The two teams competed in the first double overtime game of the Elite Eight of the Women’s NCAA Tournament. UConn’s four-game winning streak in the finals was in jeopardy while the Wolfpack sought to return to the national semifinals for the first time since his 1998.
The game had it all: clutch play, heartbreaking and disastrous season-ending injuries, and sheer force of will to one player victory.
Paige Bookers Scored 15 of 27 points after regulation to lead UConn to a 91-87 win and secure the Huskies’ trip back to their home state of Minnesota for 14 of the programth-Straight Final Four.
The UConn and North Carolina team meeting this Sunday is different from the team that met in Bridgeport eight months ago. The Huskies have lost three of his seniors (Evina Westbrook, Kristin Williams and Olivia Nelson Ododa) and are absent for his year with Buckers, who continues to recover from his ACL injury in the offseason.
North Carolina State is without former star center Elissa Cunan, who was drafted 17th overall by the Seattle Storm in the 2022 WNBA Draft.
UConn’s second straight top 10 win, beating No. 3 Texas on Monday, is an early sign that the Huskies may have found their groove playing without Bookers.
Azzi doing Azzi thing
Azzi Fudd had the best, if not the best, start in UConn history. The sophomore guard said that on Monday he tied Diana his Taurasi record for most points against a top-five opponent by a UConn player. 32 points against 3rd place TexasHer 58 points in the first two UConn games this year are the most of any Husky to start the season.
Fudd was nearly unstoppable in the second half against the Longhorns, scoring 17 of UConn’s 20 fourth quarter points. UConn Coach Geno Auriemma called it an “All-American” and “Player of the Year Performance”.
Front coat production
The Huskies frontcourt struggled to get going on Monday. Junior his Aaliyah his Edwards already failed to drop a shot until midway through the second quarter after he was called two personals fouls on him. Meanwhile, Dorka Juhas (from the floor he finished 8-2) scored his two turnovers in the first quarter.
NC State is averaging 50.5 rebounds per game (10 more than UConn), so the Huskies’ big will need to be more aggressive and find quicker ways to impact the game when his shots aren’t falling. I have.
limited bench
Three other players finished in double figures outside of Fudd on Monday. Aubrey Griffin came off the bench and in 26 minutes he scored 14 points, followed by his 12 points from Lou Lopez Senechal in 14 minutes. However, due to foul trouble (five of his eight Huskies who played on Monday ended with three or more fouls on him), Fuad, Juharsh and Nika his mules played 38 minutes each. I had to.
With such a limited bench, the Huskies can’t afford players to foul early on, especially in the backcourt. Additionally, Caroline Ducharm has yet to reach her normal time, so the team will need to control her physicality and avoid fouls to give her players some breathing room.
Get to know NC
The Wolfpack start the season undefeated after beating Charlotte 96-48 on Thursday by 15 points from both Madison Hayes and Jada Boyd. North Carolina State started the year by beating Quinnipiac 82–45 for him, before picking up victories over both Elon and Mount Saint his Marys.
UConn is consistently 7-2 against NC State. This year’s game in Hartford is the first of the program’s latest home-and-home series. Next season, the Huskies travel to Raleigh, North Carolina.
No. 10 NC State at No. 5 UConn
when: Sunday, 1:00 p.m.
Where: XL center
record: UConn (2-0, Big East), North Carolina (4-0, ACC)
tv set: FS1
wireless: UConn Sports Network, 97.9 FM-ESPN Hartford, WAVZ-Newhaven (1300 AM), WICC-Brideport (600 AM), WINE-Danbury (940 AM), WGCH-Greenwich (1490 AM), WATR-Waterbury ( 1320 AM)
Possible starters:
U Conn
player position. PPG.
Aji Fad G. 29.0
Dorka Juhas F. 10.0
Aaliyah Edwards F. 12.5
Nika Mule G. 4.5
Lou Lopez Senechal G./F. 14.5
north carolina
player position. PPG.
Diamond Johnson G. 12.5
Madison Hayes G. 11.5
Jada Boyd F. 11.3
Jaquia Turner-Brown W. 8.3
Camille Hobbies C. 8.0
Maggie.Vanoni@hearstmediact.com @maggie_vanoni
