PROVIDENCE, R.I. — In an impressive display, Paige Bueckers led the No. 5 UConn team to a commanding 77-40 victory over Providence on Sunday, marking the Huskies’ 33rd consecutive win in Big East regular-season play.

Bueckers was the standout player, contributing 20 points, with an efficient shooting performance—going 6 for 12 from the field and a perfect 6 for 6 from the free-throw line. Complementing her efforts, Azzi Fudd added 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting, while Ashlynn Shade chipped in with 12 points.

Defensively, the Huskies (22-3, 13-0) put forth a strong effort, limiting the Friars (10-16, 3-10) to a mere 27% shooting rate, with Providence hitting only 13 of their 49 attempts from the field. The Friars struggled from beyond the arc, making just four of their 24 attempts.

Marta Morales was the leading scorer for Providence, finishing with 15 points to her name.

This victory serves as a significant boost for UConn following their narrow 80-76 defeat against No. 19 Tennessee just a few days earlier. Maintaining a perfect 13-0 record in the conference, the Huskies have showcased their dominance in the Big East by defeating opponents by an average margin of 34 points.

In an interesting venue choice, Providence played in the larger Amica Mutual Pavilion, which is typically reserved for the men’s basketball team and accommodates 7,483 fans, compared to their usual on-campus venue with a capacity of 1,854.

The pivotal moment in the game came late in the first quarter when UConn was ahead 18-9. They ended the quarter on a 10-0 run, extending their lead to 23-9. After Providence managed to score first in the second quarter, Connecticut countered with nine consecutive points to stretch their lead to 32-11. Shade was particularly impactful, netting eight of her 10 points in that period.

A notable statistic from the game was UConn’s ability to keep their turnovers to a minimum, with only nine turnovers throughout the matchup—proving to be a key aspect of their performance, marking this as the twelfth game this season with under 10 turnovers. In contrast, Providence struggled significantly, committing 25 turnovers.

Looking ahead, UConn will host St. John’s on Wednesday, while Providence is set to face Xavier, also on the same day.