UConn routs Butler, Auriemma passes Summitt in wins

STORRS, Conn. (AP) — Olivia Nelson-Ododa led a balanced attack with 18 points and No. 3 UConn, playing for the first time in 10 days, routed Butler 103-35 on Tuesday night.

The win was coach Geno Auriemma’s 1,099th at UConn, moving him past late Tennessee coach Pat Summitt, into second place on the all-time list just two days before the Huskies visit Knoxville to take on the Lady Vols.

Christyn Williams and Aubrey Griffin, who made her first start, each scored 17 points for the unbeaten Huskies (8-0, 7-0 Big East), who had five players score in double figures.

Tennessee transfer Evina Wesbrook chipped in with 14 points and freshman Paige Bueckers had 13 points, eight assists and five rebounds.

Okako Adika scored 18 points for Butler (1-9, 1-8), despite spending most of the game in foul trouble, and Genesis Parker added 15 points.

The Huskies led 25-15 after a quarter, and used a stifling defense to hold Butler to just 20 points the rest of the game.

Christyn Williams stole an inbounds pass and hit a layup just before the halftime buzzer to give the Huskies a 45-20 lead. Adika had 14 of Butler’s 20 first-half points. But she also picked up three fouls.

The Huskies then outscored Butler 58-15 in the second half.

BIG PICTURE

Butler: The Bulldogs came into the game averaging just 54.2 points. Butler had just 13 baskets on 45 shots (25%)

UConn: The Huskies limit opponents to an average of 49.7 points and have given up 60 points just once this season, in a 92-65 win over Seton Hall in December.

UP NEXT

Butler: Butler is scheduled to host No. 19 DePaul on Thursday. That would be the first time the Bulldogs face nationally-ranked teams in back-to-back games since the 2017-18 season.

UConn: The Huskies heads to Knoxville for the first time in 15 years to face No. 25 Tennessee on Thursday.

___

More AP women’s basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25