- Paige Bueckers is back.
- UConn's superstar sophomore guard played her first game since early December on Friday.
- Bueckers' first bucket back was a thrilling first-quarter buzzer beater that had fans going wild.
Paige Bueckers is back.
And like most things involving the UConn superstar, her return to the basketball court was something out of a fairytale.
In her first game in nearly four months, Bueckers drained a smooth jumper to beat the first-quarter buzzer and set Connecticut's XL Center on fire. Huskies fans erupted around the jam-packed arena as the 2021 National Player of the Year shouted with joy, pumped her arms, and ran over to the UConn student section to celebrate.
—UConn Videos (@SNYUConn) February 26, 2022
Friday's home matchup against the St. John's Red Storm marked Bueckers' first appearance since December 5, when she injured her left knee in the final minute of the Huskies' win against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The sophomore guard underwent surgery to repair a fracture and meniscus tear shortly thereafter, and she was regularly spotted hobbling along the UConn sidelines on a pair of crutches in the subsequent months.
The No. 7 Huskies eagerly welcomed Bueckers' return, which came with just one game remaining in the regular season. The 2021 All-America selection will work to reintegrate with her team as the postseason ramps up to help UConn punch its ticket to the Final Four for the 14th consecutive NCAA Tournament.
But if Friday's game against St. John's is any indication, Bueckers will have no problem getting her groove back.