Women’s Top 25 roundup: No. 1 UConn dominates Butler

Azzi Fudd’s 17 points led all five starters in double figures for top-ranked Connecticut in an 80-48 trouncing of Butler on Saturday at Hartford, Conn.

Serah Williams, Allie Ziebell and Ashlynn Shade each scored 11 points, and KK Arnold had 10 points for the Huskies (25-0, 14-0 Big East). UConn made only five of 17 attempts from 3-point range. Reserve Jana El Alfy had 11 rebounds.

UConn played without sophomore Sarah Strong, who sat out for the first time in her career for what was termed an opportunity to rest. She was one of three Huskies who didn’t play, but they built a 44-19 halftime lead, with Fudd accounting for 15 points by the break.

Butler’s Caroline Dotsey had 13 points, but the Bulldogs (9-15, 3-11) committed 23 turnovers.

No. 12 Michigan State 81, Penn State 70

Grace VanSlooten scored 20 points and the Spartans dug out of a 16-point deficit and used stellar second-half defense to avoid an upset despite Kiyomi McMiller’s 37-point outing at University Park, Pa.

Jalyn Brown’s 16 points, Rashunda Jones’ 14 points and Kennedy Blair’s 12 points helped Michigan State (20-4, 9-4 Big Ten), which was 7-for-27 on 3-point shots.

Miller made 16 of 33 shots from the field with three 3-pointers. Penn State (8-16, 1-12) poured in 28 first-quarter points and led 45-33 at halftime, but the Nittany Lions scored only 25 second-half points.

No. 15 Baylor 67, Arizona State 64

Taliah Scott scored 17 points and the Bears held on to beat the Sun Devils despite 15 turnovers at Waco, Texas.

Jana Van Gytenbeek added 13 points and Kayla Nelms had 12 points for Baylor (21-4, 10-2 Big 12). The Bears maintained a slim lead down the stretch after breaking a 58-58 tie with less than six minutes left. Kyla Abraham and Van Gytenbeek each made two free throws in the final 20 seconds.

Gabby Elliott poured in 25 points and Jyah LoVett had 16 points off the bench for Arizona State (19-6, 6-6), which made 3 of 15 shots from 3-point range.

No. 18 Texas Tech 85, Houston 61

Bailey Maupin led the Red Raiders with 25 points, connecting on five 3-pointers, for a comfortable road triumph against the Cougars.

Jalynn Bristow’s 15 points and Gemma Nunez’s 13 points also helped Texas Tech (22-3, 9-3 Big 12), who overcame 21 turnovers.

Amirah Abdur-Rahim’s 18 points, Kierra Merchant’s 13 points and Briana Peguero’s 12 points paced Houston (7-16, 1-11). The Cougars went 2-for-8 from 3-point range and turned it over 32 times, which led to 40 Texas Tech points.

No. 20 West Virginia 87, Arizona 68

Kierra Wheeler’s 17 points came on 8-for-11 shooting, as the Mountaineers rolled at Morgantown, W. Va.

Sydney Shaw had 16 points, Jordan Harrison posted 14 points to go with eight steals, and Gia Cooke added 13 points for the Mountaineers (20-5, 10-3 Big 12), who led 50-26 at halftime. They shot 50% for the game from the field.

Arizona (11-12, 2-10) couldn’t overcome 29 turnovers, despite Tanyuel Welch’s 17 points and Daniah Trammell’s 15 points. Ball-handling woes negated the Wildcats’ 51.7% shooting from the floor.

No. 22 Maryland 78, Nebraska 60

Isimenme Ozzy-Momodu racked up 16 points on 7-for-8 shooting to go with nine rebounds, as the Terrapins secured the victory at Lincoln, Neb.

Oluchi Okananwa had 14 points, reserve Rainey Welson notched 13 points, and Yarden Garzon added 11 points for Maryland (19-6, 7-6 Big Ten), which used a 30-point second quarter to build a 45-28 halftime lead.

Logan Nissley had 22 points, but Nebraska (16-8, 5-8) was stung by 22 turnovers and a 39-26 rebounding deficit. Nissley had six of the team’s nine 3-point baskets.

–Field Level Media