New Year’s Eve. It’s a day for staying up late, celebrating and anticipating the new year ahead. Perhaps the No. 15 UConn women’s basketball team was looking forward to the impending festivities a little too much. In their final matinee of the year against No. 18 Marquette, they sleepwalked through the first few minutes.
Make. After make. And then some more. The Golden Eagles repeatedly punished the nylon en route to a blazing 10-0 start. Coach Geno Auriemma called a timeout to calm his reeling Huskies as star Paige Bueckers was throwing the ball away and All American Aaliyah Edwards couldn’t get anything to fall. Though this was far from the opening that the Huskies likely drew up, they recovered.
The freshmen spearheaded the start of the effort, scoring nine of the team’s first 11 points. KK Arnold and Ashlynn Shade were electric Sunday, with the former collecting 13 points and three steals. She didn’t stand out in any one aspect of the game, but looked the part of the commanding point guard she was touted as coming in. The ball control was there. So was the fierce defensive intensity. She brought energy just as Connecticut needed her to and appears to be the Huskies’ point guard of the future.
Shade played well in her own right. The 4/10 shooting won’t wow anyone, but she played with pace and poise. The team needed her early and she delivered. Even as Marquette continued their hot start, her pair of jumpers kept the Eagles from getting further ahead.
Then came the Huskies’ defense. Jordan King’s bank-shot three was a sign that Marquette’s opening flamethrower attack wasn’t sustainable. But it really dropped off. Edwards got an and-one layup, Bueckers completed a four point play and the Huskies didn’t stop scoring. The Golden Eagles, on the other hand, couldn’t hit water if they were in the ocean. The drought on one end combined with the Huskies’ downpour resulted in a 22-2 run and a 14 point UConn lead.
If you looked at the final box, you wouldn’t know that the home side started off so sluggish. They had a convincing advantage in nearly every single category, only barring free throw shooting and blocks. Neither statistic mattered. UConn was plus 10 on the glass, got 21 more second chance points and 24 more paint points. Connecticut was also disruptive in the passing lanes, with eight steals.
Part of the reason for this excellent defense was Edwards. The Canadian hasn’t looked as incredible as she was last year, but this game puts thoughts of potential regression to rest. She poured in 19 points and grabbed 12 boards, beating Liza Karlin in the battle of the bigs. Karlin had 13 points, but struggled mightily to get there after going 3/6 in the first quarter. She finished 5/18 from the floor thanks to Edwards defensive dedication, a massive contributor towards UConn’s big win.
Nika Mühl also grabbed 10 rebounds, which isn’t typical for her. What was more her speed were her seven assists, which paired nicely with a single turnover. In her last ranked game, Mühl gave the ball away eight times, so this effort comes as an encouraging shift. One season removed from breaking the school record for assists in a season, Mühl sits just outside the top 50 in the country.
After a relatively even conclusion to the half, it was critical for Connecticut to make a statement and put the game out of reach. Four different Huskies scored during a 23-5 run coming out of the locker room that gave them a 32 point advantage. Seven came from Bueckers, who heard her name called often.
The former National POTY had a great outing once she put her early frustrations in the rearview mirror. Buckets seemed to fall at will as the redshirt junior notched 25 points on 16 shots, along with five dimes and three steals. She provided a nice blend of getting her own looks and finding her teammates. If this performance is any indication of her and the team’s future, they’re in great shape.
The contest didn’t see either side make waves, with the Huskies closing with a 31 point win. It was an excellent team effort, with Connecticut making the right open passes and protecting their home court. Omitting the first few minutes, the squad played phenomenal basketball Sunday and will need to continue to do so in the competitive Big East.
They suit up next at No. 21 Creighton, the third best team in the conference.