Fudd’s 34 points, 8 3-pointers powers UConn past Syracuse and into Sweet 16 for 32nd straight time

STORRS, Conn. (AP) — Azzi Fudd’s final home game after five years with the UConn women’s basketball program was one for the ages.

Fudd matched her career high with 34 points and eight 3-pointers to lead UConn to a 98-45 victory over Syracuse in the second round of the women’s NCAA Tournament to send the Huskies to the regionals for the 32nd consecutive time.

Fudd had 26 of her 34 points and six of her eight 3-pointers in the first half. Before walking off the Gampel Pavilion court for the final time, she posed for photos in front of the UConn student section.

“My teammates were finding me, setting great screens,” Fudd said. “I wasn’t even thinking. I was open — so shoot it.”

Fudd definitely did that. It was a performance that UConn’s Hall of Fame head coach Geno Auriemma called, “the best half of basketball, the best 20 minutes I have seen in a long, long time.”

Sarah Strong had 18 points and nine rebounds, and Blanca Quinonez added 18 points off the bench as the Huskies won their 52nd game in a row to advance to the Sweet 16 once again.

Syracuse (24-9) was down 22-8 with three minutes left in the first half. The Orange, playing without injured starting point guard Dominique Darius, struggled to handle UConn’s defensive pressure. Syracuse went more than 10 minutes without a field goal as the 31-0 run gave the Huskies the 53-8 lead.

The only question was whether Fudd would break UConn’s single-game program record for the most points in an NCAA Tournament set in 2025 by her former teammate, Paige Bueckers. Bueckers had 40 points in 2025 against Oklahoma.

Fudd’s eight 3-pointers were one short of the NCAA Tournament single-game record held by Purdue’s Courtney Moses, UConn’s Kia Nurse and Iowa’s Caitlin Clark.

Fudd’s 34 points matched the total that Bueckers had in her final game at Gampel Pavilion in 2025. She tried to soak in everything before walking off the court.

“Gampel has been home for the last five years,” Fudd said. “Some people say no place compares and it doesn’t, the environment, the crowd, the fans, everything about this place is amazing. Playing here one last time, I have had so many great moments, so many great wins. This one is up there.”

Uche Izoje scored 12 points and Sophie Burrows had 10 for ninth-seeded Syracuse (24-9), which topped Iowa State in the first round.

Syracuse missed 10 shots in a row in the first half and went nearly 10 1/2 minutes without a basket during one stretch in the first half.

UConn, which has been ranked first in the AP poll all season, heads into the Fort Worth 1 regional, undefeated once again. UConn won its 52nd straight NCAA tournament game at Gampel Pavilion and 44th in a row in Connecticut.

Up next

UConn will face North Carolina in the NCAA Tournament for just the second time. The Tar Heels won 81-69 en route to winning the national title in 1994.

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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness