The No. 5 UConn Huskies entered Wednesday night’s game against Seton Hall riding high. With a perfect 14-0 record in Big East play and a 24-3 overall mark, the Huskies have been a force to reckon with this season. Their dominance continued in South Orange, N.J., as they dismantled Seton Hall 91-49, extending their winning streak to four games. But the game wasn’t without a moment of concern for UConn fans.

Late in the first half, star guard Paige Bueckers limped to the locker room after grabbing her knee on the final play. UConn’s official account on SNY reported, “Paige Bueckers hops to the locker room at halftime after grabbing her knee in the final play of the first half.” 

The Huskies were in complete control, leading 76-41 with just under seven minutes left in the fourth, but all focus shifted to their star guard as she limped off. Bueckers was subbed out moments before she was seen hopping toward the locker room. Faith Masonius checked in for Seton Hall, and Kaitlyn Chen replaced Bueckers in the lineup. 

The sight of Bueckers in discomfort sent a wave of unease through the Huskies faithful, but the junior phenom returned to the court in the second half, putting any worries to rest.

UConn fans have been here before. Bueckers missed most of the 2021-22 season with a knee injury, so anytime she grabs at it, there’s reason to worry. The Huskies have been managing her minutes all year, trying to keep her fresh. But after the game, she put some nerves to rest. With a smile, she told SNY, “I’m alright. I’m alright.” Still, with March Madness coming up, her health is the biggest question. 

Having missed a season previously, Bueckers returned in complete strength to make it her campaign. But every so often, she seems to be reminded of how injury-prone the game could be. In a game against Villanova earlier last month, a defender rolled into her left leg. The star guard left the game emotional, ice on her knee. UConn fans held their breath.

Geno Auriemma called it a “devastating setback,” but Bueckers stayed locked in, focusing on her rehab.

After missing two games with a sprained left knee against Xavier and Georgetown, Paige Bueckers returned in style, helping UConn cruise past St. John’s 71-45. She scored 12 points in 23 minutes, shaking off early rust before taking over in the third quarter. 

Paige Bueckers shines as UConn dominates Seton Hall

Paige Bueckers put on a show Wednesday night, leading No. 5 UConn to a commanding 91-49 win over Seton Hall. The star guard dropped 23 points and grabbed nine rebounds, solidifying her spot as one of the Huskies’ all-time greats. With this performance, she passed Diana Taurasi for the ninth spot on UConn’s scoring list at 2,158 points. 

The game started tight, but the Geno-led team quickly took control with a 12-0 run. Ashlynn Shade sparked the surge with five points. By halftime, Bueckers had the Huskies up 41-26, despite briefly limping to the locker room with a knee concern. She returned strong, proving why she’s the heart of this team.

Aubrey Griffin and Kaitlyn Chen put up 15 points each, while Ashlynn Shade added 14. Freshman Sarah Strong chipped in 10, rounding out UConn’s double-digit scorers. On the other end, the Huskies’ defense was all over Seton Hall, holding the Pirates to just 49 points. I’yanna Lops led the way for Seton Hall with 15, but it wasn’t nearly enough to keep up.

That’s four straight wins now for UConn, and they’re still perfect in Big East play at 15-0. Seton Hall, meanwhile, never found their rhythm and dropped to 18-8 on the season.

But the night belonged to Paige Bueckers. She was everywhere—knocking down clutch jumpers, setting up teammates, and even shaking off a minor injury scare. Her energy was contagious, and the Huskies fed off it all game long.