NEW YORK – Paige Bueckers made a significant return to the court, contributing 12 points to help the No. 6 UConn women’s basketball team secure a 71-45 victory against St. John’s on Wednesday evening. This win marked UConn’s sixth consecutive triumph.
After missing previous games against Xavier and Georgetown due to a left knee sprain, Bueckers showcased her skills, shooting 4 of 7 from the field in just 23 minutes of play. In addition to her scoring, she recorded five rebounds and two steals, inching closer to becoming UConn’s twelfth player to reach 2,000 career points.
Leading the Huskies in scoring was Azzi Fudd, who netted 13 points, with Ashlynn Shade contributing 10 points to the effort. UConn maintained control throughout the game and never fell behind their opponents.
For St. John’s, Ber’Nyah Mayo was the top scorer with 10 points. The Huskies headed into halftime with a 15-point advantage, although St. John’s managed to narrow the gap to 11 shortly into the third quarter. However, Bueckers hit three mid-range shots, fueling a 12-2 scoring run that widened the lead to 48-26 as they entered the final quarter with a 23-point cushion.
Key insights from the match revealed that UConn improved their ball security in the second half, reducing their turnovers. After committing eight turnovers in the first half, they concluded with a total of 13. Conversely, St. John’s, despite entering the game with a strong defensive ranking in the Big East, struggled against UConn’s efficiency, allowing a 56.9% shooting rate and 15 successful layups out of 20 attempts.
A pivotal moment in the game occurred when UConn started strong, scoring the first six points and outpacing St. John’s to finish the first quarter with a commanding 25-10 lead, courtesy of Shade’s last-second three-pointer.
In terms of defense, UConn excelled by limiting St. John’s to only 5 for 24 from beyond the arc, especially noteworthy given they had allowed a season-high 10 three-pointers in their last game.
Looking ahead, UConn will host Seton Hall on Sunday, while St. John’s prepares to face Villanova at home on Saturday.
