Injured Paige Bueckers reacts to Allie Ziebell's masterclass vs Xavier

The UConn Huskies women’s basketball team defeated Xavier 81-27 on Wednesday at the XL Center. Freshman Allie Ziebell stole the spotlight off the bench, recording a personal-best 17 points. She hit five of her nine attempts from three-point range, with 15 of those points coming in the second half.

The game marked UConn’s first without star guard Paige Bueckers, who is sidelined for at least a week with a left knee sprain sustained during Sunday’s game against Villanova. Despite being benched, Bueckers was actively involved, supporting her teammates and celebrating their achievements. She was seen re-sharing a picture with Ziebell on Instagram, originally posted by UConn Women's Basketball.

Paige Bueckers re-shared Allie Ziebell's post

UConn’s defense was relentless, turning 32 Xavier turnovers into 42 points. Offensively, the team scored 36 points in the paint. The Huskies’ superiority was evident as they held Xavier to single digits in three separate quarters, storming into halftime with a commanding 45-10 lead.

UConn and Allie Ziebell shine against Xavier

Azzi Fudd, regaining her form after earlier knee issues, spearheaded UConn’s attack with an impressive performance. She scored 18 points in just over 15 minutes of play. After the game, Fudd said:

"I felt like I played with more confidence than what I've been playing with. Confidence in myself and my playing abilities, but also confidence in my knee. I just felt a lot freer on the court tonight."

She also talked about Bueckers:

"You can't tell Paige to calm down. She's everyone's biggest cheerleader, biggest fan, biggest supporter. There's no telling her to, you know, calm down. There's none of that."

Head coach Geno Auriemma emphasized the importance of his players staying true to their styles rather than trying to replicate Bueckers’ game. Auriemma said:

"I want them to learn to trust themselves, trust each other. Obviously, they know, if we have any chance to do something great this year, Paige has to be a part of it. But that doesn't mean that they should pass up opportunities to get better, and I thought they took advantage of that today."

Sarah Strong played a key role in the first half, contributing 15 points, grabbing seven rebounds and recording five steals. Fudd and Strong combined for 33 of UConn’s 45 first-half points, with the team registering 12 steals before intermission.

UConn’s defensive tenacity held Xavier scoreless for extended periods, including three stretches of over five minutes in the first half. The Huskies capitalized on the Musketeers’ mistakes, scoring 26 points off 20 first-half turnovers.

The commanding lead allowed Auriemma to give younger players significant playing time. Ziebell took full advantage, logging a season-high 18 minutes and scoring 17 points.

UConn will next face Georgetown on Saturday in Washington, D.C. The Huskies previously defeated the Hoyas in Hartford last month, 79-44. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. EST, with the game airing on SNY.