Strong, top-ranked UConn Huskies roll past Marquette in final home game of 2025

By Canadian Press on December 17, 2025.

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Sarah Strong had 22 points and seven rebounds in three quarters to lead the top-ranked UConn women’s basketball team to a win over Marquette.

Azzi Fudd had 14 points in 23 minutes, Blanca Quinones added 12 points and Serah Williams finished with 11 points and six rebounds for UConn (11-0, 3-0 Big East) in the final home game for the Huskies in the calendar year. The Huskies finished 14-0 at home in 2025. Only one of those games was closer than 30 points — a 72-53 win over then-No. 22 Creighton on Feb. 27 — and the average margin of victory was 44 points.

Skylar Forbes had 11 of her 17 points in the final 7 1/2 minutes for Marquette (7-4, 2-1). The Golden Eagles outscored UConn 24-16 in the fourth quarter.

NO. 2 TEXAS 96, NORTHWESTERN ST. 38

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Madison Booker matched her career best with 28 points, and Texas remained undefeated with a victory over Northwestern State.

Booker, a two-time Associated Press All-American and its current national player of the week, converted 12 of 17 shots from the field, including a pair of 3-point baskets, as Texas won its 33rd straight home game. Booker is averaging 27.7 points the last three games, converting 38 of 53 shots (71.7%).

Jordan Lee scored 15 for Texas (13-0), which included three straight 3-pointers in the third quarter. Rori Harmon had 11 points, 10 assists and a career-best seven steals and committed just one turnover. She leads the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (5.11). Kyla Oldacre contributed 12 points and 12 rebounds off the bench.

NO. 14 MISSISSIPPI 76, MVSU 34

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Cotie McMahon scored 24 points, Christeen Iwuala posted a double-double and Mississippi set a program record for largest margin of victory in a 102-34 romp over Mississippi Valley State on Wednesday.

The Rebels (11-1) set the previous record in late November last season in an 89-24 victory over Alabama State. That came after setting a record with an 85-24 rout of Arkansas-Pine Bluff five games earlier on Nov. 10.

McMahon made 8 of 19 shots with two 3-pointers and 6 of 9 free throws for the Rebels, who topped the century mark for a second time to up their win streak to three while improving to 7-0 at home. She added seven rebounds and three steals. Iwuala totaled 15 points and 11 rebounds for her fifth double-double this season.

NO. 16 LOUISVILLE 76, E. KENTUCKY 51

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Tajianna Roberts and Laura Ziegler combined for 23 points to lead the Louisville women over Eastern Kentucky.

Roberts had 12 points on 4-of-10 shooting with five rebounds and five turnovers. Ziegler scored 11, shooting 5 of 10 with seven rebounds.

Yevheniia Putra and Skylar Jones each added 10 points off the bench. Imari Berry had six points to go with eight rebounds and seven assists.

The Cardinals’ bench outscored the Colonels’ bench 38-11. The Cardinals (11-3) entered the game ranked fifth in the country with 35.3 bench points per game.

NO. 18 NORTH CAROLINA 84, UNC-WILMINGTON 34

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Nyla Brooks scored 16 points off the bench and Ciera Toomey had 15 for North Carolina women in a win over UNC-Wilmington.

Brooks was 6-of-10 shooting and 4 of 7 from 3-point territory with six rebounds for the Tar Heels. Toomey shot 7 of 10 with eight rebounds and four blocks. Indya Nivar added 10 points and nine rebounds.

The Tar Heels (10-3) jumped out to a 27-12 first quarter lead after an 11-0 run. Brooks had eight points in the quarter, going 3 of 3 and making a pair from behind the arc. They took a 47-19 lead into the half.

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The Associated Press