Who Is UConn Huskies’ Most Important Asset?

The University of Connecticut Huskies won their latest match against the Toronto with their forward Aaliyah Edwards outshining their guard Paige Bueckers. While Edwards smashed 26 points with 10 rebounds to cruise to a double-double, Bueckers potted a decent 11 points.

This led to many fans and critics believing Edwards has been the driving force behind the UConn. At present it is difficult to judge what would have been the Huskies’ position if either of the two hadn’t contributed the way they have.

Paige Bueckers Contribution

Bueckers has come back from an injury and has been helpful in propelling her team to victories against tough competitors. She has scored in double figures during 11 of the 12 games she has played so far. Her exceptional performances have come against the UCLA Bruins and the the NC State Wolfpack. The 22-year-old basketed a season high of 31 points against the UCLA whereas during the contest against the Wolfpack she scored 27 points. Bueckers has been the backbone of her team in these tough times.

At one point the UConn Huskies looked to have lost control over this year’s NCAA season as they have an ordinary 4-3 tally. However, it was Bueckers that brought them back to the winning track by potting 26 points against the North Carolina Tar Heels in a 76-64 win. That one looked to be a close match which ultimately went in the UConn’s favor.

Other than that her high of 31 and 27 points have come in a losing cause. These numbers prove that she tried her best during those games without losing spirit to uplift her team. The Minnesota-born has besotted a team-high of 18.75 points in the 12 games she has played so far. Additionally, she also stands the highest in terms of blocks average. She performed a season-high of 5 blocks against the Louisville Cardinals. These stats displayed her willingness to contribute both in defense and offense. The 6-feet guard has stood tall on most of the tests for the UConn and has been selfless when the situation demanded. 

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Bueckers has demonstrated her shooting skills with an astounding 53% field goal percentage and a 47.9% three-pointer percentage. Furthermore, she has an outstanding 79.2% free throw percentage. All this just points to Bueckers’ brilliance and her adaptability on the hardwood. Despite these stats, fans are still divided over the UConn’s most important asset.

Aaliyah Edwards Contribution

Their forward Aaliyah Edwards is another name to consider when speaking of the Huskies’ five match winning streak. Edwards smoked a season-high of 26 points in their latest game against the Toronto team. She was a force to reckon with against the Cardinals and the Longhorns. She dropped 22 points each in both of those outings. Though she did stumble against the Kansas Jayhawks and the UCLA Bruins by scoring a paltry 9 and 5 points, she has braved major attacks.

Edwards has usually come into the picture during the offensive game when Bueckers has been blocked by the opponents, giving an opportunity for Edwards to create opportunities for herself and mark her territory in open spaces. Another noteworthy quality about the 21-year-old has been her ability to rebound. She leads the team stats in terms of rebounding with 8.2 rebounds per contest in the 12 games she has played this far. She has sozzled a double-double in four of those games notably against the Toronto, the Butler Bulldogs, the UNC, and the Ball State Cardinals. Edwards has been a better player than Bueckers when it comes to defense. 

On the points front too she doesn’t stand far behind her teammate as she has the team’s second-highest of 16.8 points per game, only next to Bueckers. What she lacks is that she hasn’t scored any three-pointers and hence her shooting skills have suffered. However, her field goal percentage has been 58.2% and a free throw percentage of 68.1%. Both Bueckers and Edwards have a close steals per game tally with 1.9 and 1.7 steals per match. Thus, Edwards outshines Bueckers in her blocks only and trails in the other stats.

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Taking into account both the players, Bueckers has been the UConn’s most important asset but it wouldn’t have been possible if the UConn hadn’t played a team game. Thus Edwards is as important as Bueckers. If the UConn are to continue their winning streak it will have to be a contribution from all corners, and with Buecker and Edwards in the same team, we can expect a formidable show by the Geno Auriemma-team.