A day after finally winning the NCAA national championship in the final game of her collegiate career, Paige Bueckers was back in Connecticut with her team to celebrate bringing home the program's 12th championship title.

Though UConn had won championships than any other team—11—entering Sunday's game, they were in the midst of an eight-year drought. They had also not won a title with Bueckers, one of the best players the program has seen, until yesterday, when she helped the Huskies earn an 82-59 victory against South Carolina.

On Monday, Bueckers got to not only celebrate her first title, but address UConn's fans for one of the last times before leaving for the WNBA.

"Just an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the whole entire journey, the entire five years I've been here, and however long everyone else has been here. This place is a second home to me," Bueckers told the crowd at UConn's championship rally before pausing as she teared up. "I'm forever indebted to you guys, we are all forever indebted to you guys. From the bottom of my heart, I love you, we all love you, and thank you so much for everything."

In one week, Bueckers will officially depart UConn for the WNBA Draft, where is she is expected to get selected first by the Dallas Wings. In just over a month, the WNBA season will begin, and Bueckers will be off to the next phase of her basketball career.

Before that though, Bueckers will get another opportunity to celebrate the title with the local fans during UConn's victory parade. While it will be bittersweet to see Bueckers leave UConn, she deservedly gets to go out as a champion, closing this chapter of her basketball life on the perfect note.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Paige Bueckers Tears Up Addressing UConn Fans After Championship Win.

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