STORRS, CT (WFSB) – The UConn women’s basketball moved on in the NCAA Tournament Monday evening by defeating No. 10 seed South Dakota State 91-57.
The team put on a dominant performance in front of the home crowd. Star Paige Bueckers was a force, putting up 34 points on 14/21 shooting.
Azzi Fudd also contributed, putting up 17 points on 50% shooting from the floor. Sarah Strong filled up the stat sheet with 15 points, seven rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks.
The Huskies didn’t have the greatest start, only leading the Jackrabbits by five to end the first quarter.
However, they would start to find their rhythm in the second, eventually leading to a 43-28 lead at halftime.
The true explosion of offense came in the third quarter, where UConn outscored South Dakota State 29-8.
Their defense truly shined, as they forced the Jackrabbits into 25 turnovers. The Huskies on the other hand were efficient and disciplined, shooting 57.6% from the field as a team and only committing seven turnovers.
Despite the lopsided win, UConn got outrebounded 33-28 and South Dakota State shot 40.9% from the three point line.
This was a fitting performance for Bueckers, as it served as her last game at Gampel Pavilion. She is expected to be a top draft pick in this year’s WNBA draft.
They now move on to the Sweet Sixteen, where they will face No. 3 seed Oklahoma in Spokane, Washington.
Stay with Channel 3 for continuing coverage.
Copyright 2025 WFSB. All rights reserved.
