By ANNE M. PETERSON
SPOKANE — Paige Bueckers scored a career-high 40 factors, rescuing UConn from its first-half doldrums and single-handedly turning a decent sport towards Oklahoma into an 82-59 rout on Saturday that despatched the Huskies to the Elite Eight of the ladies’s NCAA Match.
Bueckers had 29 factors after halftime for the Huskies, who trailed 36-32 on the break. The possible No. 1 general decide within the WNBA draft eclipsed her earlier profession better of 34 factors, set Monday in UConn’s second-round victory over South Dakota State, her last dwelling last sport at Gampel Pavilion.
The electrifying senior guard matched her profession excessive with six 3-pointers earlier than testing of the sport with 3:06 left and UConn forward 80-51.
The second-seeded Huskies (34-3), winners of 13 straight, will face the winner of Saturday’s late sport between Southern California and Kanas State in a regional last on Monday.
Ashlyn Shade added 12 factors and Sarah Robust had 11 factors and 11 rebounds for UConn, which is in search of to increase its file by successful a twelfth nationwide title. The Huskies reached their 18th Elite Eight previously 19 seasons, however coach Geno Auriemma’s group hasn’t received all of it since 2016.
Payton Verhulst scored 16 factors for third-seeded Oklahoma (27-8), which reached the Candy 16 for the primary time since 2013. The Sooners have by no means overwhelmed the Huskies in a collection that features the 2002 nationwide title sport.
Bueckers took UConn to the Last 4 final season, the place it misplaced to eventual champion South Carolina.
The Sooners jumped out to an 8-0 lead. The Huskies’ first factors got here on Bueckers’ 3-pointer simply over three minutes into the sport, which touched off a 11-0 UConn run. The Huskies led 17-12 after the opening quarter.
Verhulst hit a deep 3-pointer to place the Sooners again on prime, 24-23. She added a jumper and one other 3 to increase the result in 29-23. Verhulst had 13 factors within the second quarter.
Reyna Scott’s 3 despatched the Sooners into the break with a four-point lead.
Bueckers clearly didn’t not need her collegiate profession to finish, scoring with eight factors early within the third quarter to place the Huskies forward.
Her fast-break layup stretched the result in 48-40 and the Huskies managed the sport from there, main by 59-46 heading into the ultimate quarter.
She added a deep 3 that gave UConn a 62-46 lead and put the sport out of attain for Oklahoma.
BUECKERS’ BEST
Bueckers surpassed Tina Charles for fourth place on UConn’s profession scoring listing.
The playmaking guard from Minnesota with the signature French braids arrived at UConn in 2020 and was the consensus nationwide participant of the 12 months as a freshman. However her subsequent two seasons have been derailed by accidents. She sat out your complete 2022-23 marketing campaign with a torn ACL.
