Even without All-American sophomore Sarah Strong in the lineup, UConn women’s basketball didn’t miss a beat. The Huskies rolled to an 80-48 win over Butler on Saturday at PeoplesBank Arena, extending their Big East dominance and reminding everyone why they’re still the team to beat.
Azzi Fudd took center stage in Strong’s absence, and she delivered. The junior guard poured in a team-high 17 points in just 23 minutes, adding four assists and three steals for good measure.
Fudd didn’t just fill the stat sheet - she set the tone. Whether it was getting into passing lanes or knocking down jumpers, she looked every bit the leader UConn needed with their star forward sidelined.
Senior center Serah Williams was equally impactful. She came out firing, scoring seven of her 11 points in the first quarter on 3-of-4 shooting.
Williams also chipped in four assists, three blocks, and three rebounds in 21 minutes. Her versatility was on full display - from midrange jumpers to rim protection, she gave UConn a steady interior presence.
Sophomore guard Allie Ziebell stepped into the starting lineup in Strong’s place and made the most of the opportunity. She finished with 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting, grabbed four rebounds, and set a new career high with four steals. Ziebell’s energy on both ends helped spark a defense that forced 19 first-half turnovers.
As for Strong, head coach Geno Auriemma said she was dealing with some “tightness” and the decision to sit her was precautionary.
“If she had to play today she would have played without a problem,” Auriemma said. “But we’ve got a long way ahead of us.”
That long view makes sense when you consider the stakes. UConn improved to 25-0 with the win, completing a regular-season sweep of Butler and extending their winning streak to 41 games overall - and 61 straight in Big East play. Even without Strong, the Huskies looked every bit like a No. 1 team.
Still, her absence was felt early. The offense looked a little out of sync in the first quarter, going scoreless for more than two minutes to close the frame. Williams helped keep things afloat early, but it was clear UConn missed Strong’s ability to create and collapse defenses.
“Especially in the first half I felt like we weren’t attacking enough,” Fudd said. “Usually we have Sarah to bail us out. I thought all of us tried to do a little bit more.”
Auriemma had to get creative with his rotations, too. Freshman forward Blanca Quinonez missed her fourth straight game with a shoulder injury, which left the Huskies even thinner up front.
He briefly paired Williams with redshirt sophomore center Jana El Alfy, but quickly reverted to the smaller, guard-heavy lineups that have been his go-to all season. El Alfy made the most of her limited minutes, putting up four points and four rebounds in just five first-half minutes.
Fudd took over in the second quarter, scoring UConn’s first eight points of the frame and snapping a nearly three-minute field goal drought. Williams followed that up with a steal and transition layup, assisted by Fudd, as the Huskies started to find their rhythm.
“You’re used to just, ‘Throw the ball to Sarah,’ when things get stale,” Auriemma said. “And then usually Blanca comes off the bench and stirs things up.
So you’re missing those two elements. That made Azzi have to stay on the court for longer stretches than I’d like.”
But once UConn’s defense locked in, the offense followed. The Huskies went into halftime up 44-20, fueled by 30 points off turnovers. Ziebell had all four of her steals in the first half, and freshman point guard KK Arnold added four more to tie for the team lead.
Butler’s offensive struggles continued into the third quarter, going another three minutes without a field goal. Fudd and Williams kept the offense humming early, but once they hit the bench, UConn started to spread the wealth.
Arnold scored five of her 10 points in the third, and Ziebell knocked down her first three of the game, marking her fourth double-digit scoring effort in the last five contests. Junior guard Ashlynn Shade, who started 1-for-6 from the field, found her rhythm with a 2-for-3 showing in the third.
“I thought in the second half, we were much better,” Auriemma said. “The ball moved more.
We were able to get going more off the dribble. So it took about 20 minutes, but we finally got it.”
Still, the third quarter wasn’t all smooth sailing. With Fudd and Williams resting, UConn’s defense loosened up. Butler scored 14 points in the final six minutes of the quarter - more than double what they managed in the entire second - and the Huskies didn’t log a single steal during that stretch.
By the fourth, Auriemma had his starters on ice - all except Shade - and the bench took over. Freshman Kelis Fisher tied her career high with six points in over 10 minutes of action, just the second time she’s played double-digit minutes this season. El Alfy continued to make her presence felt, leading UConn with a career-high 11 rebounds and adding four more points.
“It looked like they were playing more free today, so that was great,” Fudd said of the bench unit. “Sometimes it’s hard to go in at the end like that, and I feel like they’ve been doing such a great job all season long of going in, being aggressive and trying to keep that momentum alive.”
Even with a few bumps early, UConn’s depth, defensive pressure, and star power carried the day. With Strong and Quinonez expected back soon, the Huskies are showing they can weather adversity - and still blow teams out in the process.