UConn Huskies guard Paige Bueckers shoots a layup as Jackson State guard Miya Crump tries to defend during a Round 1 Game of the NCAA Tournament at Gampel Pavilion on Saturday. Photo by Steven Zarrella/Sportspage Magazine
The University of Connecticut women’s basketball team won their 31st consecutive NCAA tournament first round game by easily dispatching Jackson State 86-64 in front of 10,299 in attendance at Gampel Pavilion. Jackson State now falls to 0-7 in first round NCAA tournament games all-time.
At first it looked like the Lady Tigers were going to hang with the Huskies. Forward Miya Crump hit a jump shot to get the scoring going for Jackson State and the quick 2-0 lead. UConn forward Paige Bueckers answered with a jump shot of her own to tie the game 2-2 in the first minute of play. Jackson State guard Ti’lan Boler broke the tie to give the Lady Tigers the 4-2 lead and then they stalled.
The Husky offense and defense both got into sync. For the next five minutes, Jackson State could do no right and UConn could do no wrong. Husky guard Paige Bueckers and forward Aaliyah Edwards led a 17-0 run that gave the Huskies a 19-4 lead with 3:43 left in the opening quarter.
Boler was fouled by UConn guard KK Arnold. Boler made both free throws and Lady Tiger guard Zakiya Mahoney scored on a jump shot. UConn guard Ashlynn Shade answered with a three-pointer. UConn was ahead 22-8 at the end of the first quarter.
Bueckers was credited with a layup after a goaltending call against Crump opened the second quarter. Edwards then scored a layup and UConn now led 26-8 with 8:30 left in the half. However, Jackson State guard Keshuna Luckett hit a jump shot, and center Angel Jackson scored her first two baskets of the game as the Lady Tigers rattled of a quick 6-0 run in the next minute of play to make the score 26-14.
UConn responded with a long sustained run. Bueckers scored seven points, Edwards netted four more as the Huskies went on an 11-3 run to take a 20 point lead, 39-19, with just over three minutes to go in the half.
UConn Huskies forward Aaliyah Edwards hauls in a rebound between Jackson State guards Miya Crump (L) and Zakiya Mahoney (R) during Saturday’s Round 1 game of the NCAA Tournament at Gampel Pavilion. Photo by Steven Zarrella/Sportspage Magazine
Boler stepped up for Jackson State and scored eight of the next nine points for the Lady Tigers, though each basket was answered by one from UConn, who led 49-28 at the half.
Jackson and Shade were both locked in for their respective teams as the third quarter commenced. Jackson hit a jump shot for the Lady Tigers, Shade answered with a three-pointer and a layup for the Huskies. Jackson hit a jump shot but then fouled Edwards who scored two free throws. Shade hit a three-pointer. Luckett scored a layup for Jackson State and was fouled by UConn guard Nika Muhl, but missed the free throw. Shade scored on a jump shot and UConn now led 61-34 with 6:13 remaining in the quarter.
Jackson State went on a 7-2 run with two free throws from guard Andriana Avent, two jump shots from Crump, and one of two free throws from Boler and Edwards was changed with an offensive foul that was upgraded to an intentional foul for unnecessary and excessive contact. UConn still led 63-41 with over three minutes on the clock before the quarter break.
Everything that Jackson State did was answered by a scoring opportunity from the Huskies. Lady Tigers center Laila Walker scored a put back layup after an Avent miss, and Boler scored a layup. Buckers and Shade scored on layups for UConn in response. Avent made one of two free throws after being fouled by UConn guard Ice Brady and then scored a three-pointer, it was answered by a Muhl three-pointer just before the clock expired. At the end of the third quarter, UConn held a commanding 72-50 lead.
UConn forward Aaliyah Edwards is about to attempt a layup after gaining a step on Jackson State guard Miya Crump during Saturday’s NCAA Tournament Round 1 game at Gampel Pavilion. Photo by Steven Zarrella/Sportspage Magazine
Even though it was known that Jackson State was no match for UConn by the time the final quarter began, the 8-2 UConn run made it obvious for anybody who may have doubted that. Bueckers and Edwards each scored four points with Jackson’s jump shot the only score for the Lady Tigers.
Bueckers and Jackson were each fouled respectively, and both players converted only one of two free throw attempts. UConn led 81-53 with 5:44 left to go.
Boler took it upon herself, once again, to rally her team. Even though they had a 28 point deficit to overcome, she still believed that it was important to play to the end in the NCAA tournament. She made back-to-back three-pointers. UConn still answered with a three-pointer from Shade and a layup from Muhl. Jackson, who was fouled by Brady, made two free throws, and then Boler hit another three-pointer with just 12 seconds left. The final score was 86-64 in favor of the No. 3 seed UConn Huskies.
UConn shot 34-for-68 (50.0 percent) from the field; 9-for-24 (37.5 percent) from three-point range; and 9-for-10 (90.0 percent) from the free throw line. They gave up 15 turnovers.
“Playing a team like Jackson State, they compete really, really, really, really hard and they seem to get energized even more. The more you score, the more they want to keep playing. They neer feel like they’re out of it and should just pack it in. I was really impressed with them,” said UConn head coach Geno Auriemma.
Jackson State went 21-for-64 (32.8 percent) from the field; 6-for-27 (22.2 percent) from three-point range; and 16-for-22 (72.7 percent) from the free throw line. They committed 16 turnovers in the outing.
UConn Husky guard Nika Muhl drives past Jackson State guard Ja/Leah Hickmon during Saturday’s Round 1 game of the NCAA Tournament at Gampel Pavilion. Photo by Steven Zarrella/Sportspage Magazine
“Really proud of our players who have done a really good job coming in. I thought we had a really good game plan but we kind of let the first quarter get out of hand,” said Lady Tigers head coach Tomekia Reed. “Being in this environment, a tough environment, UConn having the home court advantage, I thought our players had jitters in the first quarter trying to get after it.”
UConn was led by 28 points and 11 rebounds from Paige Bueckers. Ashlynn Shade scored 26 and Aaliyah Edwards pitched in for 20 points. Bueckers and Nika Muhl had seven assists each to lead the Huskies.
“We haven’t played for about two weeks so just ready to get the game rolling and definitely during the most important part of the season,” said Bueckers. “[I’m] just excited to be back out there on the court with my teammates.”
Ti’lan Boler scored 25 points and Angel Jackson added 13 more for the Lady Tigers. Zakiya Mahoney led Jackson State with six rebounds while Keshuna Luckett dished out a team high seven assists.
“It was amazing to see our fans in the stands. Just knowing that they came out here to support us means so much to us. We feed off their energy, they feed off our energy, so I just want to shout out to everybody who came out,” said Jackson.
UConn will now advance to the second round to face the winner of the Arizona-Syracuse first round game at Gampel Pavilion on Monday night at 6 p.m. ET.
