In what was less of a basketball game and more of a casual afternoon jog, UConn superstar Paige Bueckers kicked off her 2024-25 season with a performance that had fans split between cheering for her leadership and…well, wondering why she didn’t drop 30 points on Boston University. Yes, the Huskies obliterated BU 86-32, but that apparently wasn’t enough to stop some from demanding more fireworks from their favorite point guard.
For those keeping track at home, Bueckers put up 13 points, dished out seven assists, swiped five steals, and even tossed in a block for good measure. Not exactly earth-shattering, but considering UConn was up by 50 at halftime, Paige wasn’t exactly in “hero ball” mode. Still, for a player who averages nearly 22 points per game, some fans were left scratching their heads.
“I mean, Clark never scored under 20 her senior year,” a very vocal Caitlin Clark stan tweeted, probably while conveniently ignoring the fact that Iowa often needed Clark’s 30-point games to win. On the other hand, UConn had already buried Boston before halftime like they were wrapping up a preseason scrimmage.
Coach Geno Auriemma, in true “I’ve seen it all” fashion, was completely unbothered by the discourse. He praised Bueckers’ leadership and was more focused on the bigger picture. “We have lineups that can take us very far,” he noted, clearly less worried about Twitter’s hot takes and more about his team potentially steamrolling the competition all season.
Bueckers: Leading the Orchestra
If you’re still wondering why Paige didn’t take 30 shots, remember that basketball is a team sport. That whole concept of, you know, passing the ball, playing defense, and making your teammates better? Yeah, that’s kind of her thing. Just ask Sarah Strong, who led UConn with 18 points while four other players scored in double digits. It’s almost like Bueckers decided to remind everyone that she can run the game, not just dominate it.
Of course, in the land of social media hot takes, subtlety is lost. While one fan wisely pointed out, “They were up 50 at the half; she didn’t need to take any more shots,” others chimed in with gems like, “She looks slow” (perhaps not accounting for Bueckers playing a chess game while Boston was still figuring out checkers).
But hey, why let facts get in the way of a good argument, right? Sure, Caitlin Clark dropped 31.6 points per game last year, but she also had to. UConn has a bench that outscored BU by itself (38 points) — yeah, you read that right — so Bueckers decided to share the wealth.
It’s Not Always About the Points, People
If you’re still not convinced that Bueckers is a generational talent after she casually orchestrated a blowout while making it look easy, well, good luck pleasing you. UConn didn’t just win — they embarrassed BU so thoroughly that at one point, you could almost hear Boston’s entire athletic department collectively sigh.
And Bueckers? She did what great players do — she led. That doesn’t always mean scoring 30, no matter how much Clark’s stans want it to. Sometimes, it’s about doing everything else — and Paige checked all those boxes, even if the internet wasn’t impressed.
For UConn, this was just game one of what could be a banner year, and if Bueckers keeps this up, she’ll have plenty of chances to silence any critics — or, more likely, let her play do the talking while they scramble for new takes. Because at the end of the day, if you’re up 50 at halftime, who needs 30 points?
