The University of Connecticut (UConn) women’s basketball team, ranked as a second seed, swiftly extinguished any hopes of an upset by the 15th-seeded Arkansas State. The NCAA Tournament first-round game saw a decisive performance from UConn after the Red Wolves’ Crislyn Rose scored the game’s opening basket. UConn responded with an electrifying 22-point run, culminating in a commanding 103-34 victory on Saturday.
Leading the charge for the Huskies was Azzi Fudd, who netted 21 of her 27 points in the first half, driving UConn to a staggering 66-16 lead by halftime. This triumph marks the 31st consecutive tournament opener UConn has won. Fudd’s contributions weren’t limited to scoring; she also recorded six steals and seven assists in just 22 minutes on the court. Joining her in the scoring spree was Sarah Strong, who delivered an impressive 20 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and added five assists alongside five blocks in her debut March Madness appearance. Ashlynn Shade also made her mark with 20 points off the bench.
“Coach (Geno Auriemma) motivated me to take more risks,” Fudd commented. “I focused on intercepting passes, and it paid off. It was about being aggressive and anticipating the play,” she explained.
From the Arkansas State lineup, Crislyn Rose was the top performer with seven points. However, the team struggled overall, shooting only 17.1% from the field and hitting merely 6 of 40 attempts from beyond the arc.
All-American Paige Bueckers didn’t need to dominate in this game, given the strong performances from Fudd and Strong. Bueckers finished with 11 points and four assists in 22 minutes, ensuring her another appearance at Gampel Pavilion in the subsequent game on Monday.
UConn’s prowess was evident across the court, totaling 41 fast-break points and 34 points from 20 Arkansas State turnovers. Reflecting on the team’s readiness, Coach Auriemma said, “This period is unique in that you have two weeks without a game. Last Monday marked two weeks since our last encounter. Though some practices were challenging, the team was eager to channel that built-up energy and play.”
A highlight was the return of Caroline Ducharme, who was met with enthusiastic applause from the home crowd as she entered play late in the second quarter. Having missed much of the season due to a concussion, Ducharme relished her first home NCAA tournament appearance since 2023. Just seconds after joining, she scored her first basket.
Ducharme shared, “Azzi gave me the chance to score, telling me to shoot when I got the ball. I don’t often find myself pushed to take immediate shots, but my team supported me fully, acknowledging my hard work and retour.”
Another milestone was reached when Jana El Alfy’s free throw placed UConn over the 100-point mark. This achievement marked the 12th instance of reaching triple digits in their NCAA openers, demonstrating their readiness for a formidable season.
UConn is set to face South Dakota State in the next round on Monday, continuing their pursuit of a 12th national championship.