Paige Bueckers Expresses Admiration for Dawn Staley Ahead of UConn vs. South Carolina Clash

Live Update: NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship – South Carolina vs. UConn

In an epic showdown for the NCAA women’s basketball national championship, the South Carolina Gamecocks are going head-to-head with the UConn Huskies this Sunday, April 6.

When it comes to NCAA women’s basketball, few teams enjoy the kind of popularity and dominance that UConn and South Carolina boast. This matchup, brimming with excitement, is sure to draw massive viewership. Both teams have earned their place at the top, largely due to the extraordinary success of their head coaches, Geno Auriemma of UConn and Dawn Staley of South Carolina. Their sustained excellence over the years has solidified both programs as dynasties of this era.

However, only one will stand as the national champion in 2025. With Paige Bueckers, UConn’s star guard, playing at an incredibly high level throughout the tournament, it’s tough to bet against her and the Huskies right now.

Ahead of the championship game, Bueckers sat down with the media on April 5 and shared her admiration for Dawn Staley and the Gamecocks program. The UConn guard praised the sustained excellence of Staley’s team and the challenges of maintaining such success.

“Sustained excellence is extremely hard, especially with the parity in women’s college basketball today,” Bueckers remarked, according to an X post from Julia Westerman of WIS News 10.

She continued, “So for them to continue to get back to this level, we know as players it’s extremely hard to get here. And you never want to take it for granted, but it speaks to the discipline, the attention to detail, and the demanded excellence that Coach Dawn has for her players. And we have great respect for her and the entire program.”

Bueckers’ words clearly reflect the high regard she has for Staley’s leadership and South Carolina’s consistent performance on the national stage.

As Sunday’s game approaches, no matter who walks away as the winner, both Dawn Staley and Paige Bueckers—along with their respective teams—have earned the ultimate respect for making it this far in the tournament.

Stay tuned for more updates as we head into one of the biggest games of the year.