Edwards scores 20, No. 5 UConn women defeat Butler 80-47
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Aaliyah Edwards scored 20 points and No. 5 Connecticut opened with a 20-5 run in an 80-47 rout of host Butler on Tuesday night.
Despite dressing just eight players and not having head coach Geno Auriemma sidelined with illness, the Huskies had five scorers in double figures led by Edwards, a junior forward who made 10 of 12 shots. He also grabbed nine rebounds as the visitors held a 35-19 advantage on the boards.
UConn (12-2, 5-0 Big East) has won all four meetings with the Bulldogs (6-9, 1-5) by an average of 43.7 points. Associate head coach Chris Dailey improved to 16-0 as Auriemma’s backup.
Aubrey Griffin added 15 points, Nika Muhl 13, Dorka Juhasz 12 and Lou Lopez Senechal 11 for the Huskies.
Rachel McLimore led the Bulldogs with 18 points, including four 3-pointers.
Butler, missing two injured starters, missed its first six shots and went 8-of-11 to fall behind by 15 at the start. The Bulldogs cut the deficit to five points in the second quarter before the Huskies pulled away for good.
Huskies point guard Caroline Ducharme, who averaged 15.3 points over the last three games, did not make the trip because of a concussion. The Huskies had their seventh different starting lineup.
BIG PICTURE
Connecticut: Despite losing several key pieces, including 2021 National Player of the Year Paige Bueckers for the entire season and leading scorer Azzi Fudd since Dec. 4, the Huskies remain one of the nation’s elite women’s programs .
Butler: After a 34-point loss at Seton Hall, this was another humbling result for the Bulldogs, who lost for the fourth time in five games by double digits. But considering the team managed just one win last season, six this season under first-year coach Austin Parkinson is a marked improvement.
UNTIL THE NEXT
Connecticut: Visits Xavier on Thursday.
Butler: Visit Vilanova on Sunday.
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AP Women’s College Basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball i https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll i https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
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