When No. 5 UConn walked into Knoxville, they had an 11-game winning streak, and history was on their side. But by the final buzzer, that history was rewritten. No. 19 Tennessee took down the Huskies 80-76, ending an 18-year drought against their longtime rivals. But who’s at stake? It’s Paige Bueckers this time.

It’s not something we’re declaring—it’s what she stated herself. In a postgame interview after the loss to Tennessee, Bueckers shared, “I feel like it was more myself, taking myself out of rhythm.” Strange but true. The projected No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft had a rare off night. She shot just 5 of 16 from the field and ended up contributing 14 points while grabbing four rebounds.

“Shots were short, should have attacked more, got to the free throw line a little bit,” she added. Instead of blaming foul trouble or Tennessee’s defense, she turned the spotlight on herself. But she did admit that the opposing team had an edge in defensive intensity.

“They crashed the boards really hard, and we didn’t box out like we were supposed to,” Bueckers said.

Despite Sarah Strong leading UConn with 18 points and nine rebounds, the Huskies were outworked on the glass, losing the rebounding battle 46-34. Not just that—the team also endured a brutal four-and-a-half-minute scoring drought in the third quarter, allowing the Lady Vols to take control.

Even as UConn managed to keep it close, Tennessee’s depth and hustle proved to be the difference-maker. As the Lady Vols dominated the boards, out-rebounding the Huskies 46-34. Every time UConn tried to claw back, Tennessee responded. Finally, a late-game layup from Zee Spearman sealed the win. However, it wasn’t just Bueckers taking the blame.

Geno Auriemma’s sharp critique of Paige Bueckers exposes UConn’s struggles in heartbreaking loss

Team head coach Geno Auriemma didn’t hold back either. In a fiery postgame statement, he questioned the inconsistency of his team’s top players, particularly Bueckers. “Paige wants the ball in her hands all the time. When they trap her, she doesn’t want the ball in her hands,” Auriemma said.

“Right now, it’s not the winning edge for sure. I don’t get it. I really don’t.” And the head coach isn’t wrong either. She shot just 5 of 16 from the field and 2 of 6 from 3-point range. As one of the top contenders for Player of the Year and the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, she fell short of her season average of 19 points per game.

Even at halftime, both Bueckers and Azzi Fudd were in foul trouble. While Bueckers had two early fouls, Fudd had three. As if it wasn’t enough, a fan yelled, “Three more to go!” when Bueckers got her second foul. Well, the players notice it all.

“A lot of orange,” Bueckers said with a smile. “It wasn’t the same four years ago when there was a limited capacity for the crowd. But the booing was still the same, the cheering against us was still the same, and this time it will be louder and more amplified.”

Quite evidently, the team suffered from the hatred they received. On every crucial possession in the fourth quarter, UConn’s strategy seemed a bit off. And, UConn returned with a loss. But still, was Bueckers one of the reasons behind the defeat?