The sixth-ranked UConn women’s basketball team (19-2, 10-0) travels to Chicago for a Wednesday night match-up against the DePaul Blue Demons (11-11, 6-3) in Wintrust Arena.
The Huskies are 24-0 all-time against DePaul, 8-0 in conference play and 11-0 on the road. The last meeting in Chicago between the two Big East foes saw a decisive 104-67 win for Connecticut (Feb 2024).
UConn is riding a nine-game winning streak (all Big East opponents), which has been aided by a historic offensive stretch of scoring and efficiency ratings. Since Jan. 5 – when Paige Bueckers was injured in a 31-point win over Villanova – the Huskies are second nationally in offensive efficiency rating (128), second in effective field goal percentage (61.8) and second in two-point percentage (62.8), per Bart Torvik.
Continuing its offensive firework display will be paramount against a DePaul offense that has struggled since the New Year. The Blue Demons have scored 70 points just twice since a Jan. 2 match-up against Xavier, ranking 279th nationally in effective field goal percentage (42.8) and in the ninth percentile over its last five outings (39.9).
Jumping out to an early lead will free up time for rotational players looking to make more of an impact on the lineup, such as Aubrey Griffin.
“That’s the whole point,” head coach Geno Auriemma said after the team’s win over Villanova when asked about starting games on the right side offensively.
Playing with a lead is something the Huskies are all-too familiar with. Aside from a first half deficit against Georgetown on Jan. 11, Connecticut led for every second of the second, third and fourth period during its winning streak.
DePaul is led by the three-headed scoring monster Jorie Allen (19.5), Taylor Johnson-Matthews (14.2) and Kate Clarke (10.8), who contribute nearly 70% to the team’s average of 64.6 points per game. Allen is among the Big East’s best scorers and leads the team in points, assists, steals and blocks, while Johnson-Matthews and Clarke continue to develop during their junior seasons.
Another name to keep an eye out for is forward Meg Newman, the Blue Demons’ leading rebounder. The 6-foot-2 junior parlays her near eight boards per game with 8.1 points per night and is a dynamic threat on the high post.
Still, the Blue Demons have struggled down low, shooting 13.3% below the D-I average in the paint offensively (38.9% on 38/72 shooting) and allowing 6.4% above D-I average to fall defensively. This could be an opportunity for Jana El Alfy and/or Ice Brady to get involved early and build confidence for future heavyweight bouts against Tennessee and South Carolina.
Nonetheless, the Huskies will still run through its dynamic – and terrifying – trio of Bueckers, Fudd and Strong. Finding open shots should be a luxury with its treasure trove of offensive fire power.
The game will be broadcasted on SNY. Coverage starts at 6:30 p.m., with post-game coverage concluding at 10 p.m.