Bueckers scores 30 in UConn’s romp

NO. 3 CONNECTICUT 87, MARQUETTE 58

MILWAUKEE — Freshman Paige Bueckers scored 30 points to lead No. 3 UConn to an 87-58 win on Friday night over Marquette in a battle for first place in the Big East.

Bueckers, who was coming off a season-high 32 points in a win Wednesday over St. John’s, has scored at least 20 points in her last four games.

“She’s being Paige,” UConn Coach Geno Auriemma said. “She’s being about as good a player as there is in the country right now.”

Christyn Williams (Central Arkansas Christian) added 18 points for the Huskies (13-1, 11-0 Big East), who tuned up for Monday’s showdown with No. 2 South Carolina by shooting better than 57% from the floor.

Lauren Van Kleunen had 13 of her 18 points in the first half to lead Marquette (13-2, 9-2), which lost for the first time in seven games. Camryn Taylor added 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Selena Lott, who came into the game averaging 16.1 points per game, was held to just four points and seven shots.

Williams, who missed the Huskies’ last game with ankle injury, had eight first-quarter points and the Huskies jumped out to a 21-14 lead after 10 minutes.

UConn used a 14-2 second-quarter run to take control of the game. A reverse layup by Bueckers, high off the glass, and a spinning layup from Edwards pushed the lead to 37-20.

The Huskies made 62% of their shots in the first half and Bueckers’ pull-up jumper sent the Huskies into the locker room with a 41-22 lead.

Bueckers’ three-pointer from the right wing gave the Huskies their first 20-point lead at 46-24, and UConn cruised from there.

“They had too many points in the paint,” Marquette Coach Megan Duffy said. “So we kind of made the decision to, ‘OK can we pack the paint a little bit more, kind of dare them to shoot a few more threes. And they hit six threes in that third quarter. So, it was pick your poison a little bit.”

WASHINGTON STATE 67, NO. 5 UCLA 63

PULLMAN, Wash. — Charlisse Leger-Walker hit a go-ahead three-pointer with 42 seconds left and finished with 28 points, leading Washington State over No. 5 UCLA.

The Cougars beat a team ranked in the top five for the first time in program history.

Leger-Walker’s shot put Washington State ahead 64-63. The freshman sensation made three late free throws and scored the Cougars’ final nine points.

Her sister, Krystal Leger-Walker, added 10 points for the Cougars (9-6, 7-5 Pac12), who are enjoying their best season in years. Last month, they lost to UCLA 68-66 in overtime.

Charisma Osborne had 21 points for UCLA (10-3, 8-3), which had won five in a row. Michaela Onyenwere added 16 points for the Bruins, who missed two shots in the closing seconds.

NO. 6 STANFORD 62, COLORADO 54

STANFORD, Calif. — Fifth-year senior Anna Wilson had 11 points and four steals with her Seattle Seahawks quarterback big brother Russell Wilson’s cardboard cutout watching, and the sixth-ranked Cardinal returned home for the first time in more than two months to hold off Colorado.

Kiana Williams added 16 points and converted two key free throws with 1:18 remaining as the Cardinal withstood a late Colorado rally while playing their first game on campus at Maples Pavilion since the Nov. 25 season opener against Cal Poly. Restrictions on sporting events and practices forced by an emergency directive from Santa Clara County that came down Nov. 28 forced Stanford to be nomads and live out of hotels until this week.

Stanford (16-2, 13-2 Pac-12) avenged a 77-72 overtime loss on Jan. 17 in Boulder, the team’s first defeat when it was ranked No. 1.

Buffaloes senior Mya Hollingshed fouled out with 2:22 to play after scoring 16 points for cold-shooting Colorado (6-9, 4-8), which shot 36% and lost its third consecutive game since stunning Stanford.

NO. 23 SOUTH DAKOTA ST. 64, SOUTH DAKOTA 45

BROOKINGS, S.D. — Myah Selland had 17 points, 5 rebounds and 9 assists, Tylee Irwin added 12 points and 7 rebounds, and No. 23 South Dakota State beat South Dakota for its 11th consecutive victory.

South Dakota State snapped a threegame losing streak in the series. Last season, the Coyotes swept the regular-season series and claimed the Summit League tournament crown — marking the first time one of the teams had done so since 2013.

Sydney Stapleton scored 11 points for South Dakota State (14-2, 7-0 Summit League).