UConn loses another game as Xavier pauses activities

The UConn women’s basketball game scheduled for Jan. 13 at Xavier was postponed Wednesday.

Xavier is pa using team activities because of COVID-19 contact tracing. A makeup date will be announced later, according to UConn.

The announcement comes a day after UConn’s Thursday night game at Baylor was canceled due to coach Kim Mulkey’s positive COVID-19 test

UConn hasn’t played since a 75-52 victory over then-No. 18 DePaul on Dec. 29. As it stands now, the Huskies have only three games over the next two weeks, all at Gampel Pavilion: Providence (Saturday), Villanova ( Jan. 16), Butler ( Jan. 19).

The Huskies could potentially schedule another nonconference opponent or rearrange its Big East schedule to fill in some of the gaps.

There are currently five Big East programs on pause: Xavier, Marquette, St. John’s, Creighton, and Georgetown.

UConn (6-0) beat Xavier on Dec. 19 at home, 106-59.

HUSKIES PLACE THREE ON WOODEN WATCH LIST

Paige Bueckers, Olivia Nelson-Ododa and Christyn

Williams were among 25 players named to the midseason watch list for the John R. Wooden Award.

The Huskies’ three representatives were the most of any school. Arkansas, South Carolina and Stanford were the only other programs with multiple

players on the list.

Bueckers leads the thirdranked Huskies in scoring (18.2) and assists (5.1) and is tied for second in rebounding (6.0). The point guard was one of two freshmen on the list, joining Iowa’s Caitlin Clark.

Nelson-Ododa is UConn’s top rebounder (8.7) and shot blocker (2.0). She’s also second in scoring at 17.2 points per game. Meanwhile, Wil

liams, a fellow junior, is averaging 17.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists.

The list will be pared down to 15 players prior to the NCAA Tournament. The Wooden Award AllAmerican Team will be revealed the week of the Elite Eight round, with the winner announced in April.