Paige Bueckers of UConn is one of five finalists for the John R. Wooden Award that goes to the nation’s outstanding women’s college basketball player. The other finalists are Lauren Betts of UCLA, Madison Booker of Texas,

Paige Bueckers may be considered one of, if not the best, player in college basketball. Even though the UConn Huskies star is headed to the 2025 Final Four, it doesn't mean she's had an easy road to get there.

Paige Bueckers carried UConn to its record 24th Final Four of the women’s NCAA Tournament, scoring 31 points Monday night in a 78-64 victory over Southern California, which couldn’t overcome the loss of injured star JuJu Watkins.

The Wooden Award named its five women's college basketball finalists on Tuesday, per ESPN's Kendra Andrews, with UConn's Paige Bueckers, USC's JuJu Watkins, UCLA's Lauren Betts, Texas' Madison Booker and Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo making the cut.

The UConn Huskies defeated the University of Southern California Trojans in the women's Elite Eight on Monday to advance to their 24th program Final Four, the most in NCAA tournament history across either bracket.

Bueckers got back plenty in that game for herself and her teammates, smoothed over the rough patches and was the player who, whenever Auriemma was too deep into the team’s mistakes, could draw him back.

UConn women’s basketball defeated No. 1-seed USC 78-64 in the Elite Eight behind a combined 53 points from Paige Bueckers and Sarah Strong.

USC put up a fight. But ultimately, Paige Bueckers and Sarah Strong — and the absence of JuJu Watkins — proved too much to overcome.

So, while the basketball at UConn is still available to her, this time with her teammates is available, the chance to put on that No. 5 Huskies jersey one more time is available, Bueckers will be that player. She will shoot 27 times. She will take over a game. She will not take for granted any moment on the floor.