Associated Press

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Mar 23, 2024, 5:16 PM

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Updated

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Paige Bueckers scored 28 points and freshman Ashlynn Shade added 26 as No. 3 seed UConn celebrated coach Geno Auriemma’s 70th birthday with an 86-64 win over Jackson State in the first round of the women’s NCAA Tournament on Saturday.

Aaliyah Edwards, wearing a mask after missing two games with a broken nose, had 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Huskies (30-5), who won in the opening round of the tournament for a 30th straight time.

Ti’Ian Boler scored 25 points and Angel Jackson had 13 for 14th seeded Jackson State (26-7), which lost for the first time in 22 games.

The Tigers’ Miya Crump opened the game with a jumper and Jackson State led briefly at 4-2.

But Bueckers sparked a 17-0 Husky run by scoring eight of UConn’s first 10 points. She gave Connecticut its first lead at 5-4 on an up-and-under layup and foul shot.

UConn led 22-8 after 10 minutes, and took its first 20-point lead at 39-19 on a 3-pointer from Bueckers, who also pulled down 11 rebounds and had seven assists in the game.

Boler’s 3-pointer from the right corner at the buzzer sent the teams into the half with UConn leading 49-28.

A 3-pointer from Nika Muhl as the third quarter expired put the Huskies up 72-50 and Connecticut cruised from there.

The Huskies improved to 13-1 in games played on their coach’s birthday.

BIG PICTURE

Jackson State: This was Jackson State’s third NCAA Tournament appearance in the last four years, but they have never advanced past the first round.

UConn: The Huskies have appeared in 35 straight NCAA Tournaments and are 31-2 in first-round games. They last lost an opening round contest in 1993, when they fell by three points to Louisville in Storrs. ... This is the 27th time the Huskies have won 30 games in a season.

UP NEXT

UConn will face the winner of Saturday’s second game between No. 6 seed Syracuse and No. 11 Seed Arizona.