Latest news with #UConn
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Paige Bueckers Makes WNBA History Against Indiana Fever
Paige Bueckers Makes WNBA History Against Indiana Fever originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings have now dropped two of their last three games, falling to 4-13 on the 2025 WNBA season. Advertisement On Friday night, the Indiana Fever handed the Wings a 94-86 loss in front of a sold-out crowd at American Airlines Center. The Fever won despite Clark missing a second consecutive game with a groin injury. The All-WNBA guard has missed seven games in total this year. Despite the loss, Bueckers had an impressive game, including a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to end the first half. The former UConn star finished with 27 points on 9-of-18 shooting, six assists, two steals and two blocks. She also didn't have a single turnover with 36 minutes of playing time. Dallas Wings guard Paige BueckersDavid Butler II-Imagn Images In doing so, Bueckers becomes the only player in WNBA history to record a game with 25 or more points, five or more assists, two or more steals, two or more blocks and zero turnovers, per PolymarketHoops. Advertisement This is not the first time Bueckers has made league history. In fact, in Sunday's loss to the Washington Mystics, the rookie passed Clark to become the fastest WNBA player to reach 200 points and 50 assists, doing so in 11 games. Kelsey Mitchell led the Fever in scoring in Friday's win, putting up 32 points on 11-of-17 shooting and seven assists. Aliyah Boston added 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting and six rebounds. Meanwhile, Arike Ogunbowale tallied 15 points for Dallas. The Fever led for most of the first three quarters, but Bueckers helped the Wings surge ahead midway through the fourth after trailing by double digits. Still, Indiana took control down the stretch and came away with a comfortable eight-point win. Advertisement Related: Dream's Brittney Griner Makes Unexpected Personal Move This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 28, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Geno Auriemma Named Finalist For Prestigious Award After National Championship Run
Geno Auriemma Named Finalist For Prestigious Award After National Championship Run originally appeared on Athlon Sports. At 71 years old, there aren't many awards Geno Auriemma hasn't won in his legendary career. But after capturing his 12th NCAA Tournament title this spring, the longtime UConn head coach is up for another prestigious honor, one he's never claimed before. Advertisement Auriemma, who has led the Huskies since 1985 and recorded 1,250 wins, is a finalist for the Best Record-Breaking Performance at the 2025 ESPYs. He's also an eight-time Naismith Coach of the Year, but this nomination marks a new recognition for his legacy. And he's not the only one from the UConn program to receive a nod. The UConn Women's Basketball account on X proudly shared the news on social media: 'We have some Huskies nominated for @ESPYS! Best Team: UConn Women's Basketball Best Record-Breaking Performance: Geno Auriemma Best WNBA Player: Napheesa Collier, Breanna Stewart' Last year's Best Record-Breaking Performance award went to Caitlin Clark, who broke Pete Maravich's all-time NCAA scoring record with 3,951 career points. Clark, now in her second WNBA season, is nominated again after becoming the league's single-game and single-season assist leader. Advertisement Other notable nominees for record-breaking feats include Kevin Durant, who became the all-time leading scorer for the U.S. Olympic men's basketball team, and Alexander Ovechkin, who passed Wayne Gretzky for first place on the NHL's all-time goals list. Connecticut Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma hugs guard Paige Bueckers (5).Kirby Lee-Imagn Images In 2023, LeBron James took home the honor after surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA's all-time leading scorer. The Huskies are also finalists for Best Team, joining a stacked list of champions that includes the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Liberty, Los Angeles Dodgers, Florida Panthers and Oklahoma City Thunder. Two former UConn stars, Collier of the Minnesota Lynx and Stewart of the Liberty, are up for Best WNBA Player. Both helped lead their teams to the WNBA Finals last season and are joined by fellow finalists A'ja Wilson and Clark. Advertisement The 2025 ESPY Awards will air on July 16 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. The annual event, hosted by ESPN, honors the most outstanding achievements and performances across the sports world. Related: Stephanie White Sounds Alarm for Indiana Fever Ahead of Key Player's Absence Related: Ranking the 25 Best WNBA Players of All Time This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
UConn legend Jim Calhoun shares wish for Thunder's Mark Daigneault after NBA Finals
The post UConn legend Jim Calhoun shares wish for Thunder's Mark Daigneault after NBA Finals appeared first on ClutchPoints. Jim Calhoun has seen legends rise. He has coached some of the biggest names in college basketball and built UConn into a powerhouse. But even with all the banners hanging in Storrs, there is one name Calhoun believes still deserves a spotlight. Advertisement That name is Mark Daigneault. Before leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to an NBA title this year and earning Coach of the Year honors in 2024, Daigneault was a quiet presence on the UConn sidelines. He was not a star player or high-profile recruit. From 2003 to 2007, he served as a student manager under Calhoun, taping ankles, fetching towels, and doing the unnoticed work that keeps a program running smoothly. Calhoun recently told longtime UConn reporter Dom Amore that he believes Daigneault should be honored by the university. To him, Daigneault represents something important, something that goes beyond the usual standards of recognition. He wants to see his former student manager celebrated for what he has become—a leader at the highest level of the sport. Daigneault's basketball journey is far from conventional. After graduating from UConn in 2007, he worked his way up through the coaching ranks. He spent time as an assistant at Holy Cross and then joined the Florida Gators under Billy Donovan. Advertisement From there, he made the jump to the NBA G League, where he coached the Oklahoma City Blue. When the Thunder needed a new head coach in 2020, they turned to Daigneault, and he quietly began crafting a new era for the team. Fast forward to this season. The Thunder posted a league-best 68 wins. His team battled through the playoffs, reached the Finals, and captured the elusive NBA title, while showcasing one of the most exciting young cores in the league. It was a season built on chemistry, discipline, and player development—things Daigneault learned to value in his early days at UConn. That is what makes Calhoun's push for recognition so meaningful. He is not just campaigning for a former assistant or a rising coach; he is vouching for someone who grew up in the UConn system, someone who poured time and energy into the program without ever putting on a uniform. It reflects the culture Calhoun created. UConn has always prided itself on grit, teamwork, and a deep respect for the game. Daigneault embodies all of that. Honoring him would not only celebrate his success, but it would send a message to every student manager, trainer, and behind-the-scenes worker in college basketball that their contributions matter. Advertisement There are many ways UConn could pay tribute. Perhaps a ceremony at Gampel Pavilion or a plaque in the training facility. Maybe even inclusion in the Huskies of Honor. The details are less important than the gesture itself. What matters is that UConn recognizes a man who started in its locker rooms and now leads on basketball's biggest stage. Daigneault's rise is not a fluke. It is the result of years of dedication and a deep understanding of the game. He coached with calm under pressure during the Thunder's postseason run and earned the respect of players, analysts, and peers alike. And it all began in Storrs, with a coach who believed in him. As the Thunder continue to celebrate their title, Calhoun's call for recognition serves as a reminder that UConn is not just a school of champions; it is a school that builds character. Daigneault's journey is proof of that. In a world where stars often grab the headlines, it is refreshing to see a story about someone who worked in the shadows and rose to greatness. Daigneault may not have made game-winning shots in a UConn jersey, but his legacy is just as important. Advertisement And now, it is time for UConn to say thank you. Related: Duke coach Jon Scheyer drops truth bomb on Cooper Flagg's Mavericks fit Related: Iowa State basketball sends 3-word message to Tyrese Haliburton after painful Game 7
USA Today
20 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Spartans rumored to face major Big East opponent in an exhibition game this season
Michigan State basketball is rumored to be lining up a big-time opponent for an exhibition game this upcoming season. Storrs Central -- a UConn NIL marketing partner -- posted on social media on Thursday that Michigan State is expected to play the Huskies in an exhibition game this upcoming fall. There were no other details included on the date or location of the potential big-time exhibition matchup. Michigan State and UConn have been two of the biggest and most successful basketball programs in the modern era. The Huskies have experienced more success recently, of course, with back-to-back national championships in 2023 and 2024. But Michigan State did get the best of UConn in their last meeting in the third-place game of the Battle 4 Atlantis in 2021. Michigan State is already set to play a number of college basketball's biggest brands this upcoming season. The Spartans have already announced games against Duke (home), North Carolina (neutral site) and Kentucky (neutral site), and also rumored to play Arkansas (home). So adding this major exhibition game is just another fun wrinkle on the Spartans' 2025-26 schedule. Should this exhibition game occur, it would be a third straight year the Spartans played in a marquee exhibition matchup. In 2023, Michigan State hosted Tennessee in a top 10 battle that also served as a charity event to benefit Maui wildfire relief efforts, and this past season the Spartans traveled to Northern Michigan to play an exhibition against Tom Izzo's alma mater. We will keep our eyes out for any formal announcement or report of this potential exhibition matchup. I'm personally hoping this isn't just a rumor and becomes official soon enough. Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.
New York Times
a day ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Don't let the Dallas Wings' record fool you: Paige Bueckers' rookie season is phenomenal
The Dallas Wings have been mostly off the radar to start the 2025 WNBA season, after a massive offseason overhaul left them short of their expectations in the win column. But the lack of overall team success has obscured an otherwise impressive campaign from Paige Bueckers. The No. 1 draft pick is quietly having one of the best rookie seasons in league history. The offensive creation, ease in the half court and tough shot-making that defined Bueckers' UConn career have all quickly translated to the pro level. Her averages of 17.7 points and 5.8 assists are both in the top 15 league-wide. Advertisement 'Everybody knows Paige is elite,' All-Star guard Arike Ogunbowale said of her teammate. 'Being a point guard in this league is already tough, but being a rookie point guard is even tougher, and I think she's been handling the pressure really well and just leading our team really well.' As was the case in college for Bueckers, it starts with the midrange. She is supremely confident and smooth at beating defenders to her spots at the elbows, creating space with a jab and elevating for the jumper. Bueckers has been devastatingly effective in that zone; defenders know where she wants to go, and they still can't stop her. The average WNBA player takes 10 percent of her shots between 10 and 16 feet — Bueckers has attempted 31.4 percent of her field goals from the midrange and made 58.2 percent, making her the highest-volume midrange scorer in the league. Since defenses are forced to collapse to the free-throw line when Bueckers has the ball, it opens up the wings for Bueckers to kick out to shooters. Nearly half of Bueckers' assists in the half court (44.2 percent) are for 3-pointers, and Dallas guards can drive off of closeouts if the contest comes. Bueckers is an equal-opportunity distributor; although she ranks 10th in the WNBA in total assists, no individual assist combination ranks in the top 25 in the league. She has double-digit assists to three of her teammates (Ogunbowale, Maddy Siegrist and DiJonai Carrington) and has assisted five of her teammates on at least three 3s this season. About the only flaw in Bueckers' offensive game has been her own 3-point shooting. She is making 30.8 percent of her triples, below the league average of 33.1. Threes aren't a huge part of Bueckers' shot profile, but by subsisting on mostly 2-pointers, her efficiency, which was a hallmark of her collegiate production, is closer to average than excellent. Advertisement When Bueckers is connecting from long range — she was a 42 percent 3-point shooter at UConn — there isn't much that can be done. Her best game to date came against the Phoenix Mercury when she canned five triples in a 35-point, six-rebound, four-assist outing, becoming the first rookie since A'ja Wilson to score at least 35 on 65-plus percent shooting. That game also produced Bueckers' best highlight of the season, when she Eurostepped past Lexi Held for an off-balance finger roll. Paige Bueckers 35 points on 19 shots last night. This bucket was nice. [image or embed] — Steph Noh (@ June 12, 2025 at 9:10 AM Even in defeat, Bueckers earned high praise from Mercury All-Star Alyssa Thomas. '(Bueckers) is a hooper,' Thomas said. 'She just controls the game so well. The sky's the limit for her.' Like most rookies, Bueckers' defense lags behind her offense, but that doesn't mean it isn't impactful. She is top-20 in the WNBA in blocks and steals, even as she toes the line of what constitutes a foul as a pro. The roster construction in Dallas means Bueckers has to be on the ball more often than in help, and navigating screens has been a learning experience. Although the Wings largely have been unsuccessful defensively, Bueckers isn't a liability, and the defense gets 7.5 points per 100 worse with her off the court. Since Bueckers' return from her concussion and subsequent illness, Dallas has strung together more competent performances. The Wings are 3-2 in their last five games, both losses coming by single digits in the final minute. Executing in crunch time is the next frontier for Bueckers, as she is converting 22.2 percent of her field-goal attempts in clutch situations (the final minutes when the score is within five points). Her game-tying jumper to force overtime against the Washington Mystics was a rare exception, but even that was canceled out by a missed layup in the extra session that would have given Dallas a lead. Nevertheless, it's hard to quibble too much with a player who is leading her team in points and assists, and poised to join a group of 15 players in WNBA history who have averaged at least 15 points and five assists per game during the regular season. Bueckers would be the second rookie to do so, joining Caitlin Clark. Advertisement Perhaps it's the shadow cast by last year's Rookie of the Year that has dimmed Bueckers' present accomplishments. A year ago, Bueckers' statistics would have been historic; now, she's merely following a pattern of first-year excellence, and even falling a little short of the bar Clark set. Maybe the current generation of college stars will continue to adjust to the WNBA at a rapid pace and produce at All-Star levels early in their careers. Or maybe Bueckers, like Clark before her, is a special talent who should be recognized as such, a relative rarity even in a star-studded era.
