No. 4 UConn women's basketball set a program record with 20 made three-pointers in the Huskies' 101-68 win over Iowa State on Tuesday night during the Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase. The performance featured career-high efforts from several players but drew a measured response from head coach Geno Auriemma, who admitted he had not anticipated such success.
“I really didn’t expect this. I thought we would have a difficult time,” Auriemma said postgame, as reported by Alexa Philippou of ESPN. “I said, ‘We need to win the three-point battle by quite a few because they make nine a game.’ When the basket looks big early on, the basket just gets bigger as the game goes on, and for some players, they make their first two or three, they think they can make the next 23.”
The Huskies shot 58.8% from beyond the arc, finishing 20-of-34, surpassing their previous season high of 14 three-pointers. Sophomore Ashlynn Shade led the way, sinking seven three-pointers and scoring a career-high 27 points. Shade was perfect from deep in the opening quarter, going 6-for-6 while contributing 20 points early. Freshman Sarah Strong added five three-pointers of her own, finishing with a career-high 29 points, while senior Paige Bueckers also hit five shots from deep on her way to 27 points. It marked a historic feat, as UConn became the first Division I team in 25 seasons to have three players score at least 25 points and hit five three-pointers each in the same game.
“It means everything to be a part of something that’s so big, being part of UConn history,” Shade said. “It’s just super surreal.”

Iowa State, which managed just eight three-pointers on 25 attempts, could do little to contain UConn’s offense. The Huskies’ final two three-pointers came from freshmen Allie Ziebell and Morgan Cheli late in the fourth quarter, cementing the new program record.
“I think we’re going to need three legitimate big-time scorers the entire season,” Auriemma said, referencing Azzi Fudd’s absence from the Huskies due to injury. “Where they come from, it really doesn’t matter to me, but hopefully we’ll have at least four maybe when Azzi gets back.”
The Huskies will next face No. 7 USC on Saturday at the XL Center in Hartford.