March Madness 2022: Paige Bueckers starts as UConn rolls past Mercer

Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com.

Paige Bueckers was back in the starting lineup and No. 2 seed UConn once again dominated its opposition in an NCAA Tournament opener.

Bueckers scored 12 points as UConn began its run toward a 12th NCAA Tournament title with an 83-38 first-round rout of No. 15 seed Mercer on Saturday in the Bridgeport Regional.

Last season's national player of the year played 24 minutes, the most in six games since coming back from a left knee injury that kept her out for more than two months. She hit five of her seven shots from the floor and also had five assists and four rebounds.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Connecticut's Paige Bueckers (5) drives to the basket during the first half of a first-round women's college basketball game against Mercer in the NCAA tournament, Saturday, March 19, 2022, in Storrs, Conn.  (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

Bueckers said she's getting more and more confident in her game.

"I think ever since the end of the Big East Tournament I’ve just tried to lock in mentally and physically and trying to do whatever I have to do, cut certain stuff out and just really lock in on this next month," Bueckers said.

"Just getting my body prepared, my mind prepared, and I think in the last 10 days I really locked in on that."

Christyn Williams had 13 points to lead the Huskies (26-5) who opened the tournament with a win for an NCAA record 28th straight time. Dorka Juhasz added 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Shannon Titus had 12 points to lead Mercer (23-7), which was making its fourth straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament and came in on a 12-game winning streak. The Southern Conference champion Bears have never won an NCAA