University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
18-4,10-0Big East
Villanova
13-8,6-4Big East
No. 11 UConn gets hot, pulls away from Villanova 81-60
1/31/2024 9:40:00 PM | Women's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Aaliyah Edwards scored 22 points, Paige Bueckers added 21 and No. 11 UConn used a red-hot second half to race past Villanova 81-60 on Wednesday night.
The Huskies made 20 of 28 shots in the second half (71%) and held the Wildcats to 10 of 30 to turn a one-point halftime lead into a 21-point blowout. They had a 16-14 edge in points in the paint at the break and finished with a 44-22 advantage.
KK Arnold added 13 points for UConn (18-4, 10-0 Big East Conference), which rebounded from a 15-point home loss to No. 15 Notre Dame. Nika Muhl had 12 points and 10 assists.
Lucy Olsen had 15 points to lead Villanova (13-8, 6-4). Zanai Jones added 14 and Maddie Webber 11.
Edwards made two free throws with nine seconds left in the second quarter for a 37-36 halftime lead. She had 10 points in the first half and Bueckers 11 for the Huskies, who shot 50%. Jones had 12 and Webber 11 for the Wildcats, who shot 41%.
Olsen converted a three-point play to open the second half to put the Wildcats on top and Jones hit a jumper that made it 43-42 for the Wildcats. Then the Huskies reeled off 10 straight points to take the lead for good and Muhl's 3-pointer in the last minute made made it 59-49.
Dalce's three-point play had Villanova within 61-52 but they couldn't stop the hot Huskies. UConn had a string of 10 straight makes through its first shot of the fourth quarter and then added another string of seven later in the period.
