WBB Set to Face No. 7 UConn Wednesday

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HARTFORD, Conn. — The Marquette women's basketball team (18-8, 11-6 BIG EAST) plays part three of a four-game road trip this week, traveling to Hartford, Connecticut to take on No. 7 UConn (19-5, 13-1 BIG EAST) on Wednesday night. The Golden Eagles and Huskies will tip-off at 6 p.m. (CT) at the XL Center. The game will be broadcast on SNY with Allen Bestwick (play-by-play), Meg Culmo (analyst) and Maria Mariano (sideline) on the call. Live stats are available at GoMarquette.com.

The Golden Eagles enter the contest 18-8 on the year with a 11-6 mark in BIG EAST play to sit fifth in the league standings with just three games left to play. Most recently, MU posted a 64-57 win at Georgetown on Friday night in Washington, D.C.

Currently sitting atop the BIG EAST standings, the Huskies hold a 19-5 overall record with a 13-1 mark in conference play. Following its lone conference loss against Villanova on Feb. 9, UConn has won four-straight, winning those games by an average of 33.3 points. Most recently, it defeated Georgetown on Sunday, 90-49.

This game was originally slated for Dec. 29, but postponed because of COVID health and safety protocols. The teams met up just 10 days prior on Dec. 13 at the Al McGuire Center in Milwaukee, a 72-58 win for UConn. MU is 0-13 all-time against the Huskies.

Connecticut has been led this season by senior guard Christyn Williams, who is averaging 15.2 points per game. Senior forward Olivia Nelson-Ododa leads the squad in both rebounds (7.9) and assists (3.9) per game. The Huskies are coached by Geno Auriemma, in his 37th season with the program.

SCOUTING THE HUSKIES

• UConn enters the matchup with an overall record of 19-5, including a 13-1 mark in BIG EAST matchups. It currently sits atop the conference standings.

• The Huskies have strung together four-straight wins after suffering their lone conference loss to Villanova on Feb. 9. Most recently, they posted a dominant 90-49 win over Georgetown on Sunday, Feb. 20.

• While Connecticut has been without 2021 Wooden Award winner Paige Bueckers for the majority of the season, senior guard Christyn Williams has stepped up to lead the Huskies with 15.2 points per contest. Senior forward Olivia Nelson-Ododa leads the squad in both rebounds (7.9) and assists (3.9) per contest.

• UConn leads the league and ranks second nationally in field goal percentage (.482). It also boasts the BIG EAST's second-best field goal percentage defense (.368).

• The Huskies rank sixth in the nation in assists per game with 18.5, and have a 1.30 assist-to-turnover ratio, ninth in the country.

ALL-TIME SERIES AGAINST UCONN

• Wednesday's game will mark the 14th all-time meeting between Marquette and Connecticut, a series which began in 2006.

• The Huskies have swept the all-time series, 13-0.

• The teams faced off three times last season, including a meeting in the BIG EAST Championship game, a 73-39 UConn win.

STARTING FIVE

• The Golden Eagles are 38-15 in conference action under Coach Duffy.

• Coach Duffy is off to the best coaching start through three seasons of any coach in program history. She boasts a 61-23 overall mark (.726) at Marquette.

• The Golden Eagles are 51-3 under Coach Duffy when leading at halftime and 36-3 when they turn the ball over the same or fewer times than their opponent.

• MU is 31-3 when scoring more than 70 points under Coach Duffy and 42-5 when shooting more free throws than its opponent.

• In the 84 games of the Coach Duffy era, the Golden Eagles have out-rebounded their opponent in 71 of those games.

EARLIER THIS SEASON

• Marquette and UConn faced off Feb. 13 at the Al McGuire Center, a 72-58 decision in favor of the Huskies.

• After holding tight for the majority of the game and holding a 47-45 advantage entering the final quarter, Marquette was outscored 27-11 in the final period. UConn hadn't led by more than four at any point through the first three quarters.

• 54 of the team's 58 points were scored by its starting unit. The Marquette bench didn't get on the board until there was under a minute left in the contest.

• UConn was led by Azzi Fudd, who finished with a game-high 24 points, 11 of those coming in the fourth.

• Three different MU players scored in double-figures, led by Liza Karlen's 15-point, nine-rebound performance.

WALKER FINDING HER STRIDE

• MU junior guard Antwainette Walker is playing some of the best basketball of her career, and has made a big impact off the bench in the most recent stretch of games.

• Walker has scored in double figures in three of the past four games, something she had done just one time through 56 career games prior to that.

• In the first 16 games this season, Walker averaged 3.1 points and 2.1 rebounds per contest. In the past four games, she averages 8.5 points and 5.3 boards.

• During that stretch, she has posted single-game career high marks in field goals made (4), field goals attempted (8), free throws made (6), rebounds (9), blocks (2) and minutes (27).

LAST TIME OUT

• Marquette got back in the win column on Friday, posting a 64-57 road win over Georgetown at McDonough Arena.

• In an evenly-spread offensive effort for the Golden Eagles, five different players reached double-figures in the scoring column led by Karissa McLaughlin's 14 points.

• After a strong start to the game, Marquette opened up an early double-digit lead. The Hoyas clawed back into the game, eventually cutting the MU lead down to just one point with 1:40 left in the third quarter, but the Golden Eagles were able to remain on top the rest of the way.

• Marquette never trailed in the contest, leading for 39:23 of action.

• Georgetown was led by the duo of Milan Bolden-Morris and Ariel Jenkins, each scoring 12 points.

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Players Mentioned

Liza Karlen

Karissa McLaughlin

Antwainette Walker