UConn hosting Providence
The No. 3-ranked UConn women's basketball team will face Providence in the teams' Big East opener Friday at Gampel Pavilion.
The Huskies have won the past two regular-season and conference tournament titles since rejoining the Big East in the 2020-21 season (UConn spent seven seasons in the American conference). Last season, UConn avenged its February loss to Villanova (its first loss to a conference opponent since 2013) by defeating the Wildcats in the tournament championship for the Huskies' 20th Big East championship.
UConn is 43-21 all-time against Providence. Last season, UConn beat the Friars in Rhode Island (69-61 on Jan. 30) and in Storrs on Senior Day (88-31 on Feb. 27). The Friars' last win over the Huskies was on March 7, 1993, winning 87-73 at home.
Friday's game will be a warmup for UConn as it faces its fourth Top-10 opponent of the last three weeks on Sunday at No. 7 Notre Dame.
The Huskies will be without starting forward Dorka Juhász on Friday. Juhász broke her thumb during UConn's game against Texas on Nov. 14 and was initially reported to only miss three games due to the injury.
However, on Sunday, UConn coach Geno Auriemma said Juhász will sit out Friday's game as she continues to recover and will also likely miss Sunday's game as well.
What to look for Friday night:
NIKA MÜHL, ASSIST MACHINE
UConn point guard Nika Mühl currently leads the country with 10.8 assists per game. In fact, she's the only player in the nation averaging double-figure assists. Mühl broke UConn's single-game assist record (previously owned by Paige Bueckers) with 15 against NC State on Nov. 20.
According to ESPN, no other UConn women's basketball player has had more than two straight games recording doublefigure assists since 1999 (Mühl has had three-straight games recording 10 or more assists). After recording 30 assists as a team against Iowa on Sunday, UConn is ranked No. 4 in the country with a team average of 21.4 assists per game.
AALIYAH’S DOUBLE-DOUBLE STANDARD
Aaliyah Edwards has recorded a doubledouble in the past three games and in four of UConn's first five games of the season. On Sunday, Edwards also recorded a career-high six assists and was named the Phil Knight Legacy tournament's MVP after averaging 18.5 points, 12.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists during the weekend.
Edwards has started the season being incredibly impactful for UConn on both ends of the court. She's shown growth in her skills and maturity knowing she has to step up while the team waits for Juhász to return.
“There's nothing that Aaliyah does that surprises me,” Auriemma said. “There's certain players on my team that I expect certain things, so for Aaliyah getting a double-double that should be the baseline for her. It should never be lower than that.”
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT PC
Friday will be the Friars' first meeting against a Top-25 opponent this season. Providence started the year by defeating both Dayton and Stonehill before falling 74-72 to Rhode Island. The Friars' other loss comes from Boston College (73-64). Providence has won three straight games (including defeating Hartford 60-30) since losing to BC. The Friars most recently played on Sunday and defeated Bryant 85-60.
Providence was picked to finish eighth in the Big East Preseason Poll after finishing in the same position last season with a 11-19 record. The Friars fell to No. 9 Georgetown 68-55 in the first round of the 2022 Big East Tournament.
Senior guard Janai Crooms was selected to the preseason All-Big East Team in October after being an All-Big East honorable mention in March. Now sophomore Kylee Sheppard was named to the conference's All-Freshman Team last year too. Providence is second in the Big East with 31.0 defensive rebounds per game (UConn is No. 5 with 28.4).
Providence lost former starting forward and Enfield native Mary Baskerville in the offseason. Baskerville has since transferred to Quinnipiac for her fifth and final year of eligibility.