Bueckers injured in UConn’s victory

TOP 25 WOMEN NO. 2 CONNECTICUT 73, NO. 24 NOTRE DAME 54

STORRS, Conn. — UConn won its rivalry game against Notre Dame but may have lost last year’s national player of the year to a knee injury in the process.

Paige Bueckers scored 22 points before going down with just seconds left in No. 2 UConn’s 73-54 victory over No. 24 Notre Dame on Sunday.

Bueckers, who is averaging a little more than 20 points per game, was dribbling up the court in the final minute of this one when she stumbled, twisting her ankle and coming down awkwardly on her left leg. She went to the floor a few seconds later and had to be carried off the court.

Coach Geno Auriemma said she injured her left knee but did not appear to twist it. He said the extent of the injury won’t be known until scans are completed today.

“The initial report is, she might have hyperextended it,” Auriemma said. “But I think the first thing that goes through your mind is the worst thing.”

Olivia Nelson-Ododa added 14 points and 13 rebounds for the Huskies ( 5-1), who dominated underneath, outrebounding Notre Dame 4532 and outscored the Fighting Irish 28-16 in the paint.

UConn freshman Caroline Ducharme scored a season- best 14 points and Aaliyah Edwards chipped in with 10. Christyn Williams (Central Arkansas Christian) scored four points and handed out six assists.

Freshman Sonia Citron, coming off a 29-point game against Michigan State, scored 19 points for Notre Dame (72), which had its final lead at 10-9 in the first quarter.

The Huskies led by 10 points at halftime and by 12 early in the second half. But Notre Dame used a 6-2 run to cut the lead to 51-44 headed into the fourth quarter.

The Huskies took over from there. A three-pointer from Bueckers made it 56-44 and UConn scored the first 13 points of the final quarter to put the game away.

“We played competitively for three quarters,” Notre Dame Coach Niele Ivey said. “And in the fourth quarter they ran away with it. I think it’s a credit to UConn. They are a really great team. Unfortunately, we got outrebounded and I thought that was the difference.”

In other Top 25 women’s games on Sunday, Jada Boyd scored 17 points and No. 2 North Carolina State (8-1) beat Elon 78-46 for its eighth consecutive win. … Angel Reese scored 18 points to lead No. 8 Maryland (7-2, 1-0 Big Ten) over Rutgers 74-59. … Caitlin Clark had 24 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds, and McKenna Warnock had 21 points as No. 9 Iowa (5-1, 1-0 Big Ten) beat Michigan State 88-61 for Coach Lisa Bluder’s 800th career victory. … Hailey Van Lith scored 16 points and No. 10 Louisville (7-1) beat Belmont 80-66. … Sara Puckett scored 15 points off the bench and led a decisive scoring run in the fourth quarter as No. 11 Tennessee (8-0) beat Virginia Tech 64-58. … Emily Kiser scored a season-high 19 points and Naz Hillmon added 18 points and five assists as No. 12 Michigan (8-1) steamrolled Akron 93-54. … Aubrey Joens had career highs of 24 points and 14 rebounds and older sister Ashley Joens had 16 points and 12 rebounds as No. 14 Iowa State (8-1) beat Longwood 9456. … Aliyah Matharu scored 26 points, draining five three-pointers and leading No. 15 Texas (6-1) past No. 17 Texas A&M (8-1) 76-60 in an all-Lone Star version of the Big 12/SEC Challenge. … Taylor Mikesell and Braxtin Miller scored 16 points each and No. 18 Ohio State (6-1) dominated the fourth quarter to beat Purdue 70-53. … Nerea Hermosa scored 14 points, including the winning free throws with 8.8 seconds left, and Georgia Tech (6-2) upended No. 20 Georgia (7-1) 55-54. … Morgan Jones scored 16 points with eight rebounds as No. 26 Florida State (6-2) thumped Charleston Southern 83-32.

MEN’S TOP 25

In a men’s Top 25 game Sunday, Bennedict Mathurin scored 29 points and No. 11 Arizona beat Oregon State 90-65. Christian Koloko added 12 points for the Wildcats (7-0, 1-0 Pac-12). Jerod Lucas scored 17 points to lead the Beavers (1-8, 0-2), who haven’t won since their opener against Portland State. Arizona fell behind 13-7 early, responded with a 16-0 run and steadily pulled away, never relinquishing the lead.