The UConn women’s basketball team continues to set the standard for excellence in college hoops, and Saturday’s matchup against Seton Hall at Hartford’s PeoplesBank Arena was no exception. The No. 1-ranked Huskies extended their remarkable Big East dominance with a commanding 84-48 victory, pushing their overall record to a pristine 15-0 and their conference mark to 6-0. The win also marked UConn’s 53rd consecutive triumph against Big East opponents and stretched their overall winning streak to an eye-popping 31 games, dating back to last season’s run to a 12th national championship.
But this win wasn’t just about the numbers—though there were plenty to marvel at. Saturday’s contest had all the makings of a classic UConn showcase: star performances, suffocating defense, and the return of a key player who wasted no time making her presence felt.
KK Arnold, UConn’s dynamic point guard, returned to action after missing the previous game due to a nasal fracture suffered in practice just four days earlier. Sporting a clear protective face mask, Arnold didn’t just suit up—she set the tone. In her 20 minutes on the court, she tallied five points, five assists, and a season-high five steals, all while orchestrating the Huskies’ offense and defense with her trademark energy. Her return brought a sense of normalcy and rhythm that the Huskies had sorely missed in their previous outing.
“In KK’s case, there’s nobody else on the team that will be able to replicate what she does,” head coach Geno Auriemma said. “So when you do have her in the game, when you do have that, she does become incredibly valuable as a tone setter. You know that the game is going to start a certain way, that there’s going to be a kind of a frenetic pace to it, that the other team may not be equipped to handle.”
Arnold’s impact was immediate and palpable. Early in the first half, she intercepted a Seton Hall inbound pass and, despite being knocked to the ground on the ensuing layup attempt, bounced back up unfazed and headed to the foul line. The nearly sold-out crowd in Hartford breathed a collective sigh of relief as their point guard proved she was back in business.
With Arnold at the helm, UConn’s offense found its groove. The Huskies recorded six assists on their first seven made field goals and finished the first half with 12 assists on 15 baskets. The ball movement was crisp, and the team’s renowned unselfishness was on full display. Still, that generosity sometimes led to trouble, as UConn committed 17 turnovers—including five in the opening quarter. Coach Auriemma acknowledged the double-edged sword of coaching such a selfless group: “It’s one of the not so perky perks of coaching women’s basketball at UConn, you get a lot of unselfish players. And we watch on a film and (you ask) ... ‘Why didn’t you shoot that?’ (We’re) trying to do things that are a little bit more difficult than they need to be. So it’s a good problem to have that they want to be very unselfish. There’s a fine line there.”
Despite a sluggish start and a 9-0 Seton Hall run that knotted the score at 11 late in the first quarter, UConn quickly found another gear. Allie Ziebell’s three-pointer snapped the Pirates’ streak, igniting a 15-0 Huskies run that spanned into the second quarter. By halftime, UConn had built a 38-18 lead, thanks in large part to relentless defensive pressure that forced Seton Hall into 20 first-half turnovers. Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong led the scoring charge, with Fudd notching 13 points and Strong chipping in 12 before the break.
Seton Hall, for its part, showed flashes of resilience. Jordana Codio led the Pirates with 12 points, while Savannah Catalon added 11. Mariana Valenzuela contributed eight points and four rebounds, but the Pirates simply couldn’t keep pace with UConn’s depth and defensive intensity. The Huskies’ press and aggressive double-teams—spearheaded by Arnold, Fudd, and Blanca Quiñonez—kept Seton Hall off-balance, resulting in a staggering 32 turnovers by the Pirates. UConn capitalized, converting those miscues into 35 points.
The third quarter was all Huskies. UConn outscored Seton Hall 29-8 in the frame, with Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd leading the charge. Strong finished the afternoon with 18 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and four steals—a stat line that underscores her growing influence as a freshman star. Fudd, meanwhile, poured in 16 points, including four three-pointers, and showed why she continues to lead the team in scoring at 18.1 points per game. Allie Ziebell added 12 points, knocking down four threes, with nine of her points coming after halftime. Jana El Alfy rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points and six rebounds in 17 minutes of action.
Saturday’s game also marked the return of redshirt senior Caroline Ducharme, who had missed three games with a shoulder injury. Ducharme played the final eight minutes, contributing two points, a rebound, and a block—yet another example of UConn’s enviable depth as the season grinds on.
Coach Auriemma was quick to praise Arnold’s determination and the overall team effort: “Having (Arnold) back, and what she was able to create on the defensive end for us, obviously, it adds a lot to what we’re doing. It also gives everyone else (the ability) to just play their normal role and not have to also do her part. So, I was happy to hear that she was going to play. Because with these things, you’re not quite sure how long it’s going to be. So, I’m really proud of her that she wanted to jump out there this quickly.”
UConn’s ability to force turnovers and turn defense into offense has become a hallmark this season. Saturday marked the fifth time—and second consecutive game—that the Huskies forced 30 or more turnovers. Their defensive prowess, combined with potent perimeter shooting (13 made threes against Seton Hall), makes them a nightmare matchup for any opponent.
With the win, UConn remains atop the Big East and looks every bit the favorite to repeat as national champions. The Huskies will stay home to host St. John’s on January 7, giving them a chance to extend their historic streaks even further.
Seton Hall, now 10-5 overall and 4-2 in Big East play, will look to regroup after running into the buzzsaw that is UConn at home. For the Huskies, the message is clear: with KK Arnold back and the team firing on all cylinders, the rest of the conference—and the nation—will have their work cut out for them.
As the final buzzer sounded in Hartford, UConn fans had plenty to cheer about: a healthy roster, a dominant performance, and a team that shows no signs of slowing down as the season heats up.