Key thoughts on UConn women's basketball win over Xavier
The No. 1 UConn women’s basketball team defeated the Xavier Musketeers 104-39 with everyone pitching in for the win.
With a 65-point deficit, this is the largest lead Connecticut took in the 2025-2026 season. In the team’s crushing victory, every member saw at least one minute of court time, with 12 of 13 Huskies scoring at least a point.
Collectively, the squad looked stellar from all ranges, draining 17 of 36 (47.2%) field goals and sinking 18 of 36 (50%) tries from beyond the arc. With 18 made threes, this is not only a season-high completion percentage but also ties the program record for the third time.
In total, six players ended the night in double-digit figures, with Allie Ziebell taking charge. In the third quarter, it seemed as if the sophomore could not miss from deep.
In the third quarter, Ziebell racked up five three-pointers that nearly surpassed her career-high of 17 points, which she set last year versus Xavier. In the span of 45 seconds, the guard banked three consecutive downtown shots, allowing UConn to go on a 19-5 run.
Up next, Connecticut will stay on the road to face the South Florida Bulls on Tuesday, Dec. 2, on ESPN2 at 5 p.m.
For now, here are key takeaways from UConn’s dominating Big East Conference opening victory.
Ashlynn Shade Production:
In what seemed like an overdue performance, Shade dropped 14 points, two rebounds and two assists. The junior tied with Sarah Strong for the second-most points for the Huskies.
The guard thrived from the three-point line, converting four of seven shots from long range but misfiring all four attempts from the paint.
The Indiana native flourished in the second quarter, helping UConn maintain a 49-25 lead by halftime. Similar to Ziebell, missing the net was not something Shade was familiar with. Within about three minutes, the reigning sixth-women of the year cashed in four consecutive threes.
Off-The-Bench Production:
Connecticut’s off-the-bench performance has fluctuated throughout the past week after only contributing five points versus the No. 6 Michigan Wolverines last weekend.
In today’s meeting, the bench bounced back, putting up 45 points, which is a season-high for UConn. Outside of Ziebell, Kayleigh Heckel produced 10 points, seven boards, an assist and a steal.
Within 21 minutes, the first-year Husky registered two of five (40%) shots from the field and splashed two of three (66.7%) shots from downtown.
Other than Caroline Ducharme, everyone sniped points, including Gandy Malou-Mamel, who found her first colligate points.
Defense:
The Huskies controlled both ends of the court, giving them the chance to obtain a bigger deficit.
In total, Connecticut exploited 31 turnovers by the Musketeers and converted them into 42 points. Offensively, the squad scored 17 second-chance points on 17 offensive rebounds.
By the end of the match, UConn had only blocked three of Xavier’s buckets but stole 20 balls.
First Quarter Struggles:
To start the game, UConn looked a little shaky, missing its first five shots of the match. This lasted two and a half minutes before Sarah Strong ended the drought and scored a wide-open fast-break layup.
When it comes to turnovers, Xavier forced five that could have turned south quickly if it were not for Connecticut’s defense. By the end of the first quarter, the Musketeers capitalized on just two points from the five botched plays.
Despite the early issues, the team locked in and knocked down their next five of seven (71.4%) attempts. This allowed them to capture a 22-9 lead.
Injured Players:
Ice Brady and Morgan Cheli did not play today.
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