Coming off their 12th national championship under head coach Geno Auriemma and the departure of star Paige Bueckers to the WNBA’s Dallas Wings, the No. 1-ranked UConn Huskies began their title defense with a 79-66 win over No. 20 Louisville. A quick start paved the way for the Huskies, who jumped out to an emphatic 25-9 lead after the opening quarter and took a 44-23 lead into the break. Despite leading by as many as 28, poor three-point shooting (4-of-26) and fouls kept UConn from putting the game firmly out of reach. That did not stop key returnees Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd from putting together excellent performances. Strong led the Huskies with 21 points (9-of-17 FG), nine rebounds and five assists, playing a key role in UConn’s 50 points in the paint. Early in the third quarter with UConn holding a 27-13 lead, Strong got a rebound and finished on the other end with an and-1. Fudd was equally impressive with 20 points (9-of-20 FG) and three assists, including this nifty bounce-pass to sophomore guard KaRead More
No. 1 UConn women begin title defense by taking down No. 20 Louisville
