UConn’s unshakable Bueckers helps revive a lost rivalry
She twisted her ankle. She didn’t allow her mind to get twisted, too.
No, Paige Bueckers’ mind stayed straight and when the moment mattered most, with the UConn lead down to two and the shot clock down to one, so was the freshman’s shot. Cash. Money. As if she had made 11 of her first 12 shots and not missed 11 of 12. As if she had hit all five of her previous 3-point attempts and not missed all five.
Straight cash. Money. Unshaken confidence.
There were a lot of fascinating variables to the No. 3 Huskies’ 67-61 victory over No. 25 Tennessee at Thompson-Boling Arena. This is a talented, undefeated UConn team, but it is a young team and this Thursday night in January brought the first legitimate road test of the season. There were nearly 4,000 fans allowed in, loud enough for Evina Westbrook to hear the boos and calls of “traitor.”
There’s the entire rivalry dynamic, too, enough history to fill a giant leatherbound book. In the Huskies’ first game in Knoxville in 15 years, Geno Auriemma said he didn’t get that old heavyweight title fight feel beforehand. And while he did sound afterward like he was warming to Kellie Harper wanting to continue the series, even in the face of a most compelling game, I’ll remain the devil’s advocate. I’ll still argue they shouldn’t play every year.
Take a year or two off and
schedule another two-game series. Let Harper get Tennessee back among the elite and most relevant teams. The worst thing to happen
for those who must want to continue the series is for UConn, which is going to be dynamite the next