Bueckers — and her legions of fans — had been waiting for this feeling since she was identified as the next face of women’s college basketball as a high-schooler.

The championship matchup between UConn and South Carolina on Sunday drew 8.5 million viewers and peaked at 9.8 million, making it the third-most watched NCAA women's national championship on ESPN's platforms.

The tournament loss three years ago concluded an injury-marred season for Bueckers, who’s expected to be the first overall pick in the upcoming WNBA draft. A UConn win Sunday would deny South Carolina’s bid to become the first repeat champion since the Huskies won four straight from 2013 to 2016.