FORT WORTH, TEXAS – MARCH 26: Head coach Geno Auriemma of the UConn Huskies speaks to his team during a practice session ahead of the NCAA Women’s Sweet Sixteen at Dickies Arena on March 26, 2026 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Stacy Revere/Getty Images
FORT WORTH, TEXAS – MARCH 26: Head coach Geno Auriemma of the UConn Huskies speaks to his team during a practice session ahead of the NCAA Women’s Sweet Sixteen at Dickies Arena on March 26, 2026 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Stacy Revere/Getty Images
FORT WORTH, TEXAS – MARCH 26: Head coach Geno Auriemma of the UConn Huskies watches action during a practice session ahead of the NCAA Women’s Sweet Sixteen at Dickies Arena on March 26, 2026 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Stacy Revere/Getty Images
FORT WORTH, Texas — UConn women’s basketball is about 1,700 miles southwest of Storrs in the land of cowboy hats, barbecue, TexMex and most recently, Paige Bueckers.
The Huskies’ former National Player of the Year joined the current squad in practice on Wednesday at the Texas Wesleyan campus in Fort Worth ahead of their Friday Sweet 16 matchup with North Carolina. However, instead of jumping into drills and trash-talking the practice players, she stood on the sideline next to Geno Auriemma, observing her former team.
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“Her demeanor changed, like, as soon as she got next to Coach, she was like, Coach P,” said point guard KK Arnold.
Added graduate guard Azzi Fudd: “It was fun having her back, felt like old times. She didn’t actually do anything, because they were playing defense. She just sat next to Coach and did her thing; yapped the whole time. But it was nice to see a familiar face, definitely good vibes and lots of smiles when she walked in.”
UConn is back in the Sweet 16 for the 32nd straight NCAA Tournament. The Huskies, the No. 1 overall seed, are 27.5-point favorites over No. 4 North Carolina. However, they’ve learned not to doubt an opponent at any stage in March Madness.
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In 2023, the Huskies suffered their first regional semifinal loss since 2005 and just their third ever in the Sweet 16 to Ohio State in Seattle. The following year, UConn got back on track with a win over Duke in the Sweet 16 in Portland. Yet, last year, against Oklahoma, the Huskies entered halftime down by four … that is, until Bueckers went nuclear.
After being held scoreless in the second quarter, the fifth-year star went off for 29 points in the second half. She scored 19 straight in the fourth quarter and finished the game with 40 of UConn’s 82 points. Bueckers not only saved UConn’s season, as the Huskies went on to win the national championship, but also became the fourth Husky to score 40 points in a single game and set UConn’s single-game NCAA Tournament individual points record.
“Paige is someone who is so selfless and just wants to get everyone involved. But seeing her take over in that way with such confidence and grace, it was just so cool to see,” said sophomore Allie Ziebell.
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FORT WORTH, TEXAS – MARCH 26: Head coach Geno Auriemma of the UConn Huskies speaks to his team during a practice session ahead of the NCAA Women’s Sweet Sixteen at Dickies Arena on March 26, 2026 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Stacy Revere/Getty Images
Bueckers is expected to be a fan in the stands on Friday when the Huskies take on the Tar Heels. On Wednesday, the Dallas Wings star went out to dinner with UConn to welcome them to her new home state.
“I think she’s just going to be our biggest supporter while we’re out here,” said junior Ashlynn Shade, who brought her cowboy boots all the way from Connecticut for the Huskies’ trip to the Lone Star State.
UConn is 9-5 all-time against UNC. The two teams met early last season in Greensboro. UConn won 69-68 without Fudd, who had yet to return from her 2023 ACL injury.
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FORT WORTH, TEXAS – MARCH 26: Head coach Geno Auriemma of the UConn Huskies speaks to his team during a practice session ahead of the NCAA Women’s Sweet Sixteen at Dickies Arena on March 26, 2026 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Stacy Revere/Getty Images
Since then, the Tar Heels have added depth – including leading scorer (11.5 points per game) and rebounder (6.9 rebounds per game) Nyla Harris out of the transfer portal from Louisville.
But so has UConn. While Fudd is playing her best basketball yet and Sarah Strong is this year’s USBWA National Player of the Year, the Huskies’ biggest weapons off the bench are newbies in star freshman Blanca Quiñonez (10. 4 ppg) and sophomore transfer Kayleigh Heckel (52 steals, 39 assists) from USC.
“UConn is always gonna play UConn basketball,” said UNC redshirt sophomore Ciera Toomey. “…Â I feel like they have a lot of production from many different people. I mean, they obviously did last year, too, but I feel like you were always hearing about Paige and everything. But this year, when you watch a game, it’s like everyone’s contributing. It’s just cool to watch. It’s two very different teams.Â
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“… I think the biggest thing is just not letting the noise control the vibes and control our mental attitude and how we’re going into the game. I mean, how many games have they won this season? 36. I’m sure 36 other teams thought the same thing going into the game, but on this stage, it’s just different. In March, anything is possible, and we have a lot of belief in this locker room.”
FORT WORTH, TEXAS – MARCH 26: Head coach Geno Auriemma of the UConn Huskies watches action during a practice session ahead of the NCAA Women’s Sweet Sixteen at Dickies Arena on March 26, 2026 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Stacy Revere/Getty Images
UConn, which puts its 52-game winning streak on the line against UNC, will look to defeat the Tar Heels and move on to its third straight and 30th Elite Eight. Friday’s winner will face the winner of No. 2 Vanderbilt-No. 6 Notre Dame in Sunday’s Elite Eight for the chance to advance to next week’s Final Four in Phoenix.
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“I think people always talk about UConn’s streak in the Sweet 16 — and I mean, before we ruined it, the streak to the Final Four — they just assume it’s going to happen no matter what,” said Fudd. “But that’s not how it works. It’s March, crazy things happen every single game. So, (we have) to come in and not take anything for granted; every team here deserves to be here for a reason.”