No Ducharme, No Geno? No Problem
The Story: The No. 5-ranked women’s basketball team was missing Caroline Ducharme and Geno Auriemma, but that didn’t deter it from pummeling Butler, 80-47, last night in Indianapolis.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Even though they only suited eight players, the Huskies (12-2, 5-0 Big East) routed the Bulldogs (6-9, 1-5), running away with the game behind a 25-7 third quarter.
EDWARDS DELIVERS: All five starters scored in double figures, led by Aaliyah Edwards, who was the best player on the floor. She had a game-high 20 points on 10-of-12 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds, five of them offensive, as the Huskies dominated in the paint.
AWESOME AUBREY: Aubrey Griffin (15 points, seven rebounds, two blocks) was back in the lineup after missing two games due to COVID-19, and she made an immediate impact with her energy and athleticism.
DUCHARME’S PLIGHT: Ducharme was placed in concussion protocol after being injured during Monday’s practice and is required to sit out two games, which includes tomorrow’s game at Xavier. Ducharme did not travel with the team, and the school said there is no timetable for her return.
• It’s been a rough season for the sophomore guard, who got off to a slow start due to offseason hip surgery and lingering neck stiffness. But she was coming off her best game Saturday against Marquette, scoring a season-high 19 points.
AILING AURIEMMA: Geno wasn’t feeling well and missed his third game of the season due to illness. In his place, associate head coach Chris Dailey was able to extend her perfect coaching record to 16-0.
WHAT DID DAILEY SAY? “Everything we are going through is going to help us down the road. Right now, it’s just bringing this team closer together, and we are just figuring things out.”
UP NEXT: The Huskies travel to Cincinnati to play Xavier (7-7, 0-5 Big East) tomorrow at 7 p.m.
Can UConn Handle Providence?
The Story: The No. 4-ranked men’s basketball team is back in New England with a short trip to rival Providence for a classic Big East affair tonight (8:30 p.m., FS1).
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: The Huskies are coming off their first loss at Xavier on Saturday and face the Friars, who won the Big East regular-season title for the first time last season and went to the Sweet 16.
• The Huskies (14-1, 3-1 Big East) didn’t fall much in the Associated Press poll and are still pegged as one of the top seeds in the NCAA Tournament. A road loss in a close game against a top-20 opponent didn’t hurt that much.
• UConn’s focus against Providence will be defensive, particularly against transfer guard Bryan Aiken. The Huskies, who had a top-five defense going into Saturday’s game, allowed the Musketeers to scorch the nets with 53.8 percent shooting and dominate the paint.
• Dan Hurley isn’t a good loser. He might not be sore to the media, but he calls losing games suffering and shameful, so there has been no joy in Storrs since the New Year.
WHAT DID HURLEY SAY? “I just think when you’re winning as much as we’ve won and it’s been nothing but success and pats on the back, you get away from the real true reasons you’ve been successful, and for us, it’s been doing the hard things well. … Defending at an elite level, playing top-five defense … making the relentless efforts all over the court — not just Andre Jackson but the entire group — and then obviously the backboard, being able to control the backboard, that’s the reason why you win.”
IS JOHNSON CLOSE? The Huskies could add some more size and athleticism to the frontcourt as sophomore forward Samson Johnson is close to returning.
• Johnson was injured in the season opener with a stress reaction in one of his feet. The Huskies have mostly played Alex Karaban at the four or gone small with Jackson and Jordan Hawkins. There is a need for more size to pair with centers Adama Sanogo and Donovan Clingan, and Johnson fits the bill.
ABOUT PROVIDENCE: This will be the only time we say something nice about the Friars, who are such bitter rivals we don’t even think of them as rivals. Ed Cooley has again done a terrific job this season with the help of a soft schedule early and by rebuilding his team through the transfer portal after losing five of its top six scorers from a year ago.
• Aiken, from Kentucky, is averaging 15.9 points per game, while fellow transfers Noah Locke from Louisville and Devin Carter from South Carolina have the Friars out to their first 4-0 start in the Big East. Carter is scoring 12.9 points per game and Locke has 8.9 points per game.
Morning Reads
• Of the 29 first-year head coaches in the FBS, only seven received As for their performances this season — and Jim Mora was one of them. (ESPN)
• Tage Thompson finished off a hat trick with the winning goal in overtime as the Sabres defeated the Capitals 5-4 last night. (Associated Press)
Top photo: Aaliyah Edwards attempts a layup in a game against Texas. (Ian Bethune for The UConn Daily)
