Bueckers Pushes UConn Past Villanova

The Story: Paige Bueckers scored 31 points, one shy of a season high, and Aaliyah Edwards had 14 points and 11 rebounds as the No. 10 UConn women held off feisty Villanova and won 67-46 last night at Gampel Pavilion.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Bueckers, who surpassed 30 points for the second consecutive game and fourth time this season, did most of her damage when she was needed late. She scored 10 points in the fourth quarter while playing with four fouls and keyed the Huskies’ closing run.

• Although UConn (25-5, 17-0 Big East) had its lead dwindle to seven points with 7:46 remaining, it closed the game on a 16-2 run as Villanova (17-11, 10-7 Big East) shot just 1-for-11 over that span.

• Edwards was consistently challenged defensively by Villanova, especially in the paint, but still managed to record a double-double for the 10th time in her last 13 games. In fact, she almost had one in the first half alone, but fell one rebound shy.

• It was a relatively quiet night for the Huskies’ other players, with KK Arnold contributing seven points and six rebounds, Ashlynn Shade finishing with six points, Qadence Samuels scoring five points off the bench and Nika Muhl ending up with four points and six assists.

QUALITY DEFENSE: The Huskies held the Wildcats to 31 percent shooting (18-for-58) and closed them down well from distance. Villanova shot just 17.4 percent (4-for-23) from 3-point range, and it made two of them on back-to-back possessions midway through the first quarter.

• Villanova’s Lucy Olsen, the Big East’s leading scorer entering the night at 23.6 points per game, was held to just six points last night — her lowest output of the season. She went 2-for-16, including 0-for-7 in the first half, and didn’t make a shot until 2:23 remained in the third quarter.

SCARY SCENES: Two moments had us holding our breath during the game: One when Muhl collided with Olsen with 13.3 seconds left in the first quarter and was holding her left leg in pain, and another when Edwards and Villanova’s Christina Dalce collided with 3:51 remaining and Edwards was sent tumbling into the broadcast table.

• Dalce’s hip check on Edwards was reviewed but did not merit a foul, according to the officials. The no-call made Geno Auriemma, as Bueckers picked up her fourth foul midway through the third quarter on what appeared to be a routine box-out.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE: UConn had a 40-30 edge in rebounding, a 30-18 advantage in points in the paint, and 16 points off Villanova’s 17 turnovers. But the Huskies had 16 turnovers themselves.

• Kaitlyn Orihel led Villanova with 15 points, Zanai Jones had 10 points, and Olsen had a team-high six rebounds.

WHAT DID GENO SAY? “I thought the defense was absolutely terrific tonight. We made it really difficult for [Olsen] to get to her spots, get the shots that she wanted. … This, defensively, was really one of our best [games]. We’ve had some good ones. Our defense hasn’t been a problem, but I think sometimes, the other end of the floor gets pretty dicey. But this was a good one. I’m happy for them.”

SHOWING PRIDE: The Huskies celebrated Pride Night last night and commemorated the occasion by wearing navy T-shirts with a rainbow-striped logo. Assistant coach Morgan Valley spoke about what the team and university’s support of the LGBTQ+ community means to her, especially as someone who played 20 years ago when people weren’t as welcoming.

UP NEXT: UConn closes the regular season at Providence at 7 p.m. on Saturday, then gets the better part of a week to rest up for the Big East tournament at Mohegan Sun.

— Zac Boyer

Morning Reads

• Kate Shaffer scored five goals, Morgan Carter scored three goals and Susan Lafountain had two goals and three assists as the women’s lacrosse team won its first game, beating New Hampshire 17-5 on the road yesterday afternoon.

• Former UConn standout Matt Barnes, whose lone season with the Marlins was cut short a year ago because of a hip injury, said he hopes to show the Nationals “that I’m back to being who I was” after signing a minor-league contract with them earlier this week.
Top photo: UConn’s Paige Bueckers dribbles the ball against Louisville. (Courtesy of UConn athletics)