Paige Bueckers is back where it all began! The Huskies opened their 2025–26 NCAA season against the Louisville Cardinals at Navy Alumni Hall today, and the 24-year-old was spotted courtside to show her support for her former team and “D1 girlfriend,” Azzi Fudd. But did having love in their corner help them win their season-opener?

It sure did. The Huskies closed out their game with a 79–66 victory. But when asked about how she was feeling to be back where she made a name for herself and “taking pictures like a proud mom,” in a courtside interview with ESPN reporter Holly Rowe, Bueckers laughed and admitted that the feeling was surreal. She said, “Definitely weird, definitely a surreal feeling of just being in a different position and watching from a different perspective. Not being yelled at when a UConn game is on, it’s all a different vibe. But I’m very happy to be here, and I’m very excited to watch.”

Bueckers, who guided UConn to its 12th national title before turning pro, has been close with Fudd since they were just kids. They met each other for the first time as teens when they were both trying out for point guard on the USA Basketball U16 team and became near inseparable during their time in Storrs. While fans have long speculated about their relationship, it wasn’t until the 2025 WNBA All-Star weekend that Paige publicly confirmed Fudd as her girlfriend. And just to add to the aww factor, Fudd even has a phone case that has “Paige Bueckers’s girlfriend” written on it.

Further in her chat with Rowe, Paige Bueckers was asked about Fudd stepping into the spotlight as a potential Player of the Year candidate, a position she herself knew well. Reflecting on how she was helping Fudd handle the pressure, the guard said, “Just to focus on what matters. Focus on the team, focus on being present. That’s the sorta mindset we had the entire last year… Just staying present, staying where your feet are. There’s a lot of outside voices, lots of expectations, lots of pressure. But if you focus on where you are in the moment, all of that is just noise.”

With a veteran like Paige on the sidelines rooting for them, the Huskies dominated their recent game, and leading this front to clinch a landslide victory were Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd.

Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd set the tone for the 2025-26 NCAA season

The defending champs didn’t waste any time showing they still mean business. They opened with a 25–9 run, carrying the same energy that crowned them last spring. Sarah Strong, Azzi Fudd, and Kamorea Arnold led the way, combining for 54 points, 18 rebounds, and 10 assists to seal a strong start to UConn’s title defense.

UConn and Louisville were supposed to lock horns at the Ramstein Air Base in southwestern Germany; however, due to the ongoing government shutdown, the venue was later shifted to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis.

Still, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. The Huskies finished the game shooting just 4-of-26 from three-point range, a number that can’t be expected from the title defenders moving forward. After going up by 25 points early in the fourth quarter, UConn saw Louisville fight back to cut the lead to just 10 with a little over two minutes left. But the Huskies stayed calm and scored three quick baskets to shut down the comeback and lock in the win.

Now, with one in the bag, the Huskies will be taking on the Florida State Seminoles for their second game on November 9, and if the last minutes were any indication, the UConn Huskies are not going to make it easy for anyone to take their title away.