UConn women’s basketball takes down No. 17 DePaul, 100-67

UConn responded with the decisive win it needed coming off a loss at Arkansas. The Huskies defeated the No. 17 DePaul Blue Demons 100-67, and kept an amazing streak alive. Geno Auriemma’s squad has gone 1,005 consecutive games without losing back-to-back; the last time that occurred was at the beginning of the 1993-1994 season.

It was also a day of career highs for UConn.

Paige Bueckers dished out 10 assists, a high mark for the freshman, and also added 22 points to earn her first double-double as a Husky. Evina Westbrook also set a new career-high with 14 rebounds — 11 in the first half — and reached double figures for the ninth straight game with 12 points. Christyn Williams scored 29 points, surpassing her previous best of 28 points which she set against Notre Dame her freshman year.

Aaliyah Edwards, Aubrey Griffin, and Olivia Nelson-Ododa all scored 10 points as well. Griffin added eight rebounds and Nelson-Ododa grabbed seven.

UConn’s defense held a potent DePaul offense to just four assists through the first three quarters and 36% shooting (26-73) in the game.

UConn got off to a rough start, with a turnover on two of its first three possessions, and only made just four of its first 10 shots as DePaul jumped out to a 15-8 lead. But the Husky offense settled down late in the quarter and made a push to draw even, though the Blue Demons scored the final two baskets of the period to go up by four.

Bueckers hit her first three on UConn’s opening possession of the second quarter and then the freshmen took over. The first-year players scored 14 points during a 16-2 run sparked by an impressive passing display between Bueckers, Muhl, and Edwards.

That run gave UConn its first big lead and eventually pushed the margin up to 14 by halftime.

The Huskies’ defense set the stage for their dominance of this game. After DePaul scored 22 points in the first quarter, UConn held the hosts to just four baskets in the second — including a stretch where it went 1-9 from the floor. The Huskies also controlled the glass, holding a 29-12 edge after 20 minutes.

UConn continued its strong play into the second half. Williams took over for 13 points on 6-6 shooting in the third quarter and helped the Huskies rip off a 16-0 run at one point which pushed the lead over 30 points. It ended a 33-point victory as the Huskies improve to 11-1 on the season, 9-0 in Big East play.

Early-enrollee Saylor Poffenbarger made her debut in the fourth quarter and though she took three shots, she couldn’t find her first career points.

Up next, UConn will return home to face St. John’s on Wednesday at Gampel Pavilion.