Strong second half lifts UConn women’s basketball past Georgetown, 65-50

UConn women’s basketball used a strong second half to beat the Georgetown Hoyas at the XL Center, 65-50. The Huskies scored 20 points in the third quarter after totaling just 24 in the entire first half in the victory.

Azzi Fudd left the game with three minutes left in the first half after an apparent collision with a Georgetown player. She immediately went into the locker room with team trainer Janelle Francisco and did not return.

After halftime, Fudd returned with a large ice pack on her right knee — the same knee that kept her out for eight games — and the team told SNY that she would not play in the second half. The sophomore was only in her second game back from the aforementioned knee injury suffered at Notre Dame on Dec. 4.

“She (Fudd) tweaked something and got some ice on it. It didn’t sound serious at all,” Geno Auriemma told SNY.

“Doc’s taking a look at it now...I guess they’ll know more after they look at it more in-depth,” he added in his postgame presser.

UConn continued to struggle with turnovers, which contributed to the slow start. The Huskies coughed the ball up 23 times, 13 of which came in the first half. It didn’t help that Nika Mühl tied for the team-lead with five giveaways, either.

Aaliyah Edwards paced UConn with 17 points and also added 11 rebounds for her seventh double-double of the season. Juhász also had a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds while Lou Lopez Sénéchal (12 points) and Mühl (12) both reached the 10-point mark as well.

UConn’s offense struggled in the first quarter. Georgetown limited the Huskies’ transition game and when the hosts went into half-court sets, the offense stagnated. UConn had a scoring drought of over five minutes long, turned the ball over seven times, scoring 11 points in the opening period.

On the other end, the defense did its best to keep the Huskies close. They held the Hoyas to just 5-20 shooting through 10 minutes, but three of those makes were 3-pointers which not only helped Georgetown go ahead three minutes in, but also maintain a 13-10 lead after one.

The offensive issues carried into the second quarter. Neither team found the basket for the first three minutes until Fudd drilled a triple from the corner to put UConn back ahead. That got the Huskies on track for a bit as they scored on their next two possessions, but it didn’t last.

UConn ultimately made just three baskets in the second quarter and went into halftime with a 24-23 lead.

After the break, the Huskies finally shook the malaise off. They scored 13 points in the first 3.5 minutes of the third after only managing 13 points in the first quarter and 11 points in the second quarter.

Meanwhile, the defense kept rolling. Georgetown scored just one basket in the first seven minutes of the second half which allowed UConn to build an 18-point lead.

The Hoyas never got closer than 12 points in the fourth quarter as the Huskies rolled to a 15-point victory.

Next, UConn will hit the road to take on Seton Hall at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday. SNY will have the broadcast from Walsh Gymnasium.