UConn star Paige Bueckers made more history on Sunday when she became the fastest player to score 2,000 career points in program history during the Huskies’ dominant 96-36 win over Seton Hall. Bueckers needed just 102 games to reach the milestone, surpassing Maya Moore’s previous record of 108 games.
Bueckers, who recently returned from a two-game absence due to a knee sprain, finished with 18 points and seven assists on an efficient 6 of 10 from the field in just 23 minutes against the overmatched Pirates. Her record-breaking shot came early in the second quarter when she drained one of her patented pull-up, mid-range jumpers.
“I was hoping I would get it at some point,” Bueckers said. “I knew I was six points away, so eventually, hopefully I would get there. I didn’t want to press, I didn’t want to force the issue and just let it happen naturally within the game flow and continue to play the right way, look for my teammates, look for my shot, play UConn basketball, and what’s supposed to happen will happen.”
Bueckers, who won Naismith Player of the Year as a freshman, has had a frustrating few years since then. Due to a string of injuries, including an ACL tear that cost her the entire 2022-23 campaign, Bueckers has played just 73 games since her freshman season. If she had stayed healthy, she would have had a chance to chase Moore’s program record of 3,036 points.
Even with the injuries, Bueckers is one of just three players in Huskies history with at least 2,000 points, 400 rebounds, 400 assists and 200 steals, the others being Moore and Breanna Stewart.
“To be able to put that many points on the board in that short period of time is one tremendous accomplishment,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “To be able to do it in spite of the ups and downs and missing an entire season and a [half] of another season, to stay mentally locked in, to stay positive and to still be committed to putting the work in, there’s a lot that goes into being able to be out there and make the shots that she makes given what she’s been through.
“I don’t know too many people that work at the game as hard and as often as she does, so I’m glad that she’s being rewarded. And I’m sure there’s a few more points in her future.”
With the victory on Sunday, the No. 6-ranked Huskies improved to 17-2 on the season and a perfect 8-0 in Big East play. They will be in action again on Wednesday against Villanova.
