No. 3 UConn women’s basketball rolls to first Big East win over Providence, 98-53

The No. 3 UConn women’s basketball team opened Big East Conference play in dominating fashion Friday night, defeating Providence 98-53 at Gampel Pavilion.

The Huskies (6-0) entered the matchup boasting the second-best field goal percentage in the country, shooting 52.5% from the floor through five games. That offensive success continued as they shot 61% from the field and 56.5% from beyond the arc in their 32nd straight victory over the Friars (6-3).

“We were just doing what we do best,” Azzi Fudd said postgame. “Moving the ball, playing with a lot of energy, and I think that’s the best way, the most fun way to play basketball is when everyone’s involved. And that’s what we did tonight and I think we had a lot of fun doing it.”

Point guard Nika Mühl was a huge reason why as she put on yet another strong performance leading the UConn offense. She dished out 12 assists to become the first player in program history to record double-digit assists in four consecutive games. She also had seven points.

“For sure, Nika’s the floor leader,” UConn head coach Geno Auriemma said postgame. “She’s the floor leader of our offense, she’s the leader of our defense, she’s really the the leader of this team. Everybody understands that she’s the voice and she’s the one that makes us go. And she’s incredibly passionate and plays that way, and the other players on the team just really lock into that.”

Aubrey Griffin had a strong showing, recording a double-double for the first time since January 2021 with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Aaliyah Edwards notched her fifth double-double of the season and fourth in a row with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Lou Lopez Sénéchal (18), Azzi Fudd (16) and Caroline Ducharme (10) were also in double figures.

On the defensive end, UConn held Providence to 33.8% shooting from the field and 20% on 3-point attempts. The Huskies also scored 21 points off turnovers.

With graduate forward Dorka Juhász out for the fourth game in a row, UConn head coach Geno Auriemma once again went with Edwards and Griffin as his starters down low. Griffin had a strong start as she scored eight of the Huskies’ first 12 points.

The Huskies dominated this one from the opening tip. They went on a 10-0 scoring run out of the gates, making each of their first five shots from the floor while holding the Friars without a field goal for nearly four minutes. The hot shooting start would continue for UConn throughout the first quarter as it made 11 of its first 12 shots, good for 91.7% from the floor.

“You want to get those first five minutes where you feel like you’re on a good pace and you’re on a roll, a lot of people are touching the ball, you’re getting great shots because that will carry over, and it did,” Auriemma said postgame. “The ball has to move, the ball has to change sides of the floor and the ball has to get inside and it has to get outside. And if you do that, then we’re gonna get good shots. And we have a pretty good shooting team, so if we get pretty good shots we’re going to make our share.”

Though Providence would eventually find the bottom of the net, the Huskies didn’t allow its opponent to get much going. They led 29-8 at the end of the opening frame after holding the Friars to 21.1% from the field and limiting star guard Janai Crooms. She entered the night leading the Friars in all three major statistical categories, averaging 16.1 points, 8.8 rebounds and 4 assists per game, but couldn’t manage to get a single shot off in the first quarter and would only finish with four points.

UConn led by as many as 29 points with 7:32 left in the second quarter after a 3-pointer from Fudd. Providence finally found its groove on offense later in the period to shorten the deficit to 20 points off a bucket from guard Grace Efosa. Griffin made sure it never got closer from there, though, scoring an and-one play on a fast break with just over three minutes left.

Griffin had quite the impressive first half showing and was already up to 15 points, seven rebounds and two steals at the break, at which point UConn led 54-25.

“During the offseason I put a lot of work on my shot and just building the confidence to take it,” Griffin said. “And it has (taken) my game to another level.”

The Huskies scored their most points in a half this season behind 70% shooting from the field and 66.7% from deep. Mühl was once again the floor general at point guard, recording nine assists in the first half alone. She dished out her 10th assist just 15 seconds into the third quarter when she found Lopez Sénéchal on the wing for a 3-pointer.

The Huskies only allowed the Friars to score six points through five minutes of the third. They continued to build their lead despite some scoring lulls, and with the game already well out of reach Auriemma went deep into his bench late in the period. Amari DeBerry subbed into the game for Edwards with 3:09 left and Inês Bettencourt came in with 1:50 left. UConn led 76-40 at the end of the third.

Bettencourt made the first basket of her college career less than a minute in the fourth quarter. She drained a 3-pointer from the left wing to put the Huskies up 39 points with to the delight of the home crowd, and she’d make another later in the period. The victory was all but assured from there.

UConn has a quick turnaround before its next game against No. 7 Notre Dame on Sunday. The Huskies travel to South Bend, Indiana, for their fourth top-10 matchup of the season as part of the Jimmy V Women’s Classic, which is set to tip-off at 3 p.m. on ABC.