UNCASVILLE, Conn. Azzi Fudd scored 31 points and Sarah Strong added 16 points and 20 rebounds to lead No. 1 UConn to a 72-69 victory over No. 6 Michigan on Friday night in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase. Huskies coach Geno Auriemma had said earlier in the week that Michigan might be the best team that his team would play this early in the season. He wasn’t wrong. UConn (5-0) looked like it would run away with it, building a 17-point lead midway through the third quarter before the Wolverines (4-1) rallied. They used a 13-0 run to pull to 49-45 heading into the fourth. Fudd ended a nearly eight-minute scoring drought for the Huskies, hitting a 3-pointer to start her own 9-0 run and restore a double-digit advantage for UConn. Michigan wasn’t done, rallying to 68-66 in the final minute on a Syla Swords 3-pointer with 22. 2 seconds left. The Wolverines fouled Fudd 5 seconds later, and the guard calmly hit two free throws to restore the two-possession lead. Swords once again answered hitting a deep 3-pointer with about 12 seconds left, making it 70-69. Fudd then hit two more free throws with just less than eight seconds left, and Michigan couldn’t get a final shot off to tie it. UConn jumped all over Michigan with Strong leading the way on both ends of the court. She had six points, nine rebounds and three blocks in the first 10 minutes as the Huskies led 22-5 after one quarter. Fudd took over in the second quarter, scoring 13 points as the Huskies led 45-27 at the half. This was the third time in the last two seasons that Michigan has faced a No. 1 team. The Wolverines lost to South Carolina in the opener last year and then were beaten by Big Ten foe UCLA. Before those meetings, Michigan had faced a No. 1 team only once a loss to Iowa in 1988. Up next UConn will play Utah and Michigan will face Syracuse on Sunday in the second set of games in this tournament.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/21/uconn-michigan-womens-basketball/
