The UConn women's basketball team had a successful season by regular standards. They finished 31-6 overall and 18-2 in Big East Conference play. They were a consistent top ten team in the AP rankings throughout the season, won the Big East Tournament and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA Tournament. But this isn't a regular program, this is a program accustomed to winning national championships. But it was going to be an uphill battle to begin with as star guard Paige Bueckers was lost for the season with an ACL injury. While she is still recovering, Bueckers is very close to being fully cleared for on court activities as per Alexa Philippou of ESPN.

“I'm feeling really good, I'm just past the 10-month mark following the injury and surgery. So I'm definitely starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel and the finishing mark. But there's a long way to go. ACL recoveries take a long time,” Bueckers said. “But I'm in no rush. Our whole team and staff is in no rush. We have a lot of time.”

Paige Bueckers suffered the ACL injury in a pickup game during the offseason. She was coming off leading UConn to two straight Final Fours in the NCAA Tournament. She last played in the 2022 NCAA Tournament after having missed extensive time in the regular season due to a knee injury.

During the 2021-22 season, Bueckers averaged 14.6 points per game, 4.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.5 steals with splits of 54.4 percent shooting from the field, 35.3 percent shooting from the three-point line and 71.4 percent shooting from the free-throw line. She is expected to be a top WNBA draft pick when she completes her college eligibility.