Paige Bueckers, Ayoka Lee, Sara Scalia and other Minnesotans to watch in NCAA women’s tournament

PAIGE BUECKERS, CONNECTICUT

Junior guard, 6-0 • High school: Hopkins

The fourth-year standout, who has already announced her intention to return to UConn next season, leads the Huskies in scoring (21.1) to go with 4.5 rebounds and 3.7 assists. The 2021 Naismith and Wooden Award winner is shooting 42.4% on thee-point shots.

AYOKA LEE, KANSAS STATE

Senior center, 6-6 • High school: Byron

The NCAA record-holder for points in a game with 61, Lee has returned from injury and is a force. Lee leads a good Wildcats team in scoring (20.1 per game), rebounding (8.4 per game) and blocked shots (68).

SARA SCALIA, INDIANA

Senior guard, 5-10 • High school: Stillwater

The former Gophers player is second on the Hoosiers in scoring (16.2) and is shooting 43.2% on three-pointers, second-best in the Big Ten. If her teammate Mackenzie Holmes is healthy, Indiana could make a run.

ALYSSA USTBY, NORTH CAROLINA

Senior wing, 6-1 • High school: Rochester Lourdes

A starter for 108 games over four seasons in Chapel Hill, she is second on the Tar Heels in scoring (12.4) and is averaging 9.3 rebounds and shooting nearly 48%.

LIZA KARLEN, MARQUETTE

Senior forward, 6-2 • High school: Stillwater

Scalia’s high school teammate, Karlen, a first-team All-Big East selection, is averaging 17.6 points and 7.7 rebounds and has 33 blocks, leading Marquette in all three categories.

Jenna Johnson, Utah (Wayzata)

Kierra Wheeler, Norfolk State (Cooper)

Lauren Jensen, Creighton (Lakeville North)

Tessa Johnson, South Carolina (St. Michael-Albertville)

Anna Miller, Drake (Rochester Mayo)

Others

Nearly 40 Minnesotan women appear on rosters of basketball teams that will begin play in the NCAA tournament this week. The others:

Paige Kindseth (Farmington), Presbyterian; Lilly Meister (Rochester John Marshall), Indiana; Callin Hake (Chanhassen), Annika Stewart (Wayzata) and Kendall Coley (St. Louis Park), Nebraska; Vanessa Saidu (Cooper), Texas A&M; Frannie Hottinger (Cretin-Derham Hall), Marquette; Gianna Kneepkens (Duluth Marshall), Utah; Madison Mathiowetz (St. Mary’s), Ellie Colbeck (Fergus Falls), Kallie Theisen (Wayzata), Tori Tollefson (Chanhassen), Tori Nelson (Henry Sibley) and Paige Meyer (Albany), South Dakota State; Ella Hopkins (Rochester Lourdes), Gonzaga; Maren Westin (Becker), Sophie Lahti (Pine City) and Jenna Guyer (Centennial), Green Bay; Nyamer Diew (Marshall), Iowa State; Nunu Agara (Hopkins), Stanford; Kennedy Sanders (Chaska), Colorado; Taylor McAulay (Centennial), Shannon Fornshell (Wayzata), and Emily Christenson (East Ridge), Drake; Kiani Lockett (Minnetonka), Mallory Brake (Hastings) and Molly Morgensen (Farmington), Creighton; Taylor Woodson (Hopkins), Michigan and Nneka Obiazor (Eden Prairie), UNLV.