'Cuse Potpourri

After the Orange pulled back within one possession at 67-64, the visitors forced a bad shot from Bueckers, grabbed the rebound and pushed the ball up the court. Fair got it and — with UConn still trying to set up its defense — tried to attack the rim. She got past Bueckers but Shade stepped up and stripped the ball.
“I was just like, ‘Thank you!’ Shade said about the steal. “I know she was coming down here to score… Whatever happens, happens but I gotta be ready.”
That she was. After Shade knocked it out, Bueckers jumped on the loose ball and called timeout to secure possession for the Huskies with 50.0 left. Considering how much time they could drain off, one more basket would likely be enough to get the win.
With that on the line, everyone in the building expected Bueckers to take the all-important shot — Syracuse included. After all, she was basically the only UConn player to touch the ball on the two previous trips up the floor.
So as the shot clock wound down to 10, the Orange triple-teamed Bueckers at the top of the arc — and left KK Arnold wide open on the wing. Bueckers found the freshman, who pulled up for a 3-pointer without hesitation.
“You're standing over there all by yourself and the best player in the country is getting double teamed and she goes ‘Here KK, knock this in,’” Geno Auriemma said. “That's gotta make you feel like a million bucks, right?”
Arnold let it fly with 30 seconds left.
“I was watching the ball go up and I was like, ‘Please, please, please,’” Shade said.
The shot hit the rim.
“When I saw the ball bounce, I was like, ‘Okay, so it's gonna go off,” Arnold said.
Then it hit the backboard, rattled on the iron and dropped in. Just like that, UConn led by six with 27.9 to play.
Dagger.
“That’s when we sealed the deal,” Shade said.
“I knew getting her the ball was the right play,” Bueckers added.