ESPN News Services
Jan 19, 2025, 04:17 PM ET
STORRS, Conn. -- Paige Bueckers scored 18 points to surpass 2,000 in her career and No. 6 UConn cruised to a 96-36 win over Seton Hall on Sunday.
Bueckers scored points No. 2,000 and 2,001 on a jumper with 8:05 remaining in the first half. Bueckers reached the mark in her 102nd game, breaking the program record of 108 games by Maya Moore. Bueckers is the 12th UConn player to hit that milestone.
"To be able to put that many points on the board in that short period of time is one tremendous accomplishment," head coach Geno Auriemma said. "To be able to do it in spite of the ups and downs and missing an entire season and a [half] of another season, to stay mentally locked in, to stay positive and to still be committed to putting the work in, there's a lot that goes into being able to be out there and make the shots that she makes given what she's been through.
"I don't know too many people that work at the game as hard and as often as she does, so I'm glad that she's being rewarded. And I'm sure there's a few more points in her future."
Bueckers had a chance to reach that mark on a layup after a behind-the-back dribble. She missed the shot, but hit a pair of free throws to push her career total to 1,999 points.
"I was hoping I would get it at some point," said Bueckers, who also finished the game with seven assists. "I knew I was six points away, so eventually, hopefully I would get there. I didn't want to press, I didn't want to force the issue and just let it happen naturally within the game flow and continue to play the right way, look for my teammates, look for my shot, play UConn basketball, and what's supposed to happen will happen."
Freshman Sarah Strong had 23 points and 11 rebounds and Azzi Fudd scored 18 points for UConn (17-2, 8-0 in the Big East).
Aubrey Griffin also returned for the Huskies, playing in her first game since tearing her ACL last January. She had three points, four rebounds and two assists in 10 minutes.
Jada Eads had 14 points for Seton Hall (13-5, 5-2).
Strong had nine points in a 16-2 run for UConn to put the Huskies ahead 26-7 with 1:16 left in the first quarter.
Seton Hall was playing without Savannah Catalon and Connecticut native Shailyn Pinkney. It was the ninth straight game that Pinkney missed while Catalon was out for the eighth consecutive game.
The Associated Press and ESPN's Alexa Philippou contributed to this story.
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