No. 11 UConn women’s basketball narrowly avoided an upset from the St. John’s Red Storm, securing a 78-61 victory at Gampel Pavilion on Sunday. Despite the 15-point margin, this marked the Huskies’ closest win in conference play this season.
Aaliyah Edwards achieved a career milestone, reaching the 30-point mark for the first time and securing her 10th double-double of the season with 33 points and 13 rebounds. Paige Bueckers contributed 26 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter, while the rest of the team combined for 19 points. Nika Mühl showcased her playmaking skills with nine assists, and KK Arnold added six helpers.
In the opening quarter, both teams had no trouble finding the basket, with UConn shooting 9-14 from the field and scoring 12 points in the paint. Despite this, the Huskies led by just four points after the first 10 minutes.
As UConn’s defense solidified, they started to pull away. A 13-1 run allowed them to take a 13-point lead, the largest of the game at that point. However, a brief scoring drought and turnovers allowed St. John’s to get back within single digits.
Mühl, returning to the game after being on the bench due to fouls, played a crucial role in setting up two consecutive baskets to close the half, and UConn went into halftime with a 13-point lead.
Despite efforts to put St. John’s away in the third quarter, the visitors dropped 20 points and narrowed the gap to 11. Opening the fourth with back-to-back baskets, St. John’s cut the deficit to seven, prompting a timeout from Geno Auriemma.
