UConn women’s basketball beats Villanova behind Nika Muhl’s double-double to remain undefeated in Big East
VILLANOVA, Pa. — The UConn women’s basketball team had a clear mission in its 81-60 win over Villanova on Wednesday: Don’t let Lucy Olsen look like Hannah Hidalgo.
Hidalgo, Notre Dame’s freshman superstar, hung 34 points on the Huskies last Saturday, becoming the fourth guard to score at least 24 in a win over UConn this season. Villanova junior Lucy Olsen entered the game leading the Big East in scoring averaging 23.7 points per game, but the No. 8 Huskies (18-4, 10-0 Big East) held her to just 15 on 6 of 17 shooting for the Wildcats (13-8, 6-4).
Freshman KK Arnold and senior Nika Muhl were the primary guards on Olsen and helped get her into early foul trouble. Villanova’s star spent the first half of the second quarter on the bench with two fouls.
The Huskies struggled with low energy all night, but Arnold and Muhl kept them afloat every time Villanova got too close for comfort. Arnold was the most efficient offensive player on the team shooting 5 of 6 from the field for 13 points, and Muhl did a little bit of everything for UConn with 12 points, 10 assists and five rebounds. It was the senior point guard’s fourth game this season with double-digit assists.
UConn had a visible talent advantage over Villanova, but the Wildcats executed a successful first-half game plan. Paige Bueckers and Arnold also each found themselves with two fouls by the middle of the second quarter, and Arnold was pulled late in the half after picking up a third. Villanova simply outhustled the Huskies in the first half, leading in rebounding 18-16 and forcing eight turnovers.
Aaliyah Edwards led UConn in scoring with 22 points on 9 of 13 shooting plus seven rebounds. Bueckers also had a solid night with 21 points on 50% shooting, a significant improvement from her 29% against Notre Dame.
The Wildcats took a two-point lead early in the second half after Olsen drew an and-1 to start the third quarter, but the Huskies went up by a game-high 12 points 30 seconds into the fourth. The third was UConn’s most efficient quarter of the game, completing 71.4% of its field goal attempts and logging seven assists and seven rebounds while committing a single foul.
UConn finally put the game away in the fourth quarter, holding Olsen to zero points on just three attempts. Villanova’s star guard made just one field goal in the entire second half. The Huskies also controlled Olsen’s ability to distribute, holding her to just one assist in the game.
The Huskies remain the only undefeated team in Big East play and look to continue their streak when St. John’s comes to Gampel Pavilion on Sunday (3 p.m., SNY).
