SPOKANE, Wash. -- Paige Bueckers scored a career-high 40 points, rescuing UConn from its first-half doldrums and single-handedly turning a tight game against Oklahoma into an 82-59 rout Saturday that sent the Huskies to the Elite Eight of the women's NCAA tournament.
With the Huskies trailing 36-33 at the break, Bueckers took control, outscoring the Sooners 29-23 in the second half to become the first UConn player to score 40 in an NCAA tournament game. The likely No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft eclipsed her previous career best of 34 points, set Monday in UConn's second-round victory over South Dakota State, her final home game at Gampel Pavilion.