UConn dominates in season opener

NO. 3 UCONN 79, UMASS-LOWELL 23

STORRS, Conn. — UConn freshman Paige Bueckers finally got a chance to show what she can do at the college level.

Bueckers had 17 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists in her UConn debut, leading the third-ranked Huskies to a 7923 victory over UMass-Lowell on Saturday.

Bueckers, last year’s national high school player of the year, also had five steals while playing shutdown defense.

“In baseball, they would call that a five-tool player,” UConn Coach Geno Auriemma said. “If you look at Paige, she’s a five-tool basketball player.”

Olivia Nelson-Ododa had 12 points and nine rebounds for UConn. Christyn Williams (Central Arkansas Christian) added 10 points and seven boards.

Denise Solis finished with 11 points for UMass-Lowell (02), which was held to to just 8 baskets on 56 shots (14%).

The Huskies shot almost 55% from the floor and dominated every statistical category. They outrebounded the River Hawks 53-29, outscored them 60-14 in the paint and 29-2 on the fast break.

Bueckers scored UConn’s first points of the season, following a missed three-pointer by Williams, with an offensive rebound and a quick drive through the lane for a layup. The Huskies opened with an 11-0 run.

They led 27-7 after a quarter, and a 19-0 second-quarter run put the game away at 46-9. Bueckers’ driving layup to end the quarter sent the Huskies (1-0) into halftime up 48-13.

She went 8 for 11 from the floor while playing 35 minutes.

“I can’t live up to anybody else’s expectations,” Bueckers said. “My expectations are pretty high. I would say it’s higher than what a lot of other people have for me.”

NORTHERN IOWA 65, NO. 21 S. DAKOTA STATE 48

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — Karli Rucker scored 18 points and Northern Iowa dominated the middle quarters to hand South Dakota State its second consecutive loss.

Trailing 13-8 after the first quarter, the Panthers opened a 28-23 lead at the half and stretched that 54-36 after three quarters.

Rucker scored 15 points in those two quarters and Northern Iowa (3-2) was 14 of 27, including 6 of 13 from three-point range, and made 12 of 14 free throws. The Jackrabbits (3-2) were 1 of 7 from three-point range and shot 34% with just two free throws and 14 turnovers.

South Dakota State played its first three games at home and beat No. 15 Iowa State and No. 18 Gonzaga. They lost their first game at Kansas State, 6253 on Thursday.