In the highly anticipated return to the hardwood, Paige Bueckers stepped back into the spotlight with a performance that was, by her own standards, less than stellar. After a grueling 584-day hiatus, the 2021 national player of the year graced the court, contributing to the UConn women's basketball team's 102-58 victory over Dayton. However, the win was not without its personal struggles for Bueckers.

With 8 points on 3-for-9 shooting, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and a steal over 21 minutes, Bueckers' statistics didn't quite hit the high bar she's known for. Sitting out the fourth quarter, the game was a quiet one for the athlete who had once wowed crowds and put numbers on scoreboards.

“In my opinion it was a bad game for me,” Bueckers said postgame, via Alexa Philippou of ESPN. “But I'm grateful to have a bad game right now.”

UConn coach Geno Auriemma echoed Bueckers' sentiments.

“The game doesn't all of a sudden leave you when you haven't played, but it also doesn't automatically come back that fast, either,” Auriemma said. “Given that it was the first game, I thought she was what I thought she would be, and she'll be better on Sunday and she'll be better next Thursday.”

Despite her self-criticism, Bueckers showed moments of the brilliance that has defined her career. The former All-American, no stranger to knee injuries, demonstrated her physical resilience, unafraid of contact and active in rebounding.

“She wants to feel what it feels like to get hit, so she put herself in those situations a lot today,” Auriemma said.

Though it was her first game back, the coach didn't shy away from tough coaching when Bueckers made mistakes on defense or acted out of line.

“She says she likes it when I yell at her, so I just want to keep her happy,” Auriemma said jokingly.

“Last year, I would have given anything to be out there, even if it meant getting yelled at,” Bueckers added.

Her early game efforts were part of a strong team showing. Aaliyah Edwards led with 23 points, with six Huskies scoring in double digits. Bueckers praised the team's depth, contrasting her early years when she often led the scoring.

“We know that as a team, we have a lot of weapons, and it's not a one-man team where somebody has to carry more of the load than others,” Bueckers said. “It's a very equal and well-balanced team.”

As she moves forward, Bueckers is focused on progress, not perfection. Looking ahead to the Huskies' game against NC State on Sunday, she's set on improving.

“I'm still learning how to be easy on myself,” Bueckers said. “I know the road ahead isn't going to be a straight climb, but I'm ready to try again on Sunday and aim to do better.”