UConn Huskies star Paige Bueckers doesn’t believe that the controversial call at the end of their loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes really led to their downfall. As Bueckers highlighted, they had plenty of chances to be able to stay ahead and win the game, but they wasted them. Did the Referees Rob UConn Huskies the Win vs. Iowa Hawkeyes ? For those who missed it, several Huskies fans called out the NCCAA Tournament and accused them of rigging it in favor of Caitlin Clark and the Hawkeyes. Clark is undoubtedly the biggest star in the game today and the most marketable one, so many assume that the organizers want them to make it to the finals. The accusations come after the Huskies were called for a controversial offensive foul with four seconds left on the clock. Aaliyah Edwards was whistled for an offensive foul due to an illegal moving screen, causing UConn to lose possession in such crucial moment. Iowa was only up by one at that point (70-69), and after the Huskies were forced to foul, the Hawkeyes sharpshooter made her first free throw to make it 71-69 before missing the other. Lisa Bluder’s squad then held on to their lead to book their ticket to the Final. It’s not only the fans who were disappointed with the shocking ending of the game, though. Even NBA stars like
LeBron James and Jamal Crawford expressed disbelief over the call, with James himself emphasizing that he’s against the ruling. Paige Bueckers Speaks Out on UConn Huskies’ Loss Instead of pinning the blame on the controversial foul call, however, Paige Bueckers took the high road and shared that she doesn’t think it’s the reason for their loss. Bueckers highlighted that it’s only one play, and as everyone knows, games are not decided by just one play. She also shared that she committed a lot of mistakes, and had she done better, they would have avoided being in a losing situation. UConn had a great start in the game and effectively shut down Caitlin Clark in the first half. They proceeded to halftime ahead by six, 32-26, before a third quarter surge from the Iowa Hawkeyes made things tight. “ Everybody can make a big deal of that one single play, but not one single play wins a
basketball game or loses a basketball game. I made a lot of mistakes that could’ve prevented that play being so big,” Bueckers said of the call, via FOX College Hoops. Bueckers certainly couldn’t have said it any better. In the end, the Huskies have no one to blame but themselves for their shortcomings throughout the game. Of course it would have been great had the players been able to decide the game with their play. However, officiating is part of the game, and unfortunately for UConn, things just didn’t go in their favor. This article first appeared on Hardwood Heroics and was syndicated with permission.