posted an impressive line with 27 points, six rebounds, and one assist in UConn’s 91-87, double overtime victory over NC State on Monday in the Elite Eight. On Friday against Stanford, Bueckers had 14 points with four rebounds and five assists.

Bueckers was the top recruit in her high school class, and the second-year star has played as such through her first two years at UConn. As a freshman last season, Bueckers averaged 20 points with 4.9 rebounds and 5.7 assists.

Against Indiana in the Sweet 16, Bueckers went down after appearing to aggravate her knee injury. She was taped up and returned to the court, but was still in obvious pain. That illustrates that Bueckers is not at full strength, but she has still fought through the pain to be a leading contributor for UConn.

The Huskies have defeated Mercer, UCF, Indiana, NC State, and Stanford so far in the NCAA Tournament, and UConn hopes to add to that impressive run with another national title on Sunday.