Paige Bueckers made a triumphant return to the court, scoring 12 points in 23 minutes, as the UConn Huskies women’s basketball team defeated the St. John’s Red Storm with a final score of 71-45 on Wednesday. Bueckers, who had been sidelined for two games due to a knee sprain, was just six points shy of reaching the 2,000-career point milestone.
Azzi Fudd led the Huskies in scoring with 13 points, while Ashlynn Shade contributed 10 points to the winning effort. Sarah Strong, despite scoring six points, fell short of her double-digit scoring streak for the first time in her career, but still added five rebounds and five assists. Ice Brady also rejoined the lineup after missing the previous game against Georgetown due to illness.
From the tip-off, UConn asserted their dominance. The Huskies began the game strong, scoring on four of their initial five possessions, while the St. John’s Red Storm struggled offensively, missing their first four of five shot attempts. UConn quickly established a 14-2 lead and extended it to 15 points by the end of the first quarter, capped off by a buzzer-beating three-pointer from Ashlynn Shade.
The second quarter presented more challenges for UConn’s offense. They experienced a scoring drought of over five minutes without any points and more than six minutes without a made basket. However, their strong defensive performance allowed them to maintain a comfortable lead, limiting the St. John’s Red Storm to just 22 points by halftime.
St. John’s carried some momentum into the third quarter, scoring the first four points after the break. UConn swiftly responded with a decisive 12-2 run, pushing their lead beyond 20 points and effectively securing their victory. Ultimately, the UConn Huskies secured a convincing 26-point win against the St. John’s Red Storm.
This victory improves UConn’s overall record to 16-2 and maintains their undefeated 7-0 record in Big East conference play. The Huskies are now set to return home to Gampel Pavilion to face Seton Hall on Sunday, with tip-off scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on SNY.
