Fans pick a good day to watch UConn women

Bobby Nimblett and his daughter Holly had never seen Paige Bueckers play in person. Only from the comfort of their home had they seen the UConn sophomore standout.

They picked a good day to witness her live. Bueckers, who was the NCAA player of the year last season, looked a bit more like the Paige of old Saturday in UConn’s 75-58 Sweet 16 win over Indiana, scoring 16 points and taking 17 shots.

The crowd was loud much of the game and although it was a neutral site – Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport – it might as well have been a home game.

“We’ve never seen her [play] before so we had to make the drive to see her,” said Bobb Nimblett, who drove two hours from their home in Winthrop, Mass. Holly, who plays basketball back home, said she was inspired by the UConn team.

Olivia Anderson and her friends also were looking forward to watch the sophomore player in person.

“She’s really exciting to watch, she sees the court really well. She’s very fun to watch, especially in person,” said Anderson, who visited from West Hartford.

UConn is scheduled to face NC State Monday night for a chance to go to the team’s 14th consecutive Final Four and vie for its 12th national title.

Even before tip-off, some fans were confident the Huskies would pull out a win. It didn’t appear quite as obvious at halftime with UConn holding only a four-point lead. But they controlled most of the second half.

“They [Indiana] are a defensive team, they have good players but we make the shots when we need them,” said Lori Evetg, a Hartford resident who’s been a UConn supporter since the late 1990s.

After the women’s basketball team’s victory, fans left their seats with smiles on their faces and were already thinking about the next game on Monday.

“I feel confident, I think North Carolina State will present problems, they will not be intimidated but it will be a fun game to watch,” said Peter Dunn, a Waterbury resident.