In an exhilarating showdown on Friday, Paige Bueckers showcased her incredible talent once again, scoring an impressive 28 points during the Unrivaled regular season match. However, despite her stellar performance, her team, the Breeze, faced a narrow defeat, falling to Hive with a final score of 70-68 in Miami.
The game took a dramatic turn when Sonia Citron delivered a clutch layup that secured the victory for Hive, marking their record at 3 wins and 7 losses in league games, while the Breeze slipped to a 5-5 standing.
What makes this loss particularly noteworthy is how Hive managed to fight back from a daunting 15-point deficit in the third quarter. They were down 46-31 with just over six minutes remaining in that period. Displaying remarkable resilience, Hive launched a 14-0 scoring blitz, with Citron contributing nine out of her 17 total points during this crucial stretch.
As the game progressed, both teams exchanged leads in a thrilling back-and-forth battle. Late in the third quarter, the Breeze regained the advantage at 57-51, but Hive quickly countered with a 9-2 run, flipping the score to 60-59 in their favor.
The intensity continued into the fourth quarter, where both squads were vying for a target score of 70, as dictated by the Elam Ending rule (which you can learn more about here). Cameron Brink managed to tie the game at 68 with a well-executed layup in the closing moments, yet Hive's Citron responded decisively on the following possession, sealing their triumph with another layup.
Kelsey Mitchell emerged as Hive's leading scorer, netting 22 points. Additionally, Monique Billings contributed significantly with a double-double, finishing the game with 15 points, 17 rebounds, and also recording two blocks and two steals.
Bueckers' 28 points came from an impressive 13-of-23 shooting performance, and she also grabbed seven rebounds and dished out five assists, leading all players in scoring. Her teammate Rickea Jackson added 15 points to the Breeze's efforts.
With these performances, Bueckers is now averaging 25.0 points, 6.7 assists, and 6.1 rebounds over the course of ten games. Looking ahead, she and her teammates will aim to improve their record when they face the struggling Lunar Owls, who currently hold a 2-7 record, on Tuesday, February 17. Meanwhile, Hive will be up against the top-ranked Laces, who have a solid 7-2 record, on the same day.
