Even without two of their top scorers, UConn didn’t miss a beat.
With sophomore star Sarah Strong getting a well-earned rest day and freshman phenom Blanca Quinonez sidelined for the fourth straight game with a shoulder injury, the No. 1 Huskies still rolled to an 80-48 win over Butler on Saturday at PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford. It was business as usual for Geno Auriemma’s squad - just with a different cast leading the charge.
Azzi Fudd stepped up as the veteran presence UConn needed, putting up 17 points along with four assists and three steals. Her performance wasn’t just about the numbers - it was the tone she set.
Aggressive on both ends, decisive with the ball, and vocal in her leadership. Exactly what you'd want from a player who's been through the battles and knows what it takes to win, especially when the lineup is missing two key pieces.
Let’s not forget just how much production UConn was missing. Strong and Quinonez combine for nearly 30 points per game.
Strong alone leads the team in points, rebounds, steals, and blocks - a do-it-all presence who rarely comes off the floor, let alone sits out entirely. Saturday marked the first time in her college career she missed a game.
But that’s the thing about UConn - the next player up is never just filling space. They’re contributing.
They’re producing. They’re winning.
Serah Williams, Ashlynn Shade, Allie Ziebell, and KK Arnold all scored in double figures, each pouring in between 10 and 11 points. That kind of balanced scoring is a coach’s dream, and it speaks volumes about the depth Auriemma has cultivated. All nine players who saw the floor scored at least four points, and Shade logged the entire fourth quarter alongside the reserves, gaining valuable experience in a leadership role with both Fudd and Strong off the court.
The Huskies shot a crisp 49.3% from the field and shared the ball beautifully, tallying 20 assists. Defensively, they were as disruptive as ever - forcing 23 turnovers, 14 of them coming off steals, and turning those mistakes into a whopping 37 points.
That kind of defensive pressure is what separates good teams from great ones. It's not just about getting stops - it's about capitalizing on them.
And they did it all in pink-accented jerseys for the annual Play4Kay Pink Game, showing support for breast cancer awareness while extending their win streak to 41 games. The look may have been different, but the performance was vintage UConn.
Butler struggled to find rhythm against that relentless defense. Caroline Dotsey led the Bulldogs with 13 points, and Saniya Jackson pulled down 12 rebounds, but it wasn’t nearly enough to keep pace.
UConn jumped out to a 24-13 lead after one quarter, then broke the game open with a 12-0 run in the second to take a 44-19 lead into halftime. The third quarter started with another burst - a 13-2 run that pushed the lead to 36 and effectively ended any hope of a comeback.
After the game, Fudd summed it up simply: “Just being aggressive. … We did our best pressuring the ball, got some steals.”
She also gave credit where it was due - to players like Jana El-Alfy, who grabbed 11 rebounds, and Ziebell, who picked up four steals. Everyone stepped up.
Everyone did a little more. And that’s the formula when you’re missing a player like Strong.
“No one can replace what Sarah brings,” Fudd said. “But if everyone can play - just do a little bit more.
Play together. Talk more.”
That’s the kind of mindset that wins championships. And with March looming, UConn is showing they’re not just deep - they’re dangerous, no matter who’s on the floor.