BETWEEN OUR LIPS. paige bueckers

thirty two

The Finneran Pavilion is alive with the buzz of a packed house as Kai adjusts her camera strap and takes a deep breath. She's stationed near the baseline, her lens trained on the UConn players warming up. Paige moves through layup lines with her usual fluidity, but Kai notices something only someone with her level of observation—or involvement—could. Paige is limping. Just slightly. Kai smirks to herself and mutters under her breath, "Still feeling that, huh?" She shakes her head and refocuses on the task at hand: documenting the game.

The opening tip is controlled by UConn, and Kai immediately snaps into action, crouching low to capture the first play. The ball moves quickly, zipping from Ashlynn to Nika, then to Paige at the top of the key. Paige drives to the right, drawing two defenders, and threads a bounce pass to Aaliyah cutting through the lane. Aaliyah takes one power dribble and lays it in off the glass. Kai's camera captures the moment the ball leaves Aaliyah's hand, the defender's arm outstretched, and the look of satisfaction on Aaliyah's face as the ball drops through the net.

"Nice pass, Paige!" Kai hears one of the assistant coaches yell from the bench. Kai instinctively glances up from her camera and nods in agreement before returning her focus to the action.

On Villanova's next possession, Lucy Olsen shakes her defender and hits a jumper from the elbow. The Villanova bench erupts, but UConn is unfazed. Kai tracks Paige as she calmly calls for the ball, directing her teammates with quick hand signals. As Paige brings the ball up, Kai shifts positions for a better angle. Paige fakes a pass to the wing and cuts inside, weaving through defenders. She stops on a dime at the free-throw line and elevates for a jumper. The ball arcs perfectly and splashes through the net. Kai's finger instinctively clicks the shutter, capturing the clean follow-through.

"Let's go, Paige!" someone yells from the UConn bench. Kai turns her head slightly and catches Ice Brady pumping her fist. "Keep feeding her!" Ice adds, turning to the assistant coach.

The game remains tight through the first quarter. Villanova's Maddie Webber drains a contested three to tie the score at 7-7, and Kai hears murmurs from the bench. Paige immediately answers, taking the ball in transition and darting past her defender for a quick layup. Kai's camera follows her every step, the burst of acceleration, the way her left hand guides the ball onto the backboard. Kai smirks, remembering how that same hand had clung to her shoulder just two nights ago.

"Good stuff, Paige!" Kai says under her breath, not loud enough to be heard but just enough to make herself chuckle.

As the quarter progresses, Kai moves to the UConn bench, setting herself up closer to the players. She crouches, snapping candid shots of the team's reactions during timeouts. Paige is seated at the center, her gaze intense as she listens to the coach's instructions. Kai can't help but notice the way Paige stretches her back subtly during the huddle. It's almost imperceptible, but Kai knows better.

Between plays, Nika walks over to grab a towel. She spots Kai and grins. "You getting all my assists, Kai?" she teases, dabbing her forehead.

"Every single one, Nika. Don't worry. You'll look like a hero in the highlight reel," Kai replies, earning a laugh from Nika.

The second quarter begins with a bang. UConn forces a turnover, and KK leads the fast break. Paige sprints ahead, catching the pass in stride before lofting it back to KK, who finishes with a reverse layup. The bench explodes, and Kai quickly captures the celebration, focusing on the wide smiles and high fives exchanged.

"Now that's how you run a break!" one of the assistant coaches shouts, clapping loudly.

On the next possession, Paige spots an opening and drives baseline. The defender recovers, forcing her to spin back toward the paint. Kai anticipates the move, snapping a series of shots as Paige rises and sinks a short jumper over the outstretched hand of a Villanova forward. Paige jogs back down the court, shaking her head as if to say, You can't stop me.