University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
1-0,0-0Big East
Dayton
0-1,0-0Atlantic 10
Edwards leads No. 2 UConn over Dayton 102-58
11/8/2023 11:12:00 PM | Women's Basketball
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — UConn star Paige Bueckers is back on the court, but still working on getting back to her old form.
The former National Player of the Year scored eight points, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out four assists in 21 minutes Wednesday night, helping the Huskies to a 102-58 rout of Dayton.
It was Bueckers' first game since the Huskies loss to South Carolina in the 2022 national championship game, a span of 584 days. The redshirt junior missed all of last year and much of her sophomore season with two separate knee injuries.
She scored eight points in 21 minutes while on a coach-imposed minutes restriction. She also had seven rebounds, four assists and a steal.
Coach Geno Auriemma said he's been harping on her not to try to do too much, too soon.
"She wants to get it all back on each possession," he said.
Aaliyah Edwards led the Huskies with 23 points and nine rebounds, one of six UConn players in double figures. Azzi Fudd had 13 points, Aubrey Griffin added 12, Qadence Samuels scored 11 and Nika Muhl and Caroline Ducharme each added 10.
Ivy Wolf had 16 points to lead Dayton. The Flyers are coached by former UConn star Tamika Williams-Jeter, who won two national titles playing for the Huskies in 2000 and 2002.
Bueckers got her first bucket of the season on a driving layup that made it 6-3, part of an opening 16-5 run.
"This is a process coming back from a major injury — getting my legs under me, getting the rhythm and flow back of playing basketball again," she said.
A steal and layup by freshman KK Arnold gave the Huskies their first 20-point lead at 37-17. Edwards had 13 points in the first 20 minutes and the Huskies led 59-31 at halftime.
The Huskies dominated underneath, outrebounding Dayton 49-33 and outscoring the Flyers 44-20 in the paint.
The Huskies bench outscored Dayton's 38-17.
Freshmen Samuels, Arnold (eight points), Ashlynn Shade (4 points) and redshirt freshman Ice Brady (3 points) all made their college debuts for the Huskies.
