UConn basketball star Paige Bueckers wanted to thank her supporters one final time before playing her final collegiate game at Gampel Pavilion.
Bueckers matched her career-high of 34 points to help the Huskies advance to their 31st Sweet 16 appearance with a blowout win over South Dakota State in the women’s NCAA Tournament on Monday.
The fifth-year senior received a standing ovation from the sellout crowd as she came off the court just minutes before the end of her final home game.
“It means everything,” Bueckers said. “We started playing here with cardboard cutouts as the fans, so just to have gone through that and then experienced the other side of it, which was amazing. The atmosphere was amazing. You can’t even hear timeouts, can’t even hear fouls, can’t even hear when the whistle blows just because of how loud they are and how much support they show.
“It’s been a dream to play here, a dream to wear this uniform, a dream to play in this environment. As much more times you want this to continue to happen, you just take every single chance you have and never take it for granted.”
But it was a kind gesture from Bueckers that contributed to that atmosphere on Monday night.
UCONN STAR PAIGE BUECKERS SHINES IN FAREWELL HOME GAME AS HUSKIES VIE FOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
CT Insider reported that Bueckers bought 1,500 tickets and gave them away to fans as a way to thank them for their support.
“They have given so much to me and given so much to the team, the support,” she said, via the outlet. “We wouldn’t be where we are without them. They are the best supporters in the country. You see that in the environment like tonight. They are my friends. They are my peers. They are the people I go to class with.
“I was just trying to give back as much as they give us, because it means everything. To be able to support them and make it so our last home game this year was a great environment, it was cool to do.”
UConn moved on to face Oklahoma in the Sweet 16 on Saturday in Spokane, Washington, where Bueckers will look to win the national championship before moving on to the WNBA Draft as the expected No. 1 overall pick.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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