The Huskies win their Big East opener and extend their conference win streak to 27 games.
UConn women’s basketball bounced back from a loss at Notre Dame and opened Big East play with a 79-44 win over the Georgetown Hoyas on Sunday at the XL Center.
With Azzi Fudd sitting out her second straight game with a minor knee sprain, the Huskies’ other two stars ran the show. Paige Bueckers scored 24 points on 11-16 shooting while Sarah Strong recorded her second career double-double with 17 points and 14 rebounds to go with five assists.
Beyond those two, Morgan Cheli had the best game of her young career with five points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals. Ashlynn Shade also chipped in with nine points while Kaitlyn Chen had four assists.
The first quarter was a slog as UConn struggled to hit shots. The Huskies traded baskets with the Hoyas and never led by more than five in the opening 10 minutes.
The second quarter was a different story. Their defense led the way as Bueckers rejected a pair of shots while KK Arnold forced a backcourt violation. UConn started on a 9-0 run that doubled up the score on the Hoyas, 26-13, and allowed just six points in the entire period.
At the half, the Huskies were in total command with a 40-19 lead.
That dominance continued after the break. UConn scored 20 of 22 points in one stretch, during which Georgetown had no answers defensively. Bueckers scored on a couple of back-door cuts, Strong walked down the lane for an easy bucket in transition and four straight baskets came on layups.
The Huskies finished out the fourth quarter en route to a 35-point victory.
With the win, UConn improves to 9-1 on the season and extends its Big East winning streak to 27 games. Next, the Huskies will return to non-conference action against No. 18 Iowa State at Mohegan Sun Arena on Tuesday night.