UConn women's hoops crushes Utah in Showcase finale matchup
The No. 1 UConn women’s basketball team (6-0) hands the Utah Utes (3-3) a 52-point deficit in their 93-41 victory at the Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase on Sunday.
In today’s meeting, four Huskies accumulated double-digit scores, with Azzi Fudd taking charge. In back-to-back games, the senior was awarded MVP for her spectacular weekend performance.
The leader finished the day with 24 points, a career-high eight rebounds and two assists. Fudd went three-for-three from the three-point line and dropped five of seven (71.4%) shots from within the paint.
“Today was one of the most aggressive halves I’ve seen [from Fudd],” said Head Coach Geno Auriemma.
When it comes to the off-the-bench performance, Blanca Quiñonez bounced back after an intense over-the-weekend film session and did not disappoint.
Within about 18 minutes, the freshman recorded 21 points, the second most amongst the squad, snagged two boards and dished out an assist. The Ecuadorian native attacked the glass well, making five of seven (71.4%) shots and draining three of five attempts (60%) from deep.
“I thought Blanca was better with her attempts and putting herself in the mix,” said Auriemma. “I had a really intense film session with her and she responded like I thought she would.”
“I thought today we got great contributions from our bench,” said Auriemma. “Not so much that makes you feel like we’re right where we need to be.”
This comment comes after Connecticut only produced five points against the No. 6 Michigan Wolverines on Friday. After today’s win, one notable achievement is that Fudd and Sarah Strong saw the court for less than 30 minutes, which is something Auriemma has been harping on a lot.
In the end, the difference maker came from miscued plays by the Utes that gave UConn the chance to capture free points. In total, the program exploited 24 turnovers for 39 points.
Within five minutes of the opening quarter, the Huskies already notched a comfortable 14-point lead. Strong paved the way, with 9 of the team’s 19 points and was perfect from all ranges. The sophomore went two-for-two from within the arc, buried a shot from deep and splashed a pair of free throws.
Quiñonez, who subbed into the match at nearly the halfway mark of the first quarter, trailed Strong with a quick six points.
After a timeout by Utah, Fudd joined the party as she racked up 9 points of her own. The senior almost went perfect from the field, shooting three of four (75%) attempts and knocking down her lone three-pointer.
By the end of the opening quarter, Connecticut had only conceded eight points.
Heading into the second quarter, Serah Williams and Allie Ziebell combined for three points within the first 45 seconds. Since then, the 2024-2025 NCAA Champions experienced a five-minute field goal drought. With three minutes before halftime, Ashlynn Shade nailed a jumper, ending the team’s streak.
In the first half, turnovers played a key role, as UConn exploited 13 botched plays and turned them into 18 points. The squad went into halftime owning five blocks and seven steals. Compared to the Utes, they collectively forced seven turnovers, resulting in just two points.
Coming out of halftime, the Huskies controlled the court offensively. In what looked like a sloppy start, the team pieced everything together and went on a two-and-a-half 18-0 run. In total, UConn clinched a 24-2 run.
Once again, Fudd enhanced Connecticut’s lead by going perfect from all ranges and making two shots apiece from within the paint and from downtown. Coming off the bench for the second time, Quiñonez dominated as she added another 10 points.
Going into the final quarter, Ziebell helped maintain the Huskies’ lead as she registered eight points and a rebound. From within the arc, the guard converted a shot and knocked down two tries from long range.
Next up, UConn will travel to take on Big East rival Xavier on Sunday, Nov. 30, with tipoff scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
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