Huskies advance to Sweet 16 for 29th straight season
STORRS — For all the injuries and adversity faced in a season head coach Geno Auriemma has likened to a Greek play, unlike any of his other 37 at the helm, the Uconn women’s basketball team is back in the same spot it usually is at this time of year.
The 2nd-seeded Huskies advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament for the 29th consecutive season with a 77-58 victory over 7th-seeded Baylor Monday night at Gampel Pavilion.
Uconn trailed 24-18 at the end of the first quarter, but outscored Baylor 59-34 the rest of the way to advance. With the victory, the Huskies (31-5) head to Seattle, where they will face 3-seed Ohio State on Saturday at Climate Pledge Arena.
“There was a period of time during that game where I thought, ‘We’re really really, really in big trouble,’ because we were having so much trouble executing the defensive game plan that we wanted,” Auriemma said. “So that whole first half was a struggle, struggle, struggle, struggle. And we came out in the second half and I don’t think there was ever a time where I didn’t think we would win the game. The change in our players and the defensive changes that we made and the intensity level that we played at, it’s probably one of the more gratifying wins that I’ve had in this building.”
In her fifth game back from a right knee injury, Azzi Fudd led the Huskies with 22 points — her most since Nov. 27, 2022.
Aaliyah Edwards added 19 points and four rebounds. Dorka Juhász (11 points, seven rebounds, three assists) and Caroline Ducharme (10 points, six rebounds, three assists. were also in double figures.
Nika Mühl dished out 10 assists, while also adding four points, four rebounds and two steals. Aubrey Griffin did a little bit of everything and finished with 12 rebounds, four points and three assists.
“I thought today everyone that played played really well,” Auriemma said. “That’s when we’re at our best … When we get the balance that we got tonight, that’s when we’re a really, really good team.”
Uconn jumped out to an early lead in its first round game against 15-seed Vermont, but faced much stiffer competition this time around. Baylor had a hot shooting hand early, making 50% of its first 10 attempts from the field, including three 3-pointers. The Bears would later go on a 8-0 run, where it hit two more triples.
The Huskies trailed 24-18 at the end of the first after leaving Bella Fontleroy wide open for another 3-pointer. Baylor shot 6 of 11 from deep in the opening frame. And it didn’t help that Uconn committed six turnovers, leading to seven points for its opponent.