No. 2 UConn (1-0) won their season opener against Boston University (1-1) inside the XL Center with a commanding 86-32 win over the Terriers.
Here are the takeaways…
-The Huskies roared out of the gates in this one to the tune of a 15-2 run, aided by numerous Boston University turnovers, to set the stage for the night. They would go on to win the opening quarter, 31-6, with freshman Morgan Cheli drilling a three-pointer right before the buzzer.
-Fellow freshman Sarah Strong, the No. 1 recruit of the 2024 class, had a great game in her Huskies debut and even scored UConn’s first points of the season with a layup underneath the rim. She finished with 17 points, four rebounds, three assists and six steals.
-Back for her final season in Storrs, Paige Bueckers was also heavily involved in the win. Bueckers began the night as a passer, but still finished with double-digit points to go along with seven assists and four rebounds. She also added an emphatic block in the first quarter.
-It was much of the same in the second quarter for the Huskies who continued to get turnover after turnover and turned them into points, outscoring Boston University, 29-7, and going into halftime with a 60-13 lead.
-The Terriers had no answer for UConn head coach Geno Auriemma‘s fast-paced tempo in which he subbed players out constantly. In fact, all 10 players saw plenty of minutes and made at least one basket in the game.
-Looking like it would be a long night for the Terriers, the Huskies began the second half on a 7-0 run. After that, the offense stalled and Boston University — who struggled to get anything going offensively in the first half — went on a 9-0 run of their own before Qadence Samuels ended it with a three.
-Still, UConn’s offense in the second half looked nothing like it did in the first half where everything came easy. Defensively they remained strong, but they scored just 12 points in the third quarter.
-With a convincing lead, Auriemma gave the fourth quarter to his bench and players like Jana El Alfy and Allie Ziebell, two more talented freshmen, delivered. El Alfy tied Strong for a game-high 17 points to go along with a game-high 11 rebounds in just 17 minutes and Ziebell had six points, two rebounds and an assist.
-The Huskies finished with 25 steals and four blocks and shot 54.5 percent from the field. Of its 36 made field goals, 28 were assisted as UConn moved the ball very well.
Game MVP: Sarah Strong
The freshman showed why she was the top recruit in the nation in 2024, scoring at will while also having a knack for steals.
Highlights
What’s next
The Huskies will welcome South Florida to Gampel Pavilion on Sunday at 4:30 p.m.