- The UConn Daily
- Posts
- UConn Daily Digest: March Goes On
UConn Daily Digest: March Goes On
The men's basketball season is over but men's hockey and women's hoops are still alive in postseason play.
Welcome to this week’s UConn Daily Digest, and thank you for being a subscriber.
You can also find our work in Storrs Central, The UConn Blog on SB Nation, and the newsletters: UConn WBB Weekly, UConn Hockey Hub, Hook C Baseball, and Husky Football Forum! Please consider sharing or supporting our work!
Headlines
Women’s Basketball: Sweet Sixteen on deck
Geno Auriemma’s squad advanced to the second weekend with ease. In her final game at Gampel Pavilion, Paige Bueckers tied her career-high with 34 points on 14-21 shooting. UConn is heading across the country for its 31st consecutive Sweet Sixteen appearance, set to take on third-seeded Oklahoma State on Saturday at 5:30 p.m.
Oh yeah—Azzi Fudd announced she’s coming back next season:
Men’s Basketball: The end of an era
UConn played with the honor and the heart of a champion, Dan Hurley said. Nonetheless, his team was bounced from the NCAA Tournament Sunday afternoon in a tough loss to top-seeded Florida. Liam McNeeley, Alex Karaban, and Samson Johnson were the only Huskies to reach double-digit point totals in the game. Overall, UConn struggled to hit shots from range, with Karaban, McNeeley, and Solo Ball combining to shoot 6-28 (21.4%) from three.
With the loss, UConn’s 13-game NCAA Tournament win streak came to an end. Johnson and Hassan Diarra have both completed their Husky careers, and with Karaban’s NBA hopes coming into view, the last pieces of the program’s back-to-back championship rosters are moving on from the program. Karaban’s future with the team is still undecided.
So far, we have one transfer portal announcement: Isaiah Abraham is looking to leave after his freshman season.
The latest episode of The Fast Break podcast discusses many possibilities for the future.
Men’s Hockey: Tourney Bound, Against an In-State Rival
For the first time in program history, the UConn men’s ice hockey team will play in the NCAA Tournament. The Huskies will meet a familiar foe in the first round at the Allentown regional: Rand Pecknotld and the Quinnipiac Bobcats in a rematch of January’s Connecticut Ice Tournament semifinal game. That afternoon, Ryan Tattle lit the buzzer with half a second left in the third period to advance to the championship round against Sacred Heart as the Huskies won their first CT Ice.
UConn has had, by far, the best year in its program’s history and now has the chance to make some postseason noise. Before the team turns its attention to a potential Frozen Four berth in St. Louis, it will have to get through its in-state rival.
The Huskies solidified their No. 6 seed with a deep run into the Hockey East tournament, making quick work of Providence in the opening round before knocking off Boston University at TD Garden. Ultimately, they were unable to stave off No. 3 Maine in the conference championship.
Photos by Ian Bethune
Baseball: One step forward, two steps back
Just when it looked like UConn baseball might turn the corner — upsetting No. 15 UNC last Wednesday and sweeping UNC Greensboro over the weekend — the team suffered two demoralizing losses Tuesday and Wednesday in different but equally disheartening ways.
On Tuesday, Boston College hitters erupted for 20 hits and 18 runs, scoring seven in the eighth inning to enact the mercy rule. The next day, UConn’s offense looked invisible in the 3-0 loss. Northeastern’s Max Gitlin carried a perfect game through 8 ⅓ innings and nearly finished the job were it not for a pinch-hit double by Sam Biller with one out. Gitlin still went the distance to cap off his one-hit, complete-game shutout on 116 pitches.
At 10-13 on the year, the Huskies have finished their trek through non-conference play and will turn their attention now to the Big East. Up first on the schedule is Xavier. UConn will travel to Cincinnati to open up their conference slate with three games against the 12-13 Musketeers, while the rest of the Big East will have to wait until next weekend. First pitch Friday is set for 3 p.m.
Weekly Rewind
Men’s Basketball
Loss to Florida – Men’s basketball season came to an end Sunday in the round of 32.
Notes and Quotes: Florida – UConn hung tough but couldn’t seal the deal against No. 1 Florida.
Big East’s five teams eliminated from NCAA Tournament – None of the conference’s five bids made it past the first weekend.
Isaiah Abraham enters the transfer portal – The first Husky has hit the portal, with more likely to follow.
Men’s basketball portal tracker – Live updates on inbound and outbound transfers for Dan Hurley’s squad.
Women’s Basketball
Paige Bueckers and Sarah Strong named AP, USBWA All-Americans – The awards continued to roll in for two of the Huskies’ top players.
UConn women’s basketball unveils new uniforms – Headlined by a red “U,” the new uniforms came on the eve of the NCAA Tournament.
Win over Arkansas State - The 69-point win was UConn’s largest win margin since 2018.
Photos – Shots from the Arkansas State win.
UConn unleashes on Arkansas State in NCAA Tournament opener ($) – After 12 days off, the Huskies were more than ready to hit the floor.
Azzi Fudd dazzles in return to March Madness ($) – In her first tournament game in nearly two years, Fudd’s 27 points and career-high assists and steals proved her production on the big stage hasn’t skipped a beat.
Win over South Dakota State – Bueckers had 34 points in her final game in Storrs.
Paige Bueckers closes Gampel career with yet another unstoppable performance – The senior gave the home crowd a farewell to be proud of.
Could the NCAA Tournament provide a spark for Jana El Alfy? ($) – The redshirt freshman has her head in the right place. Might it translate into postseason success?
Azzi Fudd announces return for 2025-26 season – The senior will run it back for one final year, she announced on Instagram.
The side of Sarah Strong we don’t see ($) – The freshman reserves her outgoing nature for her closest friends and teammates.
Podcast: UConn steamrolls through the first two rounds – Looking back at UConn’s first two wins and regional outlook.
KK Arnold and Ashlynn Shade don't need to score to change games – Two of the Huskies’ biggest contributors off the bench bring defense and energy when UConn needs it most.
Baseball
Win over No. 15 UNC – Husky pitching smothered a top-rated Tar Heel offense in the 5-1 win.
Sweep of UNC Greensboro – Starting pitching dazzled in UConn’s three-win weekend.
Loss to Boston College – UConn made four errors and allowed 18 runs in the contest.
Loss to Northeastern – The Huskies were nearly perfect game’d, something that has happened just 37 times in NCAA Division I history.
Newsletter: Around the Big East – Many other teams in the conference have shared the Huskies’ struggles to begin the season.
Hockey
Loss to Maine in Hockey East championship – Not much went right for UConn.
UConn draws Quinnipiac in NCAA Tournament first round – A CT Ice rematch is on tap in Allentown.
Slow start proves fatal for UConn in Hockey East title game ($) – UConn allowed two goals in the first period and fell 5-2 at TD Garden.
UConn ready for all possibilities in first NCAA Tournament ($) – Tunnel vision is one thing the Huskies don’t have as the first round approaches.
Preview: UConn vs. Quinnipiac ($) – How do the two teams stack up ahead of their second faceoff this season?
Football
Five transfers to watch – Of the 20 transfers brought in by Jim Mora and staff, who are the top five to keep an eye on?
Pro Day interviews – Hear from three Huskies following their Pro Day performances.
Highlights
Paige Bueckers may have played the last game at Gampel Pavilion of her UConn career, but she went out in style. The 34 points tied her career high and the Huskies maintain high hopes heading forward.
Relive her highlights from the round of 32 win over South Dakota State here.
If you’ve enjoyed this newsletter, please consider sharing it with a friend or two - it would mean a lot to us!
Be sure to follow The UConn Blog!
Reply