Almost a year ago to the date on Feb. 8, 2023, Marquette women’s basketball made history by defeating then-No. 4 UConn for the first time in program history.
However, the Golden Eagles have never been able to defeat the Huskies on the road, most recently losing 95-64 Dec. 31, 2023 at the XL Center.
Now, the Golden Eagles (15-3, 4-3 Big East) will have a chance to get their revenge over the No. 8 Huskies (16-3, 8-0 Big East) Tuesday night at the Al McGuire Center.
Here is a look at the matchup:
What to know about the Huskies
UConn is coming into this game as the only undefeated team in Big East play. The Huskies are averaging 84.1 points a game and outscoring their opponents by an average of 25 points.
However, the team has suffered a lot of injuries this season. Junior guard Azzi Fudd and fifth-year forward Aubrey Griffin both tore their ACLs and will miss the rest of the year. Redshirt first-year center Jana El Alfy ruptured her Achilles over the summer during the 2023 FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup and will not be available for the rest of the year.
Players to Watch
- Senior forward Liza Karlen is one of Marquette’s most consistent and dangerous shooters. She leads the Golden Eagles with an average of 17.5 points per game and recently passed a milestone of 1,000 career points. The St. Paul, Minnesota native scored a career-high 30 points in the Golden Eagles’ win over Seton Hall Jan. 9.
- Marquette wouldn’t be Marquette without Jordan King. The senior guard has started every single game she has played for the Golden Eagles, and is averaging 14.8 points , 4.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game this season.
- UConn junior guard Paige Bueckers is currently tied for highest average points per game in the NCAA (19.8). The former No. 1 overall recruit scored a game-high 25 points in the Huskies game against the Golden Eagles earlier this year.
- Husky guard Ashlynn Shade has been named Big East Freshman of the Week four times this season and is averaging 14.8 points a game. The Noblesville, Indiana native helped lead the Huskies to their victory over Providence Jan. 10, scoring 17 points and earning three steals in 33 minutes of action.
Keys to the game
- Marquette: Keep pace with UConn. In their last matchup against the Huskies, the Golden Eagles were unable to match the fast tempo and struggled immensely on defense as a result, giving up a season-most 95 points. Marquette is going to have to do better at playing to UConn’s speed if it has any chance of winning.
- UConn: Shut down Marquette’s 3-point shooting. The Golden Eagles are currently shooting 39.6% from deep and every starter looks like a threat to make one from deep. When UConn beat Marquette in December, it held the Golden Eagles to a season-low 28.6% from beyond the arc. If the Huskies can defend the 3-pointer, it will limit the Golden Eagles’ offense.
How to watch
- Watch: SNY – Tip-off is 6 p.m. CST
- Radio: Kristin Parisi and Charlie Hobert on Marquette University Radio.
- Live Updates: Follow @TrevorHilsonMU, @MatthewBaltzMU and @MUWireSports on Twitter/X.
This story was written by Sophia Woods. She can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter/X @SophiaWoodsMU.
