UConn eases past Jackson State on Geno Auriemma’s 70th birthday
STORRS, Conn. — Paige Bueckers scored 28 points and freshman Ashlynn Shade added 26 as No. 3 seed UConn celebrated coach Geno Auriemma’s 70th birthday with an 86-64 win over Jackson State in the first round of the women’s NCAA tournament on Saturday.
Aaliyah Edwards, wearing a mask after missing two games with a broken nose, had 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Huskies (30-5), who won in the opening round of the tournament for a 30th straight time.
Ti’Ian Boler scored 25 points and Angel Jackson had 13 for 14th-seeded Jackson State (26-7), which lost for the first time in 22 games.
The Tigers’ Miya Crump opened the game with a jumper and Jackson State led briefly at 4-2.
But Bueckers sparked a 17-0 Husky run by scoring eight of UConn’s first 10 points. She gave Connecticut its first lead at 5-4 on an up-and-under layup and foul shot.
UConn led 22-8 after 10 minutes, and took its first 20-point lead at 39-19 on a 3-pointer from Bueckers, who also pulled down 11 rebounds and had seven assists in the game.
Boler’s 3-pointer from the right corner at the buzzer sent the teams into the half with UConn leading 49-28.
A 3-pointer from Nika Muhl as the third quarter expired put the Huskies up 72-50 and Connecticut cruised from there.
The Huskies improved to 13-1 in games played on their coach’s birthday.
UConn will face the winner of Saturday’s second game between No. 6 seed Syracuse and No. 11 seed Arizona.
This was Jackson State’s third NCAA tournament appearance in the past four years, but the Tigers have never advanced past the first round.