The Huskies dominated the Gamecocks in every aspect of the game.
Entering Sunday, the No. 7 UConn Huskies had lost its last seven regular season matchups against top-10 teams, dropped three straight top-25 contests and had disappointed in every big game so far this year.
They reversed those trends in dramatic fashion with a stunning 87-58 blowout win over No. 4 South Carolina. UConn ends the Gamecocks’ 71-game home winning streak, which was fourth-longest in women’s college basketball history.
UConn got contributions from up and down the lineup but Azzi Fudd ruled the day with 28 points — 18 of which came in the third quarter. She shot 11-22 from the floor and 6-10 from three while also putting up five rebounds and two assists.
Sarah Strong joined Fudd in double-figures with 16 points and also had 13 rebounds, as did Paige Bueckers (12 points) and Kaitlyn Chen (10). Bueckers didn’t shoot great, going just 3-12 from the field, but still set a season-high with 10 assists and also grabbed seven rebounds.
Elsewhere, Ashlynn Shade had nine important points while Jana El Alfy had the best game of her collegiate career so far. She was a force down low, setting the tone with physicality and aggressiveness en route to eight points and six rebounds.
The Huskies assisted on 22-31 baskets while South Carolina set up just seven of 23 field goals. UConn dominated the rebounding battle 48-29 and had a 31-12 edge in fast break points.
UConn started on the right foot by scoring the first points of the game but the two sides traded baskets for much of the opening quarter. Through six minutes, neither team had led by more than one possession.
Then UConn gained some separation with a 9-0 run, though that was only a preview of what was to come. The Huskies opened the second quarter with eight straight points but the Gamecocks responded with a 7-0 spurt of their own.
From there, UConn closed the half with 14 of the next 16 points to take a 22-point lead into the locker room. The Huskies were 7-14 from three, had an 11-0 edge in points off turnovers and did it all despite a 4-18 shooting performance from Bueckers and Fudd in the opening 20 minutes.
Out of the break, Fudd continued her run of third quarter takeovers. After putting up 17 points in the period in each of her last two games, she dropped 18 in the third on Sunday. Fudd caught fire from three, hitting 4-5 from beyond the arc.
The timing of those baskets were crucial, too. Midway through the quarter, South Carolina’s MiLaysia Fulwiley tried to breathe some life into her team with a block down one end followed up a pair of free throws down the other. The Gamecocks scored four straight points and started to get their home crowd back into it.
Then Fudd drilled a 3-pointer, stopping any comeback hopes in their tracks.
UConn led by 26 after three quarters and never let South Carolina get closer than 24 in the fourth on its way to a 29-point victory.
With the win, the Huskies notch their first signature victory of the campaigns and improve to 24-3. They’ll return to the dregs of conference play for the final four games of the regular season, starting with a trip to Seton Hall on Wednesday.