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Paige Bueckers Gets Very Honest Ahead Of The 2025 NCAA Tournament

Originally posted on The Spun | By Matt Hladik | Last updated Mar 18, 2025 1:34 PM ET

Paige Bueckers and the UConn women's basketball team will begin their NCAA Tournament journey on Saturday afternoon.

Led by Bueckers, the Huskies won the Big East and enter the tournament as the No. 2 seed in Spokane Regional 4 with a 31-3 overall record. UConn reached the Final Four with Bueckers last season and in 2020-21 and also made the national title game during the 2021-22 season after the high-scoring guard was lost with a torn ACL. However, the Huskies haven't won it all since 2016, a "drought" that seems impossible given the stranglehold the program had on the sport for such a long time.

This is Bueckers' last chance to break through and win it all, a reality she acknowledged during an interview with PEOPLE Magazine.

The potential No. 1 overall pick in this year's WNBA Draft, Bueckers is not denying the pressure she's facing going into the Big Dance.

"There's a lot of pressures that can come with it. Win or go home. It's my last one ever. There really is no do-overs, so just trying not to think about that and really just playing with passion, joy and to have fun," Bueckers explained.

PORTLAND, OREGON - MARCH 30: Paige Bueckers #5 to head coach Geno Auriemma of the Connecticut Huskies during the first half against the Duke Blue Devils in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 30, 2024 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)Steph Chambers/Getty Images

Despite the finality of her last March Madness, Bueckers says she's still focused on the ability to "just have fun and play with joy" when she's on the court.

"It's like you know the end is near, so you're trying to cherish it and drag it out as long as possible because you don't want it to end," Bueckers added.

UConn opens NCAA Tournament play against 15th-seeded Arkansas State Saturday ( 1 p.m. ET, ABC) and should have no issues defeating the Red Wolves.

The winner of Oklahoma State-South Dakota State awaits the Huskies in the second round. Beyond that, UConn may have to get past USC, the No. 1 seed in the region, and their superstar guard JuJu Watkins in order to get back to the Final Four.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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