Take your time and appreciate what Paige Bueckers has done for UConn women’s basketball. By the time her collegiate career came to a close, she finally could call herself a national championship. And by UConn standards, ended a nine-year title drought.
Once you're done marveling in Bueckers’ career with the Huskies, you can turn your attention to next year. Because as talented as Bueckers was and the hope she instilled in the UConn women’s program, it’s Azzi Fudd’s turn.
Fudd will be back for the 2025-26 season and, if her 24-point performance in the championship game is any indication, the Huskies are in good hands. This season was much about Bueckers and if she could overcome the one thing that seemingly brought her back, year after year.
But this year’s title could foreshadow that the Huskies just might be back.
Azzi Fudd, Sarah Strong open door to UConn’s dynasty rebirth
UConn needed this national title win over South Carolina probably just as much as Bueckers needed it. Bueckers needed it for her legacy. She won’t have the most points in NCAA Tournament history, though she managed to reach No. 3 all time.
She will be able to say she finally won a national championship and she did it in her last collegiate basketball game before she’s the probable No. 1 pick in the upcoming WNBA Draft.
Bueckers came to UConn hoping to restore the dynasty the Huskies once were. As dominant as they were, Sunday was the program’s first title since 2016, which by their standards, classifies as a drought.
The state she’s left the program in solidifies it’s in good hands with Fudd. This was very much the game for Bueckers to cement her legacy and Fudd to blossom hers.
Fudd’s collegiate career has been marred with injuries. She missed all but two games last year after suffering a knee injury. That was after her sophomore and freshman seasons were hampered by injuries as well.
This year, she played in 31 games with 29 starts, both career highs at UConn. She averaged 13.4 points per game and shot 45.6 percent from 3-point range. Her 24 points and sheer dominance against South Carolina is just a glimpse of what her impact will be next season.
What makes Sunday’s game so significant for Fudd is, it’s now her team. It wasn’t the path she anticipated when she got to UConn. But Sunday proved UConn is in good hands. It very well could be teasing the Huskies’ return to the women’s college basketball throne.