Dom Amore’s Special: UConn Women About To Unleash ‘KILLER’ High-Star; Future of Huskies on TV

STORRS — Paige Bueckers is set to take a six-week break in her preparation for her fifth year at UConn, during which she plans to embark on a Paige-Across-America Tour as she continues her training.

Her itinerary includes a visit to Seattle to see Nika Muhl, a trip to Los Angeles for the ESPY Awards, spending time with her mother in Montana and her father in Maryland, potential attendance at the WNBA All-Star Game in Phoenix, and a significant part of August in her native Minnesota, a great place to be during that time of year.

This isn’t a campaign, but rather a reflection of the women’s college basketball spotlight that Bueckers holds, particularly with Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese now in the WNBA, leaving her at the forefront of UConn’s leadership with others now in the professional league. Despite already graduating, Bueckers is playing a fifth year to try to make up for experiences she missed due to COVID and injuries, likening it to the extra time in a soccer game where there’s still potential for goals to be secured.

“I’m just going to continue to be me, be myself, be the best version of myself every single day,” Bueckers remarked on Friday, “and worry about my team and what my team needs me to do. Whatever happens, happens, and continue to do what I do.”

Bueckers intends to play one more year at UConn, although she has the option to play two. Her experiences in Storrs have taught her not to think too far ahead.

In the present, the Huskies have numerous freshmen, sophomores, and newcomers, while other veterans are recovering from injuries.

“It’s crazy because I feel like I don’t have Nika, I don’t have Aaliyah, so it’s all on me,” she said. “It’s mostly responsibility. I’m taking that responsibility and I’m doing it with pride and making sure I’m leading these young guys, being a voice for them, teaching, communicating, also leading by example.”

When Bueckers first arrived at UConn in the summer of 2020, she was the highly hyped high school player of the moment. Despite being the consensus national player of the year as a freshman, much of that season was played in empty arenas due to the pandemic. It feels like a lifetime ago, given all that has transpired.

Her new teammates were in middle school when Bueckers first became a star, someone they aspired to be like. Now, she stands as their teammate.

The expectations, always lofty for Paige Bueckers, are about to reach new heights. She has had a healthy offseason to focus on her strength and skills rather than rehabbing from an injury. After playing a full season on her surgically repaired knees, she has regained her confidence. She now has a clearer understanding than ever of what she needs to do to succeed at UConn and transition to the WNBA.

Get ready for the latest update: “Killer” Paige Bueckers 5.0.

“I’m really enjoying it, being injury-free throughout the offseason, focusing on getting stronger, which is a major priority for me,” she expressed. “I’m also honing my skills. Throughout my college career, I haven’t had much time in the offseason to work on my abilities, address my weaknesses, and enhance my strengths.”

Standing at 6 feet tall, Bueckers has played various positions, serving as a combo guard and combo forward, covering every position except center so far. Due to the Huskies’ substantial injuries last season, she often had to take on the role of a de facto power forward and managed to average 21.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. With her increasing strength, she is evolving her playing style.

“It’s been a learning curve,” she remarked. “I’ve never had this kind of physique and muscle strength to utilize my body in this manner. I’ve always been agile and nimble. Now, I feel like I can play with more power, use my strength on both ends of the court, and be more physical.

“At every level, from high school to college, and college to the pros, the physicality level intensifies, so I’m consistently working on conditioning my body, staying healthy, and doing everything possible to be physically prepared, muscle-wise. It’s about striking the right balance. I don’t want to sacrifice my speed, agility, or quickness, but I aim to add strength and muscle.”

Additionally, there’s the ongoing internal and external struggle involving coach Geno Auriemma and his desire for Bueckers to take more shots. As always, she will be the focal point of the scoring.

“Being more aggressive, asserting myself,” she explained. “Not being passive, which doesn’t mean I won’t pass anymore; I still love to pass. Searching for my shot, setting up opportunities for others, finding my own shots, which naturally leads to me making passes. It’s been a lifelong tendency; I love to pass, I’ve always been about passing first, being a selfless player. Being a killer or being selfless, it doesn’t have to be one or the other; it can be both, and that’s how I’ve reached this point. It’s just about being more of a killer, more aggressive, and more assertive.”

“Paige the Dominator.” This signifies a new chapter, involving an increase in shooting frequency and deeper 3-pointers. It’s a revamped version of Bueckers and the UConn Huskies, drawing the attention of national fans who are drawn to the game’s leading figures.

In the event that she advances to the professional ranks, particularly if she does so clutching that longed-for NCAA Championship ring, she will be fully prepared.

“A multitude of new spectators are observing, and they’re impressed by the talent level and physicality, which is the norm in the league,” Bueckers stated. “Caitlin has attracted a significant number of new viewers to the sport, and we appreciate that. When people tune in to watch her, they end up becoming fans of numerous other players. The sport is expanding, and more people are gaining knowledge about the WNBA.”

…Is there anything more ostentatious than abbreviating one’s work by its initials? I doubt it. More details in TSR.

UConn women and Big East TV deal

The Big East’s six-year, $480 million agreement with Fox, NBC, and TNT will eventually lead to the end of UConn women’s basketball games being televised on SNY, the New York cable station that has been broadcasting games since 2012. No changes will occur this year.

The UConn statement revealed, “UConn women’s games will no longer be on SNY beginning with the 2025-26 season. All games will instead be aired through one of the Big East partner networks. More information will be available at a later date.”

In other news:

• UConn was the sole school with multiple top-10 picks in both the NBA (Stephon Castle, Donovan Clingan) and WNBA (Aaliyah Edwards and Nika Muhl) drafts.
• Baseball America’s final top 25 rankings placed UConn at No. 14, the only non-Power 5 program in the top 15. The Huskies were 15th in D1baseball’s poll and No. 19 in USA Today’s rankings.
• There was an expression of support for Paul Maurice to win the Stanley Cup, given his coaching history and emotional reaction after the victory. It’s also worth noting that Panthers GM Bill Zito, who hired Maurice, played for Tim Taylor at Yale in the 1980s.
• There’s a question about whether Maurice might bring the Cup to Hartford for the Yard Goats’ Whalers Weekend on July 26.
• In other hockey news, former Blackhawks star Jeremy Roenick, recently elected to the Hall of Fame, spent much of his youth in Connecticut, playing for teams in Ridgefield and Glastonbury. He also had a memorable experience at a Whalers game involving Gordie Howe.
• SCSU and Wallingford’s Jordan Davis narrowly missed out at the Olympic trials in the javelin throw, but he’s young enough to try again.
• Notable press conferences included one by runner-up coach Jim Schlossnagle after the College World Series, where he emphatically denied reports of leaving Texas A&M for Texas, only to join the Longhorns less than 24 hours later. Also, former TV and internet personality J.J. Reddick, known for using strong language, was introduced as the Lakers’ coach.
• The final round of the Travelers tournament drew 2.66 million viewers for CBS, a seven percent increase from 2023. Viewership peaked at 4.3 million as top-ranked golfer Scottie Scheffler neared victory. Streaming numbers were not provided, but CBS reported a new high in viewership.

Last word

Just to be clear on this, what happened on the 72nd hole at The Travelers Championship involved more than just disrupting a sporting event at the moment of maximum attention. It was shouting “fire” in a crowded theater, something that could have caused a panic and stampede in which many could have been injured or worse. For this reason alone, I favor throwing the book at the perpetrators, whatever the law allows.