Editor’s note: Follow Round 1 of the women’s NCAA Tournament with USA TODAY Sports’ coverage here.
After a first day of the women’s NCAA Tournament in which South Carolina, Notre Dame, Duke, and UCLA made emphatic statements to advance to the second round, Paige Bueckers and the No. 2 UConn Huskies will look to do the same against No. 15 Arkansas State.
Bueckers leads the five-time defending Big East champions into the tournament hoping for UConn’s first national championship win since 2016. The Huskies have proven they can beat anyone, having notched a win over South Carolina already. However, this is March, where anything can happen on any given day.
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Bueckers leads UConn with an average of 19.1 points in 28.6 minutes per game, while also notching 4.8 assists and 4.7 rebounds. Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd are also averaging double digits at 16 and 12.8 points per game, respectively.
FOLLOW THE MADNESS: NCAA women’s basketball scores, schedules, teams and more.
If Arkansas State is to play spoiler, the Red Wolves will have to lean on their trio of Zyion Shannon, Kennedie Montue, and Crislyn Rose.
To Geno Auriemma’s credit, his UConn teams are hardly ever snakebitten in early rounds of the tournament. UConn hasn’t lost on the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament since 1993, and has made the Final Four in 16 of the past 17 seasons.
What time is UConn vs Arkansas State?
- Date: Saturday, March 22
- Time: 1 p.m. ET
Bueckers and UConn tip off their respective 2025 women’s NCAA Tournament at 1 p.m. against Arkansas State from Harry A. Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Connecticut.
Connecticut is the No. 2-seed in the Spokane 4 Region.
What channel does Paige Bueckers play on today?
- Channel: ABC
- Stream:Fubo (free trial)
Bueckers and UConn will play on ABC Friday, part of the Disney family of networks that includes ESPN, which is broadcasting the entire women’s NCAA Tournament.
Cord-cutters can also watch the game on Fubo, which offers a free trial to new users.
UConn vs Arkansas State betting odds, spread, moneyline
Odds courtesy of Bet MGM as of Saturday, March 22
- Spread: UConn (-44.5)
- Over/Under: 148.5
- Moneyline: N/A
UConn schedule
Here’s a look at UConn’s last five games. The Huskies’ full schedule can be viewed here.
- Sunday, March 2: UConn 97, Marquette 52
- Saturday, March 8: UConn 71, St. John’s 40
- Sunday, March 9: UConn 82, Villanova 54
- Monday, March 10: UConn 70, Creighton 50
- Saturday, March 22: (2) UConn vs (15) Arkansas State, 1 p.m. ET
Arkansas State schedule
Here’s a look at Arkansas State’s last five games. The Red Wolves’ full schedule can be viewed here.
- Wednesday, Feb. 26: Arkansas State 56, Southern Miss 54
- Friday, Feb. 28: Arkansas State 89, Troy 85
- Sunday, March 9: Arkansas State 81, Troy 66
- Monday, March 10: Arkansas State 86, James Madison 79
- Saturday, March 22: (2) UConn vs (15) Arkansas State, 1 p.m. ET
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