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UConn women's basketball overcomes tight first half to rout Georgetown thanks to relentless defense

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UConn women's basketball overcomes tight first half to rout Georgetown thanks to relentless defense


WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 11: Paige Bueckers #5 of the UConn Huskies celebrates with teammates in the fourth quarter against the Georgetown Hoyas at Entertainment & Sports Arena on January 11, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)

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WASHINGTON D.C. — In its second game without star Paige Bueckers (out with left knee sprain), UConn women’s basketball proved it can still turn around a tight first half into a blowout victory thanks to its relentless defense.

A defense sparked by sophomore energy bunny KK Arnold, who in her new role with the Huskies is making an immeasurable impact off the bench thanks to a newfound sense of confidence.

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On Saturday, against the Hoyas, Arnold let the game come to her. She waited until the very right moment to reach in and latch herself onto a loose dribble to force a jump ball. She knew how to slowly shorten the distance between herself and a Hoya player until she was right in their face, pressing hard enough to force them to turnover the ball. And offense, she crashed into the paint, she perfectly timed her release to make a clutch layup.

“It’s amazing, no matter how much basketball these kids play, it’s all (about) confidence,” Geno Auriemma said. “You know, just even the finishes. Like last year, she had a hard time with those finishes. So, the confidence that she’s playing with right now is what’s way different than last year. I mean, she was confident last year, but I think she’s much, much more confident and much more sure of herself right now.”

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Led by Arnold’s spark on defense, the No. 7-ranked Huskies defeated Georgetown 73-55 Saturday afternoon at the Entertainment & Sports Arena, home of the WNBA’s Washington Mystics, to advance to 6-0 in Big East play and 15-2 overall. The win concluded the teams’ regular season series after UConn previously beat the Hoyas in Hartford in December. 

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 11: Kaitlyn Chen #20, Jana El Alfy #8 and Azzi Fudd #35 of the UConn Huskies celebrate in the third quarter against the Georgetown Hoyas at Entertainment & Sports Arena on January 11, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 11: Kaitlyn Chen #20, Jana El Alfy #8 and Azzi Fudd #35 of the UConn Huskies celebrate in the third quarter against the Georgetown Hoyas at Entertainment & Sports Arena on January 11, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)

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UConn’s first game without Bueckers (who is expected back next week) last week wasn’t very competitive. The Huskies led Xavier, the last-place team in the Big East, the majority of the way on Wednesday, including by as much as 56 in the final minutes. The Musketeers were outmatched in every category even when Auriemma emptied his bench prior to halftime.

But Saturday was a different story.

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Despite only having nine available players with Ice Brady out sick, the Huskies allowed the Hoyas to punch first. And unlike the Musketeers, Georgetown (8-8, 1-4) never took its foot off the gas.

UConn’s defense couldn’t handle the hot start and allowed Georgetown to take advantage on the perimeter. The Hoyas went 4-of-6 on 3’s five-and-a-half minutes in. Georgetown freshman guard Khadee Hession couldn’t miss and ended the first half 4-of-5 from deep with a then-game high of 14 points.

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Arnold (seven points, five rebounds, four assists and one steal) checked in at the first timeout and immediately ramped up the Huskies’ intensity.

She got in the face of her defensive assignments and stuck on them like glue, always flustering them by waving her arms up and down and never planting her feet flat on the floor. So much of her defensive impact goes unnoticed on the box score.

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“Coming in this year, you could tell she was more confident,” Azzi Fudd said of Arnold. “She understood what Coach wanted her to do, what she needed to do on this team. And I think it’s shown really well right now. Like, she’s bringing the intensity, the energy off the bench that we need defensively, most importantly. But then the defense turns to offense. You get transition buckets, you get easy looks. And I think just having that spark off the bench is so powerful.”

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 11: Sarah Strong #21 of the UConn Huskies drives to the basket in the second quarter against Kaliyah Myricks #25 of the Georgetown Hoyas at Entertainment & Sports Arena on January 11, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 11: Sarah Strong #21 of the UConn Huskies drives to the basket in the second quarter against Kaliyah Myricks #25 of the Georgetown Hoyas at Entertainment & Sports Arena on January 11, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)

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Arnold’s aggressiveness helped the Huskies not only slow down the Hoyas but also find their offensive rhythm. UConn ended the first quarter on a 9-2 run and forced Georgetown into three straight defensive stops to end the frame. The Huskies ended the first half ahead by five after shooting 59 percent from the floor, while keeping the Hoyas to 39 percent.

Yet, the Hoyas didn’t go down easily. Saturday’s first half featured five ties and eight lead changes until UConn pulled away in the third quarter.

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“We talked a lot about when you come in and you play somebody a second time (and) you’re on the road, you can’t go in expecting for them to just go, ‘Well, you know, just beat us.’ So, you’re gonna have to grind it out,” Auriemma said. “… You have to be able to withstand whatever’s happening in that game and figure out a way to win the game that day the way it’s being played.”

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 11: Kaitlyn Chen #20 of the UConn Huskies shoots the ball in the second quarter against Kelsey Ransom #1 of the Georgetown Hoyas at Entertainment & Sports Arena on January 11, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 11: Kaitlyn Chen #20 of the UConn Huskies shoots the ball in the second quarter against Kelsey Ransom #1 of the Georgetown Hoyas at Entertainment & Sports Arena on January 11, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)

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The Huskies double-teamed Hoya star Kelsey Ransom on the inbound pass on Georgetown’s second possession of the second half to force a turnover. Two plays later, Sarah Strong picked off a Hoyas’ dribble and laid it in on the other end.

UConn’s defense took over the game and shut down the Hoyas, forcing them to give up 14 points off 10 turnovers.

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Jana El Alfy stepped up under the basket and recorded a season-high four blocks. Even 5-foot-10 sophomore guard Ashlynn Shade got in on the action, swatting away Ransom’s layup with 7:18 to go.

Fudd, playing in her first homecoming game as a Husky, led UConn’s offense with a season-high five 3-pointers and 21 points. Strong followed with 16 points, nine rebounds, six assists and three steals with Shade finishing with 12 points, seven rebounds and two blocks.

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The Huskies next play Wednesday, Jan. 15, at St. John’s in Queens, New York.

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Bruno Mars tour 2026 coming to DC region

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Bruno Mars tour 2026 coming to DC region


Bruno Mars is bringing The Romantic Tour to the Washington, D.C. region this spring!

The Grammy-winning star will stop at Northwest Stadium on Saturday, May 2, 2026.

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The stadium’s website lets fans sign up for presale access now. Tickets go on sale Thursday, January 15 at 12 p.m.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 02: Bruno Mars performs onstage during the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 02, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

Bruno Mars – The Romantic Tour 2026 DatesApril – October 2026

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Apr 10, 2026 – Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV

Apr 14, 2026 – State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ

Apr 18, 2026 – Globe Life Field, Arlington, TX

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Apr 22, 2026 – NRG Stadium, Houston, TX

Apr 25, 2026 – Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field, Atlanta, GA

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Apr 29, 2026 – Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC

May 02, 2026 – Northwest Stadium, Landover, MD

May 06, 2026 – Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN

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May 09, 2026 – Ford Field, Detroit, MI

May 13, 2026 – U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN

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May 16, 2026 – Soldier Field Stadium, Chicago, IL

May 20, 2026 – Ohio Stadium, Columbus, OH

May 23, 2026 – Rogers Stadium, Toronto, ON

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May 24, 2026 – Rogers Stadium, Toronto, ON

Jun 20, 2026 – Stade de France, Paris, FR

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Jun 21, 2026 – Stade de France, Paris, FR

Jun 26, 2026 – Olympiastadion, Berlin, DE

Jul 04, 2026 – Johan Cruijff ArenA, Amsterdam, NL

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Jul 05, 2026 – Johan Cruijff ArenA, Amsterdam, NL

Jul 10, 2026 – Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Madrid, ES

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Jul 14, 2026 – Stadio San Siro, Milan, IT

Jul 18, 2026 – Wembley Stadium Connected by EE, London, UK

Jul 19, 2026 – Wembley Stadium Connected by EE, London, UK

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Aug 21, 2026 – Metlife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

Aug 22, 2026 – Metlife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

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Aug 29, 2026 – Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA

Sep 01, 2026 – Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA

Sep 05, 2026 – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA

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Sep 09, 2026 – Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN

Sep 12, 2026 – Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL

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Sep 16, 2026 – Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA

Sep 19, 2026 – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, FL

Sep 23, 2026 – Alamodome, San Antonio, TX

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Sep 26, 2026 – Falcon Stadium, United States Air Force Academy, CO

Oct 02, 2026 – SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, CA

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Oct 03, 2026 – SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, CA

Oct 10, 2026 – Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA

Oct 14, 2026 – BC Place, Vancouver, BC

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More information on the tour can be found online.

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‘Completely avoidable’: DC’s mayor reacts to ICE killing in Minneapolis

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‘Completely avoidable’: DC’s mayor reacts to ICE killing in Minneapolis


D.C.’s mayor and interim police chief took questions on immigration enforcement after an ICE agent shot and killed an unarmed woman in Minneapolis.

“If we don’t want ICE in our communities, we have to stop funding ICE – and that decision isn’t made here; it’s made at the Congress,” Mayor Muriel Bowser said.

The mayor was asked about her reaction to the killing.

“To me, it just is reflected, when you have people who are unaccustomed to urban policing trying to police in an urban environment. What it looked to me like – very bad, and I’m not a police officer, I’m not in law enforcement – but what I saw was completely avoidable, and a woman died,” she said.

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“ICE is patrolling American cities. If we don’t want that, the Congress has to stop funding ICE, because thousands of agents who are untrained to police in urban environments are on our streets,” Bowser added.

In two recent incidents in D.C., federal agents opened fire on drivers who the agents claimed were trying to hit them with their vehicles. In those cases, no one was injured.

Interim Chief of Police Jeffery Carroll was asked about public concerns that might happen here again.

“A lot of these individuals, they don’t work in urban policing. So, us working with federal authorities in the policing operations, being out there, actually helps us make sure that we can work in those areas to help control what’s going on,” he said.

“Obviously, I can’t assure you of anything. Obviously, I can assure you every situation is different, right, that officers encounter out there,” he added. “But I think having the relationship and having the federal authorities working with the officers does help to mitigate some of the challenges that we have with that.”

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Nadeau’s report on DC cooperation with immigration enforcement

Departing D.C. Councilmember Brianne Nadeau released a scathing report Thursday that’s critical of how MPD and the Bowser administration have cooperated with federal immigration enforcement.

“The primary finding is the loss of trust between the public and MPD,” she told News4. “The challenge that we’re finding is that the mayor and the chief’s interpretation of the Sanctuary Values Act has opened up a vulnerability whereby they are essentially cooperating with ICE in a manner that does not match with the intent of the law.”

Bowser declined to comment on the report.

Carroll said he has not decided whether to make any changes to MPD policies on cooperating with immigration enforcement.

Last month, Councilmember Brooke Pinto, who oversees public safety, sent a letter to the then-chief requesting detailed answers to several questions related to MPD’s cooperation with federal law enforcement. Carroll said Thursday that he will provide a response, which is due to the council by Friday.

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In this 4 More Context, News4’s Ted Oberg explains how many people in the D.C. area have been arrested by ICE and why.



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DC weather: Dry, mild Thursday with highs in mid 50s; rainy start to weekend

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DC weather: Dry, mild Thursday with highs in mid 50s; rainy start to weekend


A dry and mild Thursday is ahead for the Washington, D.C., region, with highs in the mid‑50s before a rainy start to the weekend.

What we know:

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The morning begins on the chilly side with some patchy fog. FOX 5’s Taylor Grenda says conditions stay dry as temperatures climb into the afternoon, with clouds building by evening.

Rain showers may develop late Friday afternoon into the evening, with highs in the upper 50s.

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Steadier rain moves in Saturday morning. Temperatures rise into the 60s, but on‑and‑off rain is expected through the afternoon and evening.

Sunday turns much drier, though highs fall back into the 50s. By Monday, colder air returns with highs in the 40s.

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DC weather: Dry, mild Thursday with highs in mid 50s; rainy start to weekend

The Source: Information in this article comes from the FOX 5 Weather Team and the National Weather Service. 

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