Saturday’s Spherical of 64 opener for the 2-seed UConn Huskies was by no means doubtful from the opening tip towards the 15-seed Arkansas State Red Wolves.
With a commanding 103-34 win, UConn ran away with the victory in a dominant exhibiting to advance to the Spherical of 32 within the Spokane 4 regional.
A 34-5 benefit within the first quarter from UConn was an indication of issues to come back for Arkansas State. This vicious block and layup on the opposite finish from freshman Sarah Sturdy gave UConn a 13-2 result in open the sport.
Sturdy had 20 factors (9-of-10 FG), 12 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 blocks within the recreation. In accordance with ESPN’s Alexa Philippou, she is the only player to put up those numbers in an NCAA Match recreation within the final 25 seasons.
In complete, the Huskies had seven steals and 18 factors off turnovers within the opening quarter.
Enjoying in her first NCAA Match recreation since 2023, senior Azzi Fudd had a dominant first half that featured 21 factors (8-of-11 FG, 4-of-7 3PT), seven assists, two blocks and 5 steals.
She grew to become the first player since at least 2019 to have 20 factors, 5 assists and 5 steals in a single half of an NCAA Match recreation, and the one participant to perform that feat in a half of a Division I recreation within the final three seasons.
This three from Fudd — certainly one of 13 within the recreation for UConn — gave her 27 factors for the sport and prolonged the Huskies’ result in 79-21 barely three minutes into the third quarter.
One of these efficiency within the NCAA Match was lengthy overdue for the senior, who tore the medial meniscus and ACL in her proper knee throughout observe within the fall of 2023.
UConn led 66-16 on the break. The 50-point lead on the half was the largest for any team within the NCAA Match since UConn led by 63 towards St. Francis in 2018.
Senior Paige Bueckers, the projected No. 1 choose within the 2025 WNBA Draft, has additionally battled by way of quite a few accidents, together with an ACL tear and lateral meniscus in 2023. Saturday marked the primary time Fudd and Bueckers shared the courtroom for an NCAA Match recreation for the reason that 2022 Nationwide Championship Sport towards South Carolina.
Whereas Bueckers solely had 11 factors, Saturday was a reminder of what has been lacking from UConn the previous few seasons as its prime gamers battled by way of accidents.
Together with the environment friendly taking pictures (58.8%), UConn’s rebounding edge (52-31), assists (29-5), fastbreak factors (41-5), factors within the paint (46-6) and 34 factors of 20 Arkansas State turnovers present how a lot of a mismatch this recreation turned out to be.
The Huskies will face the winner of the Oklahoma State-South Dakota State 7-10 matchup on Monday. Whereas the opponents are going to get harder because the match progresses, Saturday served as a reminder of what UConn is able to when it’s wholesome.
