The No. 3 seed UConn Huskies used a 7-1 fourth quarter closeout run to slide past the No. 6 seed Syracuse Orange 72-64 in Monday’s Round 2 game of the 2024 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Gampel Pavilion.
UConn guard KK Arnold commenced the scoring with a quick three-pointer but Syracuse guard Georgia Woolley tied it up 3-3 a minute later. Woolley then hit another three-pointer for the go ahead points, but layups by UConn forward Aaliyah Edwards layup and guard Paige Bueckers gave UConn the 7-6 lead with 7:01 left in the opening quarter.
Orange guard Sophie Burrows hit a three-pointer and Woolley connected on a jump shot to give Syracuse an 11-7 lead, which quickly evaporated as Arnold and Bueckers each scored tying the score 11-11. The teams traded baskets for a couple of possessions, though Bueckers made the last field goal of the quarter, giving UConn the 18-16 lead.
The Huskies went on a tear to begin the second quarter. UConn guard Ashlynn Shade scored back-to-back three pointers. Edwards made a layup. Bueckers sank two shots. The only response from Syracuse was one basket made by guard Dyasha Fair. Going back to the 1:56 mark at the end of the first quarter, UConn went on a sustained 17-2 run and took a commanding 30-18 lead with 5:42 left in the half.
But just as easily as UConn had the momentum did it shift to Syracuse. Woodley scored on a layup followed by a Burrows three-pointer to make the score 30-23. Bueckers scored on a fast break layup after stealing a pass from Burrows to lift UConn to the 32-23 advantage, but Woolley responded with a layup and free throw after getting fouled by Shade. UConn led 32-26 with 2:30 remaining on the clock.
However, other than a jump shot by forward Saniaa Wilson, Syracuse missed six of their last seven field goal attempts in the quarter. Meanwhile, Bueckers made three shots and Edwards sank one free throw after getting fouled by Orange forward Kyra Wood. UConn led 39-28 at the half.
The Orange came out of the halftime break with a renewed sense of purpose. Forward Alyssa Latham made a jump shot to make the score 39-30, but then Wood fouled Bueckers. Her two free throws restored the 11-point halftime lead with 8:52 left on the clock.
Then everything came to a stop. Neither team was able to make a basket for the next 2:42 until Fair hit a three-pointer with 6:10 on the clock to make it 41-33. Woolley scored a basket and Burrows hit another three-pointer and suddenly the score was 41-38 and Syracuse was back in the ballgame midway through the third quarter after going on a 10-2 run since the quarter began.
The Huskies didn’t panic. Edwards scored a layup on the next possession, and then Shade scored after a defensive stop. Bueckers was fouled by Woolley, but only converted one free throw. The 5-0 run was answered by a three-pointer by Fair, making the score 46-41 with 2:18 remaining in the third quarter.
Bueckers and Fair exchanged layup, but Fair was fouled by Edwards and converted the free throw. Arnold responded with a layup, then Shade hit a three-pointer with one second left on the clock to make the score 53-44 at the end of the third quarter.
The fourth quarter was a three-point clinic as both teams played the perimeter game to press for an advantage. Woolley, Burrows and Fair hit perimeter shots for Syracuse while Bueckers and Shade connected from beyond the arc for UConn.
Husky guard Nika Muhl fouled out with 5:16 remaining in the game after being charged for an offensive foul after pushing off of Woolley. Syracuse used this to their advantage and managed to go on an 8-0 run after three pointers from Fair and burrows and a jump shot on an inbounds pass by forward Alyssa Latham. UConn led 65-63 with 1:53 left on the clock.
Bueckers scored a basket to extend the lead to four points, but then fouled Fair, who made one of her two free throws. It was now 67-64 with 1:13 left, which should still be anybody’s game.
Arnold put up a three-point shot which almost rimmed out but bounced in with 29 seconds left to make it a two-possession game. Then Latham fouled Edwards with just two seconds left. Edwards made both free throws. After she released the second shot, she raised her finger into the air as the ball went through the hoop. UConn won 72-64, having slid past the Orange with a 7-1 run in the last minute and half of the ballgame and will advance to the next round of the tournament.
UConn went 29-for-57 (50.9 percent) from the field; 8-for-17 (47.1 percent) from three-point range; and was 6-for-8 (75.0 percent) from the free throw line.
“We have some pretty tough-minded kids that when it was time to win the game… we had a couple people on our team that knew how to win the game, and that’s what you need at this time of year,” said UConn head coach Geno Auriemma. “We’re fortunate, and we get to go back to where it ended for us last year. I think we’re a different team, different mindset and we’re hoping for a different outcome.”
Syracuse went 23-for-68 (33.8 percent) from the field; 13-for-33 (39.4 percent) from three-point range; and 5-for-7 (71.4 percent) from the charity stripe.
“Well first, it’s a celebration, you know? This game is about winning and learning and we learned so many lessons, we won so many fights that no one will ever know,” said Syracuse head coach Felisha Legette-Jack. “We didn’t win so when it came to the score, we want the score to say that we can continue on. We’re going to have to start next season tomorrow to prepare for that.”
The Huskies were led by Paige Bueckers 32 points; Ashlynn Shade contributed 19 points, Aaliyah Edwards was good for 11 points and KK Arnold added 10 points. Edwards pulled down 11 rebounds while Bueckers led with six assists and also pitched in with 10 rebounds.
“Syracuse is a great team. They made tough shots, great shots, and they just cut it close,” said Bueckers. “I think we all just knew in the back of our minds like, ‘We got this.’ We just had a better mental approach to it than we did last time.”
The Orange was led by Dyaisha Fair’s 20 points and received contributions of 18 points each from Sophie Burrows and Georgia Woolley. Fair led the Orange with six assists, while Kyra Wood was the Syracuse rebounding leader with 10.
“A shooter doesn’t stop shooting. That’s it. It was time for me to keep shooting the ball. Once I see it go down, that’s all I need,” said Fair regarding her second half effort. “I think it’s our unit that we’ve created thus far and I think that’s what got us here, just us staying as one.”
UConn has now won their 52nd straight tournament game on their home court. It was also their 30th consecutive Second Round tournament victory. Their last tournament loss at home came against Louisville in 1993.
The Huskies will now travel to the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon to take on the No. 7 seed Duke Blue Devils in the Portland 3 regional semifinal on Saturday March 30 at 8 p.m. ET.
