Sun Mar 30 19:00:00 UTC 2025: ## UConn’s Bueckers Sets NCAA Tournament Record, Leads Huskies to Elite Eight
**SPOKANE, WA –** Paige Bueckers etched her name into UConn and NCAA Tournament history, scoring a record-breaking 40 points to propel the Huskies past Oklahoma and into the Elite Eight. Bueckers’ performance, which included a remarkable 19 consecutive points in the fourth quarter, surpasses any previous UConn player’s point total in a single NCAA tournament game. This follows her 34-point performance in the previous round, marking the greatest two-game stretch in UConn tournament history. The Huskies, who have outscored their opponents by an average of 42 points in the tournament, now face USC in their next challenge.
Elsewhere, other top teams dominated their Sweet Sixteen matchups. UCLA’s Lauren Betts continued her stellar play, recording 31 points and 10 rebounds, becoming only the third player in the last 25 years with back-to-back 30-point, 10-rebound games in a single tournament. South Carolina, despite inconsistency from key players, edged out Maryland thanks to MiLaysia Fulwiley’s 23 points. Texas’s strong defense stifled Tennessee, advancing to their fourth Elite Eight appearance in five years. TCU’s Hailey Van Lith, now in her fifth regional final across three different schools, led her team past Notre Dame with a 26-point performance. LSU relied on Sa’Myah Smith’s double-double to overcome NC State, while USC, playing without injured star JuJu Watkins, saw impressive performances from freshmen Kennedy Smith and Avery Howell in their victory over Kansas State. Duke’s stifling defense held North Carolina to a meager 38 points, earning them a spot in the Elite Eight for the first time since 2013.
The Elite Eight features three number one versus number two seed matchups and one number one versus number three seed matchup, promising a thrilling conclusion to the women’s NCAA tournament.
First Piper 