Third-seeded UConn jumps on Jackson State early, coasts to first-round win

Paige Bueckers and Aaliyah Edwards both recorded double-doubles and Portland 3 Regional No. 3 seed Connecticut pounced on No. 14 seed Jackson State early to cruise to an 86-64 NCAA Tournament 1st Round victory on Saturday at home in Storrs, Connecticut.

Bueckers came out in her first game since being named an Associated Press 1st Team All-American earlier in the week with a hot start.

She scored the Huskies' first five points and finished the first quarter with eight points and three rebounds, on the way to game-highs of 28 points and 11 rebounds. Bueckers also matched Nika Muhl with a game-high seven assists.

Edwards complemented Bueckers with a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double.

UConn (30-5) raced out to a 14-point lead through the first quarter, then pushed the lead to as many as 24 points in the second quarter. The advantage grew to 27 points in the third quarter, a period in which Ashlynn Shade erupted for 14 points.

Shade finished with 26 points and knocked down 5-of-11 from 3-point range. UConn went 9-of-24 from beyond the arc as a team, and 34-of-68 from the floor overall.

Jackson State (26-7), which came into Saturday's contest on a 21-game winning streak, struggled offensively against the Huskies defense. The Tigers shot 21-of-63 from the floor, including 6-of-27 from 3-point distance, and committed 16 turnovers that UConn converted into 16 points.

Ti'lan Boler accounted for all but one of Jackson State's made 3-point attempts, going 5-of-12. She led the Tigers with 25 points.

Angel Jackson added 13 points, and Keshun Luckett passed for seven assists.

With the decision, UConn reached the 30-win mark for the third consecutive season and 17th time since 2005-06. The Huskies advance to at least the 2nd Round on a streak that began in the 1994 NCAA Tournament (no postseason in 2020).

They will meet the winner of No. 6 Syracuse and No. 11 Arizona on Monday.

—Field Level Media