Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers in a throwback image.
Before becoming rivals in women’s college basketball, UConn star Paige Bueckers and former Iowa Hawkeyes legend Caitlin Clark were teammates in the 2019 USA U-19 FIBA competition.
A picture from that time has now come to the surface and has amassed over 40,000 likes on Instagram. Posing in the picture are Huskies’ Paige Bueckers, now WNBA player Caitlin Clark, former South Carolina player Aliyah Boston, former Stanford forward Francesca Belibi and Bueckers’ teammate Azzi Fudd.
Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark faced each other in the Final Four matchup of the NCAA tournament. Clark and the Hawkeyes were able to defeat the Huskies by a score of 71-69.
Bueckers could not hold back her emotions and tearfully reflected on her successful journey during the post-game conference.
“Right now, this is the loss, There are going to be tears always at the end of the season because this is my last time playing with these guys. It takes a while to process after the season, win or loss, the whole journey of it all.”
“This year especially from my perspective you just appreciate it as it goes along. .. Everybody saw it. The heart, the joy, the passion that we played with, we just love each other we enjoy being around each other. … This season meant everything to us. Against all odds.”
Paige Bueckers helped Team USA win gold medal against Australia
Bueckers and Clark were part of Team USA in 2019 when they played against Australia in Bangkok, Thailand. Coach Jell Walz called a timeout when 17 seconds were left in the gold medal game.
After the game resumed, a 17-year-old Bueckers shot a pass to Hailey Van Lith at the opposite corner of the court and banked in a jump shot to send the game to overtime.
Team USA ended up winning a gold medal with a 74-70 win. Bueckers was named the MVP of the game and amassed 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists.
Bueckers will return to the Huskies for another year of college basketball, aiming to chase a national championship and hopefully declare for the 2025 WNBA draft.
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