No. 1 UConn begins title defense by beating No. 20 Louisville

Connecticut Huskies forward Sarah Strong high-fives guard Azzi Fudd. Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

No. 1 UConn women begin title defense by taking down No. 20 Louisville

By Colby Colwell | Last updated Nov 4, 2025 8:26 PM ET

Coming off their 12th national championship under head coach Geno Auriemma and the departure of star Paige Bueckers to the WNBA's Dallas Wings, the No. 1-ranked UConn Huskies began their title defense with a 79-66 win over No. 20 Louisville.

A quick start paved the way for the Huskies, who jumped out to an emphatic 25-9 lead after the opening quarter and took a 44-23 lead into the break.

Despite leading by as many as 28, poor three-point shooting (4-of-26) and fouls kept UConn from putting the game firmly out of reach. That did not stop key returnees Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd from putting together excellent performances.

Sarah Strong, Azzi Fudd lead UConn to season-opening win

Strong led the Huskies with 21 points (9-of-17 FG), nine rebounds and five assists, playing a key role in UConn's 50 points in the paint. Early in the third quarter with UConn holding a 27-13 lead, Strong got a rebound and finished on the other end with an and-1.

She plays ALL POSITIONS @thesarahstrong #NCAAWBB x ESPN / @UConnWBB pic.twitter.com/wyYaAsLVir
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) November 4, 2025

Fudd was equally impressive with 20 points (9-of-20 FG) and three assists, including this nifty bounce-pass to sophomore guard Kayleigh Heckel to put UConn up 40-20 late in the opening half.

. @azzi_35 with the DIME to @Kayleigh_Heckel #NCAAWBB x ESPN / @UConnWBB pic.twitter.com/XPcU7VmKxX
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) November 4, 2025

UConn struggled to close the game out

The Huskies only allowed the Cardinals to shoot 34.4% from the floor, but 16 fouls resulted in 14 free throws and kept a cold-shooting Louisville team within striking distance.

Louisville outscored UConn, 43-35, in the second half and even got the deficit down to 10 points with 2:22 remaining. Senior forward Laura Ziegler was a key part of that with 16 points and 18 rebounds.

The lack of three-point shooting and inability to close out the game is something UConn will need to work on going forward, but with Strong and Fudd leading the way, UConn's title defense is off to a good start, even if the final 10 minutes were a little sloppy.

Colby Colwell

Colby Colwell is a freelance contributor with a bachelor’s in Computer & Information Technology and a minor in Psychology from Western Kentucky University. With a deep passion for sports, especially NASCAR, he offers his substantial knowledge along with his adept writing skills. When he’s not writing, Colby enjoys traveling, cooking, and spending time with his family

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