For 20 minutes, Illinois played defending champion UConn better — and closer — than any of Huskies’ previous three NCAA Tournament opponents. The Illini trotted into the locker room trailing just 28-23. Then, it happened — UConn scored the first 25 points of the second half over a 7 minute, 41-second span, part of a 30-0 run that cratered the Illini’s hopes reaching their first Final Four since 2005.
UConn freshmen guards Ashlynn Shade and KK Arnold haven't received the accolades given to some of their peers across the country, but the pair have had a big impact for their injury-riddled team in this year's NCAA Tournament. Shade, a sharpshooter from Indiana, has put up 45 points for the No. 3 seeded Huskies in their first two tournament games, while Arnold, a playmaker and lockdown defender from Wisconsin, hit the key 3-pointer that propelled Connecticut to its 72-64 win over Syracuse on Monday night. Instead, injuries that have sidelined six Huskies, including starting guards Azzi Fudd and Caroline Ducharme, have forced Arnold and Shade into the lineup.
UConn coach Geno Auriemma says his team will go as far in the NCAA Tournament as Paige Bueckers will take them. It will also help if the Huskies freshmen continue playing the way they did Monday. Bueckers tied her season high with 32 points, freshman Ashlynn Shade added 19 and No. 3 seed UConn held off Syracuse 72-64 to earn a 30th straight trip to the Sweet 16.
NEW YORK (AP) — UConn again, no contest. Donovan Clingan, Tristen Newton and the top-seeded Huskies overwhelmed an undermanned Northwestern team 75-58 on Sunday night to sail into the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Newton had 20 points and 10 assists, and Clingan finished with 14 points, 14 rebounds and eight blocks. Connecticut led […]
UConn coach Geno Auriemma has had years when he was very confident his team would be making a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. The Huskies (29-5), the No. 3 seed in the Portland 3 regional, come into Saturday's game with No. 14 seeded Jackson State (26-6) with a very short bench. The loss of little-used reserve Amari DeBerry to a concussion just before the postseason was the sixth season-ending injury for Connecticut, which leaves the Huskies with eight players, only six of whom play significant
UConn has likely wrapped up a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, regardless of what happens in the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden next week. It will be the Huskies’ sixth time as a No. 1 seed.
Injury-decimated UConn needed Paige Bueckers even more than usual on Sunday. The Big East Player of the year came through, scoring 27 points and grabbing 12 rebounds to lead the No. 9 Huskies to a 58-29 win over Marquette in the Big East Tournament semifinals. Bueckers ended the third quarter with a long buzzer-beating 3-pointer.