Storrs, Mansfield, Connecticut - Paige Bueckers and the UConn Huskies are off to the next round of the NCAA March Madness Tournament after a sound 86-64 victory over Jackson State.

After a 720-day wait, UConn star Paige Bueckers made her March Madness return on Saturday and did not disappoint!

The guard was on fire in the game's first half, scoring 28 points, grabbing 11 rebounds, and dishing out 7 assists.

But Bueckers wasn't alone in leading UConn to victory against Jackson State. Freshman Ashlyn Shade also had a standout performance, scoring 26 points, the most ever by a UConn player in their NCAA debut, along with six rebounds and an assist.

Aaliyah Edwards added to the stellar play with her first NCAA double-double, scoring 20 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.

Together, they proved to be a powerhouse trio for UConn in their March Madness opener. UConn will be back on the March Madness court on Monday against the winner of Syracuse vs. Arizona.

If Paige Bueckers can lead UConn basketball to the Final Four, she'll have a shot at the NCAA tournament's Most Outstanding Player (MOP) award.

Last season, LSU's Angel Reese won the MOP after leading the Tigers to victory over Caitlin Clark's Iowa team in the title game.

Speaking of Clark, the Iowa Hawkeye also has a strong chance to win the MOP if she can guide Iowa to the championship.

Another contender for the award is USC's JuJu Watkins, who has been the standout freshman of the season.

Watkins set a record for the most points scored in a single game with 51 and has surpassed Clark's record for most points scored in a freshman season, currently over 800 and counting.

Who will slam dunk their way to be MOP? The March Madness fight is in full swing!