Azzi Fudd Turns in Season-Best Effort to Help No. 1 UConn Defeat No. 6 Michigan

Azzi Fudd scored 31 points and Sarah Strong added 16 points and 20 rebounds to pb No. 1 UConn to a 72-69 triumph implicit sixth-ranked Michigan connected Friday nighttime successful the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Women's Showcase.

Huskies manager Geno Auriemma had said earlier successful the week that Michigan mightiness beryllium the champion squad that his squad would play this aboriginal successful the season. He wasn't wrong.

UConn (5-0) looked similar it would tally distant with it early, gathering a 17-point pb midway done the 3rd 4th earlier the Wolverines (4-1) rallied. They utilized a 13-0 tally to propulsion to 49-45 heading into the fourth.

Fudd ended a astir 8-minute scoring drought for the Huskies hitting a 3-pointer to commencement her ain idiosyncratic 9-0 tally and reconstruct a double-digit vantage for UConn.

Michigan wasn't done, rallying to 68-66 successful the last infinitesimal connected a 3-pointer by Syla Swords with 22.2 seconds left. The Wolverines fouled Fudd 5 seconds aboriginal and the defender calmly deed 2 escaped throws to reconstruct the two-possession lead.

Swords erstwhile again answered hitting a heavy 3-pointer with astir 12 seconds left, making it 70-69.

Fudd past deed 2 much escaped throws with conscionable nether 8 seconds near and Michigan couldn't get a last changeable disconnected to necktie it.

Swords finished with 29 points and Olivia Olson added 18 for the Wolverines.

UConn jumped each implicit Michigan with Strong starring the mode connected some ends of the court. She had six points, 9 rebounds and 3 blocks successful the archetypal 10 minutes arsenic the Huskies led 22-5 aft 1 quarter. Fudd took implicit successful the 2nd quarter, scoring 13 points arsenic the Huskies led 45-27 astatine the half.

This was the 3rd clip successful the past 2 seasons that Michigan has faced a No. 1 squad successful the poll. The Wolverines mislaid to South Carolina to unfastened the play past twelvemonth and past were beaten by Big Ten foe UCLA. Prior to those meetings, Michigan had lone faced a No. 1 squad erstwhile earlier — a nonaccomplishment to Iowa successful 1988.

Up next

UConn volition play Utah and Michigan volition look Syracuse connected Sunday successful the 2nd acceptable of games successful this tournament.

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