STORRS, Conn. — UConn and Syracuse emerged victorious in Saturday’s first-round NCAA Tournament games and will face off on Monday evening for a ticket to the Sweet Sixteen.
The Huskies defeated an overmatched UTSA team, 90-52, and Syracuse defeated Iowa State, 72-63.
UConn’s dominant depth
Despite its homecourt advantage, neither the whistles nor the rims were friendly to UConn to start its first-round match against UTSA. In the first quarter, All-American Azzi Fudd checked out for the half after picking up a third foul at the 1:44 mark, and the Huskies shot an uncharacteristic 18.2% (2-for-11) from the 3-point line.
KK Arnold picked up three fouls of her own within the first three minutes of the second quarter, joining Fudd on the bench for the remainder of the half.
Fortunately for the Huskies, their bench includes another elite point guard that could be a starter at most other programs in the country — sophomore guard Kayleigh Heckel. The USC transfer paced UConn with 7 points, four rebounds, two assists and zero turnovers in her 14 first-half minutes.
“That was the whole point of bringing her in [to UConn],” Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma told reporters postgame “… Things happen and we’re very fortunate to be able to have Kayleigh come off the bench because she’s kind of relentless when it comes to the defensive stuff that KK does. She brings some of that. She’s really good at getting to the basket. She’ll make a three. … We only had ten turnovers today and that’s what you worry about when one our your lead guards is missing. We’re just very fortunate that we have that luxury.”
With Heckel in command, UConn’s suffocating defense ensured that UTSA couldn’t take advantage of cold shooting and foul trouble. The Huskies forced 19 first-half turnovers and held the Roadrunners to just 27.3% shooting from the field. Sarah Strong (12 points), Ashlynn Shade (11 points) and Blanca Quiñonez (10 points) kept up the offense in Fudd’s absence, and UConn took a commanding 48-14 lead into the locker room.
Following the game, Arnold praised Heckel for stepping in as backup point guard when the team needed her.
“She brings the same mentality that she always brings, I feel like the defensive intensity that she brings coming off [the bench] — she picks up where we leave off,” Arnold told The IX Sports about Heckel’s performance. ” … Each and every game her IQ has gotten way better — what play to call, how to calm us down, put us in great places, put people in great places. And honestly, just her aggression, attacking the basket and creating for us.”
Order ‘Rare Gems’ and save 30%
Howard Megdal, founder and editor of The IX Basketball and The IX Sports, wrote this deeply reported book. “Rare Gems” follows four connected generations of women’s basketball pioneers, from Elvera “Peps” Neuman to Cheryl Reeve and from Lindsay Whalen to Sylvia Fowles and Paige Bueckers.
If you enjoy Megdal’s coverage of women’s basketball every Wednesday at The IX Sports, you will love “Rare Gems: How Four Generations of Women Paved the Way for the WNBA.” Click the link below to order and enter MEGDAL30 at checkout to save 30%!
Fudd, who played just 17 minutes in the game, ended up with just 7 points. She said the team never panicked when faced with foul trouble, attributing that composure to the preparation from the UConn coaching staff.
“[The coaches have] been here so many times,” Fudd told The IX Sports. “They know how to handle it. They know what to expect. They know all the … things we’re feeling. … So having them really breaking it down one game at a time, reminding us that what we’ve done for 34 games to get here is exactly what we need to continue to do, nothing different, nothing more — but nothing less.”
‘Take the shot’
The day before Syracuse found out its NCAA Tournament fate on Selection Sunday, head coach Felicia Legette-Jack learned that her starting point guard Dominique Darius would miss the tournament with a broken hand. Darius, a transfer from USC who averaged 12.6 points this season, sustained the injury in the third quarter of Syracuse’s ACC Tournament second-round win over California.
Against Iowa State on Saturday, Syracuse needed someone to step up in Darius’ place, and 5’5 sophomore Olivia Schmitt answered the call. Schmitt, who scored just 35 points all season before Saturday, netted a career-high 15 points on 5-for-6 shooting.
“I said to Liv in practice the other day — I didn’t say make the shot, I said you have to take the shot,” Legette-Jack said. “It’s time for you to take the shot. Earlier in the season we wanted her to be facilitator. Without Dom being out there, we needed somebody to put that thing in the air and boy did she do a good job.”
Listen now to The IX Sports Podcast and Women’s Sports Daily
We are excited to announce the launch of TWO new podcasts for all the women’s sports fans out there looking for a daily dose of women’s sports news and analysis. Stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or anywhere you listen to podcasts, and make sure to subscribe!
Despite 37 points from Audi Crooks, Iowa State simply didn’t have enough offensive production from the rest of its roster to withstand a balanced attack from Syracuse. In addition to 15 points from Schmitt, freshman center Uche Izoje (23 points) and upperclassmen guards Laila Phelia (18 points) and Sophie Burrows (14 points) contributed double-digit scoring.
“They had a kid make five threes, made ten all season. … We went O-fer and they didn’t and that’s the game,” Cyclones head coach Bill Fennelly told reporters postgame. “We went 3-for-22 from the 3-point line. Besides Jada [Williams] and Audi, I think we were 4-for-29 from the field. We didn’t turn the ball over much. We rebounded fine. That’s basketball, and unfortunately for us, the people that we need to be that third or fourth scorer couldn’t get it done tonight. That happens and they got that third and fourth scorer and we didn’t.”
“Coach Jack always says stay ready so you don’t have to get ready” Schmitt told reporters. “I am ready to shoot it at any time. I just need that chance. Today I got that chance and … it worked out for me but I definitely would say I have always been ready. I stay ready. I’m shooting in the gym all the time.”
Syracuse will now face UConn in Storrs in the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three years. The Huskies defeated the Orange by 8 points in a tightly-contested game in 2024. Though Legette-Jack believes this year’s UConn squad is “the best team in the country,” she has her team entering the game with confidence.
“In order to respect somebody like a UConn or a South Carolina or LSU, I think that we have to give them our best effort,” Legette-Jack told reporters. ” … I know it’s going to take a little bit of luck, a lot of luck, but what we’re going to do is give them our best effort. Whatever comes after that is just the mirror is going to say, ‘job well done.'”
Looking for more March Madness stories? Read all our NCAA Tournament coverage at The IX Sports.
