Bueckers’ unreal second half lifts UConn over NC State in Double OT

BRIDGEPORT, CT — Sophomore guard Paige Bueckers put in 27 points and six rebounds, 15 of which came in the overtime periods, en route to a 91-87 UConn win over NC State in double overtime in the Elite 8.

Bueckers, who earned National Player of the Year honors last season, put up her second-highest scoring performance of the season after missing three months due to a knee injury.

This game was extremely tight throughout all six periods as it featured 26 lead changes and 18 ties, making for the best game of the tournament.

NC State came into Monday fresh off a comeback victory over Notre Dame in the waning seconds following a clutch steal and score from guard Raina Perez. UConn was coming off a 75-58 win over Indiana which saw the Huskies run away with it after a 16-0 run in the second half.

Despite a dislocated left wrist injury to Dorka Juhasz, UConn held a slight edge over the Wolfpack throughout the first half. Huskies guard Christyn Williams led all scorers at the halftime break with 11 points as UConn went into the intermission up six.

Out of the halftime break, NC State locked in defensively and turned up the pressure. Wolfpack forwards Kayla Jones and Jakia Brown-Turner recorded a pair of blocks in the paint in the third which helped keep the Huskies within distance. NC State held UConn to just 5-of-18 shooting in the third quarter.

Both teams would trade buckets to close out the third and start out the fourth as UConn went into the fourth with just a one-point lead.

The Wolfpack jumped out on a 7-2 run in the first three minutes of the fourth quarter as Jada Boyd and Diamond Johnson scored on three consecutive possessions, resulting in a Huskies timeout. Boyd, who has been NC State’s main bench scorer all season, finished with 14 points while Johnson ended with eight.

The story of the fourth and the ensuing overtimes were second-chance points. UConn grabbed 13 offensive rebounds leading to 14-second chance points in the second half which plagued NC State down the stretch.

Paige Bueckers nailed a jumper with two minutes to go to give UConn a 61-59 lead as Wolfpack head coach Wes Moore called a timeout. On the next possession, All-Region Team forward Elissa Cunane scored down low to tie the game as it headed to overtime.

To start overtime, Cunane again got the ball on the block and went to work, scoring at the rim. Cunane ended her college career with a routine 18 point, nine-rebound night as the Summerfield native is expected to declare for the WNBA Draft sometime in the next week.

The hero of the game was undoubtedly Bueckers as she scored eight straight points for the Huskies in the first overtime. The Wolfpack weren’t ready to give up yet as guard Kai Crutchfield nailed a pair of triples, keeping the game within one.

Bueckers nailed two free throws with six seconds left giving UConn a 77-74 lead. Out of the timeout, NC State drew up a play for Jakia Brown-Turner as Raina Perez found her in the corner for the game-tying three just before the buzzer.

“I just tuned the crowd out and did everything I could to get stops, rebounds, and do anything for the team,” Brown-Turner told reporters after the game. Brown-Turner had her fingerprints all over this matchup, finishing with 20 points, eight rebounds, and five assists.

Bueckers nailed two jumpers out the gate for the Huskies in double overtime, followed by free throws from Aaliyah Edwards, giving UConn a five-point lead.

A Crutchfield triple and Cunane layup brought the game within two with a minute left to go. With a chance to tie on two separate possessions, Perez missed back-to-back jumpers, leading to a game-sealing layup from Williams with just seconds to go.

This game marked the first time in NCAA tournament history where a game went to double overtime in the Elite 8 or later.

After the game, head coach Geno Auriemma told Sportscenter host Scott Van Pelt, “In all my years in Connecticut, that was the toughest team I’ve faced.” Auriemma has now led the Huskies to their 14th consecutive Final Four appearance.

UConn will next take on the Stanford Cardinals in the Final Four on Friday, April 1st at the Target Center in Minneapolis.