Paige Bueckers looks a shell of her former self. Not that the six-foot tall guard from UConn isn’t playing well – she is! Averaging 18, 4, and 4 is no small feat, especially when your team is unbeaten thus far. The problem lies not in her statistics, but in the way that she holds herself on the court. Gone seems to be the infamous confidence and bravado we all have come to know and admire – or hate.

On the podcast ‘Locked On UConn’, show hosts Mark Zanetto and Bella Tomaino discussed the Huskies star. “She just looks off, not just on the court but even on the bench. She seems to have lost her spark in so many ways, and she just doesn’t seem as cheery as she once was wearing that UConn uniform. I don’t know, is she having a fun time?” Tomaino said, pointing out the attitude change in Bueckers.

She was also rather critical of the UConn guard in their important loss against Tennessee. Paige Bueckers managed to put up only 14 points in such a crucial game. But with her experience and pedigree, the senior guard should have contributed a lot more. In the other two losses, however, Paige Bueckers had left no stone unturned. It seemed to just be an off-day for the future WNBA prospect.

However, according to Bella Tomaino, it’s understandable why Paige Bueckers might be feeling discouraged or spent right now. “Think about it, she’s twenty-three years old. And she has lived and been in the spotlight for so long, since she was in high school.” Tomaino attributed the Huskies star’s behavior to the amount of pressure on her, the media commitments, and growing up in the public eye. However, something more insidious might have taken a toll on the young star too.

Off-court discussions might also be a cause, however. “As of recent, I feel like there are a lot of rumors speculating on who she may or may not be dating. Also, this past off-season, she had a stalker and that kind of went into legal battles and things like that.” The podcaster was referring to the trying time last December, when a 40-year-old man was brought up on charges for repeatedly stalking the basketball star.

All of these factors drain an athlete beyond measure, so it doesn’t come as a surprise that Paige Bueckers isn’t looking a hundred percent. However, she needs to figure out how to get her team over the hump. Auriemma hasn’t won a championship in recent times, and they need to change that!

What is going on for UConn in their title push?

Geno Auriemma’s UConn is knocking on the door of the promised land. They covered their rivalry loss to the Tennessee Lady Vols by winning an exceptional game against Providence. However, there are definite points of concerns with the Huskies.

In the Lady Vols match-up, there are the obvious answers which contributed to UConn losing. Firstly, Tennessee simply hit more shots than the Huskies. The Lady Vols held UConn down to 40% from the field and 25% from deep. While the Lady Vols had similar three-point percentages, they shot about 5-6% better overall.

Furthermore, the visiting team got out-rebounded. UConn grabbed about 34 rebounds while Tennessee took 46. The rebounding created an enormous gap in opportunity as well, which the Lady Vols capitalized on.

If Paige Bueckers and Auriemma want to win the national tournament this year, they will certain need some elbow grease to smooth things along. A massive victory against Providence is certainly a step in the right direction, but there is a lot to be done. March is just around the corner, and UConn needs to be ready yesterday! If the UConn star is able to tune out the static, Huskies fans will be in for the treat they’re hoping earnestly for!