TAMPA, Fla. – On the last day of her college basketball career, Paige Bueckers became a national champion.

The game wasn’t quite over when Bueckers, the UConn star and projected No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft, checked out for the final time. But with the Huskies holding a comfortable lead over South Carolina in the national championship, she knew this was it. Bueckers buried her face on coach Geno Auriemma’s shoulder, and all the emotions she had bottled up the entire day were finally coming out in the form of tears.

Auriemma told Bueckers he loved her and didn’t let go until she was ready – ready to officially say goodbye to an incredible five-year journey. A minute and a half later, UConn won its 12th national championship with a dominant 82-59 victory over South Carolina.

“Paige Bueckers checks out for the last time. She gets a long hug from UConn coach Geno Auriemma. Lots of emotion from both of them.”

Bueckers covered her face in the final seconds and revealed a big smile. Her teammates were jumping up and down next to her in anticipation, but she tried to stay still. As soon as the final buzzer went off, they all ran to the center of the court to celebrate.

Her career started with a historic freshman year, but was disrupted with injuries, including a torn ACL that sidelined her for the entire 2022-23 season. It was a roller coaster ride with some heavy expectations to carry, but she was grateful for it all.

“It’s been a story of resilience, of gratitude, adversity, and overcoming adversity. And just an overwhelming sense of gratitude for everything that’s happened through the ups and downs, I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Bueckers stood on the stage with her arms raised while confetti rained on her. A few minutes later she was climbing the ladder to get a piece of the net that finally meant she was joining other UConn greats in the history books. She got close to winning a championship in 2022, but South Carolina got the best of the Huskies that day.

UConn is the most successful program in women’s basketball history, but had not won a national title since 2016, when WNBA star Breanna Stewart was on that roster, and she was part of the sold-out crowd in Tampa.

Cutting down the net wasn’t just something Bueckers wanted, it was something that has come to be expected for this program. Bueckers is declaring for the 2025 WNBA Draft, which meant winning a national championship was now or never for her.

“People all like to say that choosing UConn is an easy choice but I think it is one of the hardest decisions you can make in your life.”

The pressure she alluded to was on full display earlier on Sunday. There were fans waiting outside Amalie Arena two hours before tip-off to see players walk on the red carpet. Everywhere you turned, there were girls wearing Bueckers’ iconic hairstyle, with signs, including one from a former high school rival.

Bueckers had played in many college games before – 122 to be exact – but there was noticeable tension to this particular pregame routine. Before the national anthem, she headed to the bench and forgot to take off her jacket, until her coach corrected her.

The game tipped off and her first shot was a miss. The crowd kept waiting for Bueckers to find her rhythm and take over the game, but she ended with 17 points, still one of the leading scorers for the Huskies. A rebound late in the third quarter drew the loudest reaction from the crowd.

Bueckers may not have been the hero during her last game, but it all happened as it was supposed to. A perfect ending.