UConn opens March Madness run with 95-52 rout of Vermont

STORRS, Conn. (AP) — UConn coach Geno Auriemma was a bit involved about how this group of Huskies may reply to the stress of the NCAA Event.

He needn’t have fearful.

Few groups can match the power and athleticism of Connecticut’s entrance court docket and Vermont was not a type of groups.

Aaliyah Edwards scored a career-high 28 factors, Dorka Juhasz added a double-double and the second-seeded Huskies routed the fifteenth seeded Catamounts 95-52 on Saturday, giving Connecticut a twenty ninth straight win within the event’s opening spherical.

“From the bounce ball I knew personally, individually that I’d be capable of dominate inside,” Edwards mentioned. “And I feel Dorka held her personal too and I feel we simply flowed collectively as a staff.”

Juhasz scored 15 factors and pulled down 10 rebounds, the Hungarian’s thirteenth double-double this season for the sixth-ranked Huskies.

Caroline Ducharme added 12 factors, serving to Connecticut (30-5) to its twenty sixth 30-win season throughout Geno Auriemma’s 38 years as coach.

Catherine Gilwee scored 14 factors, whereas Emma Utterback and Maria Myklebust every had 13 for Vermont (25-7), which had its 17-game successful streak snapped.

UConn will play No. 7 seed Baylor on Monday. The Bears got here again from an 18-point first quarter deficit to beat Alabama 78-74 on Saturday evening.

This was the fourth straight recreation the Huskies have had 10 obtainable gamers, after spending a lot of the season with simply seven.

“Having among the wing gamers that we now have now, when the protection runs again they must run broad,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma mentioned. “Once we didn’t have them, the protection simply ran again into the lane. ”

Azzi Fudd (5 factors), who missed 22 video games, together with the ultimate 14 of the common season with knee accidents, made her first begin since Dec. 4 and scored the primary basket on a brief jumper from the lane. That began a 7-0 run and the Huskies by no means trailed.

Edwards had 12 of her factors within the first 10 minutes because the Huskies led 27-12 after 1 / 4.

UConn took its first 20-point lead at 32-12 and a fast-break layup from Aubrey Griffin made it 48-18. The Huskies shot 67% over the primary 20 minutes (62% for the sport) and it was 53-20 at halftime.

The Huskies prolonged that to as many as 46 within the second half.

BIG PICTURE

Vermont: The Catamounts final misplaced on Jan. 1 to UMBC. Vermont’s protection had been holding opponents to a mean of 52.8 factors per recreation. UConn had 53 on the half.

“Seventeen video games in a row to get right here is fairly arduous to do,” Vermont coach Alisa Kresge mentioned. “There’s some actually good issues that we are able to take from this recreation and stuff that we’re going to construct off to construct our program.”

UConn: That is UConn’s thirty fourth straight look within the NCAA Event, the place they’re now an virtually incomprehensible 131-22. The Huskies enhance to 22-4 as a No. 2 seed.

KEY STATS

The Huskies outscored Vermont 54-10 within the paint, outrebounded the Catamounts 43-19 and had 27 assists on 39 subject targets. Nika Muhl had 10 of these.

INJURIES

UConn’s Lou Lopez Senechal (9 factors) left the sport with a leg harm within the third quarter. She jogged off the court docket, however didn’t return to the sport. Griffin, who has been affected by again spasms, performed simply 6 1/2 minutes. Auriemma mentioned each sat as a precaution and will have returned.

UP NEXT.

Vermont: With a younger staff, coach Alisa Kresge is hoping for extra success subsequent season, although she is conscious that with the portal, a few of her gamers could also be given alternatives at bigger faculties.

“If you make it to the massive dance clearly you’re within the highlight,” she mentioned. “On the finish of the day we’re going to remain true to who we’re and we maintain folks and we give the whole lot to them. In the event that they determine that they want one thing else, I’ll be their largest supporter.”

UConn: The Huskies haven’t misplaced within the second spherical of the NCAA Event since 1992 and might be seeking to make a twenty ninth look within the Candy 16. They beat Baylor 69-67 within the 2021 Regional Finals.

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