UConn Women’s Hoops holds off No. 20 Louisville in season opener
Some title defenses begin with a comfortable, fan-appeasing blowout. Others start with a competitive bout against a high-caliber opponent.
The No. 1 UConn women’s basketball team’s 12th national championship experienced both ends of that spectrum in Tuesday’s Armed Forces Classic.
It started with a march reminiscent of the United States Navy. KK Arnold and Azzi Fudd spearheaded a 14-1 start and a 25-9 first quarter, and the Huskies shot 55% from the field.
But as the shooting efficiency, especially from downtown, subsided, Connecticut felt the intensity of facing ranked competition. Once down 28, the No. 20 Louisville Cardinals rode a momentum avalanche over the game’s final 15 minutes.
Laura Ziegler’s 13 second-half points brought the Cardinals within 10 with two minutes and change in regulation. National Freshman of the Year Sarah Strong brought much-needed relief. Her layups on back-to-back possessions helped the Huskies hang on against the Cardinals 79-66 at the U.S. Naval Academy.
Even with the late scare from Louisville, head coach Geno Auriemma felt satisfied with the team’s overall outing.
“We were a typical basketball team, a little bit better than typical, but generally speaking, that’s what happens in basketball games. You have peaks and valleys,” the 12-time national champion said postgame. “For the first game out, I thought it was a tremendous success.”
Fudd, who also pointed out what the team could work on, shared a similar sentiment.
“Overall, we did some really great things,” the preseason All-American remarked. “This was a great start and a great way to start building off our season.”
Strong’s two late-game buckets put a bow on an otherwise decent day to tip off her sophomore campaign. The Big East Preseason Player of the Year finished with 21 points, nine rebounds, five assists, two blocks and two steals.
UConn’s explosive start put Arnold in the spotlight. The junior guard scored nine points on 4-4 shooting in the first quarter and had 13 at halftime. Although Arnold only attempted one shot in the second half, she became much more impactful on defense. Making her first start in 558 days, the Germantown High School alum supported her offense with seven rebounds and three takeaways.
Fudd stepped up in her place. The Ann Meyers Drysdale preseason Watch List selection attempted 14 shots, five of which came from the perimeter. She made six of them for 12 of her 20 points.
Kayleigh Heckel rounded out the Huskies’ double-digit scorers with 14 points on 6-12 shooting. Ashlynn Shade scored five second-half points and grabbed seven boards, while Serah Williams had four and eight, respectively.
Ziegler’s 16 points and 18 rebounds gave the Cardinals a taste of what they can expect from their international frontcourt. In her stellar Louisville debut, the reigning A10 Player of the Year recorded both a double-double for the game and in the second half. Imari Berry and Skylar Jones each scored seven points in the second stanza and 13 on the night.
The 24th all-time meeting between both American Conference members started the same way as last year’s game did. Fudd and Arnold scored 14 of the Huskies’ first 16 points. Both of their three-pointers, which came on consecutive possessions, resulted in a Cardinals’ timeout 2.5 minutes into the season.
Another two minutes passed before Louisville made its first field goal via a traditional three-point play. The Huskies responded with back-to-back layups, ultimately ending the first quarter up 25-9.
Connecticut’s periodic struggles allowed the Cardinals to twice pull within 12 in the second. The Wisconsin native and Strong countered Louisville’s push both times, helping drive the lead to as much as 23. Their efforts helped the Huskies end the first half having made six of their last eight shots.
Louisville took one positive moment into the locker room. Ziegler’s midcourt steal with the shot clock off turned into a Berry breakaway floater. The 6-foot-2 forward rebounded the missed free throw and got off a shot right when the buzzer sounded.
Although that shot rolled off the top of the rim, it provided the Cardinals with a foundation for momentum. Five minutes passed in the third quarter before Louisville really started building on it.
It started at the free-throw line, where the Cardinals scored six points in three minutes. Jones capitalized on her steal with 1:46 remaining in the third quarter to make it a 20-point game. Heckel nailed the three-point play, but Ziegler’s second-chance bucket made it a 61-40 contest after 30 minutes.
Both upperclassman transfers and Tajianna Roberts kept Louisville within 19 points of UConn. Roberts banked a triple before Auriemma called a timeout with 5:29 remaining in regulation.
Fudd scored right out of the break, then Ziegler quickly countered with a three on the other end. The Danish native’s third consecutive triple kicked off a 10-0 Louisville run that sliced the deficit in half.
Behind 73-63, the Cardinals got the defensive stop they needed to pull within single digits. Despite their desires, Berry missed a three, and Strong made them pay on the other end. The reigning Big East Freshman of the Year landed a bunny and got the foul with it.
She further squashed any hopes of a Louisville comeback 24 seconds later. The NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player added a jumper as the reigning champs started 1-0 for the 30th consecutive season.
The Huskies and Cardinals were supposed to duke it out at the Ramstein Air Base in southwestern Germany. Even with the channel change, which brought the game stateside, Fudd still appreciated the opportunity to explore the naval academy.
“This place is pretty amazing, pretty special,” the graduate guard expressed. “I do not think the experience could be replicated by playing a regular basketball game.”
UConn returns home to raise its 12th national championship banner inside Gampel Pavilion on Sunday, November 9. The ceremony prefaces their tilt with the Florida State Seminoles, which is slated for 4:30 p.m. EST on FS1.
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