David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports
In the nearly two-week break between UConn winning its 20th Big East tournament title and its 2022 NCAA tournament opener on Saturday, star guard Paige Bueckers tried to get both her mind and body prepared for the run ahead. While it was clear in the No. 2 Huskies’ 83–38 blowout win over No. 15 Mercer that she is still working her way back after her lengthy absence, the added layoff looked to be beneficial.
Bueckers returned to UConn’s starting lineup Saturday and played 24 minutes, the most she’s logged since suffering a left knee injury that kept her out nearly three months of the season.