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.

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.”

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. 

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.

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.

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.

“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.”

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.

“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.”

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.

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.

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