No. 5 UConn beats Butler 86-47 for 5th straight win
By Canadian Press on February 22, 2025.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) —
Paige Bueckers finished with 23 points and 10 assists, and Sarah Strong added 16 points and nine rebounds to lead No. 5 UConn Huskies to an 86-47 rout at Butler on Saturday.
Ashlynn Shade scored 14 points while Bueckers had three steals as the Huskies (26-3, 16-0) won their fifth straight since losing to then No. 19 Tennessee. They’ve won 16 of 17 since a mid-December home loss to then No. 7 Southern California and moved within one win of clinching another outright regular season conference crown.
Kilyn McGuff and Lily Zeinstra each scored 13 points to lead Butler, which was playing in front of the first women’s game to be sold out at Hinkle Fieldhouse. McGuff’s father Kevin, who coaches Ohio State, was in the crowd for the game.
The Bulldogs (15-15, 5-12) fell to 0-8 all-time against UConn in front of a heavily partisan Huskies crowd. And it was never really close.
The Huskies closed the first quarter on a 17-3 run and opened the second with six straight points to take a 27-9 lead. They extended the halftime margin to 42-17 and maintained that edge throughout the second half.
NO. 12 KANSAS STATE 90, KANSAS 60
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Taryn Sides scored 15 points, Sernea Sundell set a school single-game record with 15 assists and No. 12 Kansas State celebrated a brief appearance by All-American Ayoka Lee with a win over rival Kansas.
Lee, who missed eight games with a leg injury, had six points in five minutes. A fifth-year player who also redshirted as a freshman and was injured as a senior, opened the game with a layup and the next basket gave the Wildcats a 4-3 lead they wouldn’t relinquish to make it a successful Senior Day.
Temira Poindexter added 14 points for Kansas State (25-4, 13-3 Big 12 Conference), which has won 17 straight home games. Gisela Sanchez and Zyanna Walker both had 12 points and Kennedy Taylor 10. Sundell became the third KSU player to surpass 200 assists in a season, to go with nine points.
All 10 Wildcats who saw action scored.
Elle Evans scored 15 points for the Jayhawks (15-12, 6-11). Zoe Canfield added 12 points and Regan Williams 10.
NO. 19 BAYLOR 67, IOWA STATE 52
WACO, Texas (AP) — Yaya Felder scored 15 points, Bella Fontleroy added 14 and No. 19 Baylor won its eight-straight game, taking down Iowa State.
Jada Walker had 12 points and Aaronette Vonleh 11 for the Bears (24-5, 14-2 Big 12 Conference), who played their second game without leading scoring and rebounder Darianna Littlepage-Buggs with a leg injury. Felder, the only reserve in the league scoring in double figures, made her third straight start.
Audi Crooks had 14 points for the Cyclones (19-10, 10-6), giving her 61 straight games in double figures but six points came in the fourth quarter. Iowa State, which had won four straight, had 21 turnovers that were converted into 26 points while the Cyclones could only muster 10 points off of 17 Baylor giveaways.
Baylor overcame foul trouble to take a 33-23 halftime lead. The Bears held the Cyclones to 1-of-6 shooting from 3-point range and 26% overall while forcing 11 turnovers. Felder led the way with 11 points.
NO. 24 OKLAHOMA STATE 82, COLORADO 65
STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Stailee Heard scored 26 points and No. 24 Oklahoma State used a strong second quarter to defeat Colorado.
Micah Gray and Anna Gret Asi both added 14 points for the Cowgirls (22-5, 12-4 Big 12 Conference), who had a 26-13 advantage in the second quarter.
Ayianna Johnson had 20 points for the Buffaloes (17-10, 8-8), who have lost four of five. Jade Masogayo added 14 points.
It was only 20-19 after one quarter but after the Buffaloes tied it twice early in the second, the Cowgirls eased away. They scored the last six points of the quarter and ended up making 11 of 18 shots while Colorado was 5 of 13 with seven turnovers.
Heard had 14 points and Gray 10 as Oklahoma State took a 46-32 lead at the half. The Cowgirls shot 53%, making 4 of 9 3-pointers and 10 of 12 free throws.
The Associated Press
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