The UConn Huskies continued their season of sheer dominance with a commanding 97–39 win over the Xavier Musketeers on Wednesday. Even missing six players, including Serah Williams and Blanca Quinonez, the Huskies cruised to victory, courtesy of guard Allie Ziebell’s career-high performance. Yet head coach Geno Auriemma isn’t too overwhelmed with the sophomore’s statistics. He saw more than just the numbers.

Ziebell’s 34 points are the highest so far by any Husky in the season. She hit 10-14 from the three-point line, another UConn record, this time for most threes in a single game. Only three players, Katie Lou-Samuelson, Maya Moore, and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, have achieved this feat in the past.

Speaking in the post-match press conference, Auriemma emphasized that, for him, Ziebell’s confidence is all that matters, and not the statistics.

“Anna was saying on the way down here that Allie tied the school record for 10 made three’s. I said I know, I saw all of them. I was there for all of them. And while they’re happening, you’re not counting, ” the head coach said.“But the number isn’t as impressive to me as watching her play with so much confidence and shoot the ball.”

Ziebell’s 29-minute carnage started in the second quarter of the game, when she scored three back-to-back three-pointers. She followed this momentum right through the game, scoring four back-to-back three-pointers in the fourth quarter. The UConn sophomore’s performance turned the entire flow of the game in UConn’s favor. And the Musketeers never recovered from this mayhem, eventually losing out by a substantial 58-point margin.

And while this performance served as Ziebell’s introduction to the wider world, Auriemma wasn’t shocked. He’s long known the player she’s capable of being.

‘That’s the Allie I saw in high school, that’s the Allie I saw every summer,” he said. “That’s the kid we recruited, and why we recruited her, because I think she’s a tough kid. She’s good with the ball in her hands, she’s smart, and it’s been fun watching her.”

In the limited time she has been given from the bench, Ziebell hasn’t let her team down. She has logged an average of 17.2 minutes this season, while averaging 7.5 points, which is pretty decent.

Speaking of this game, though, in addition to Allie Ziebell, Sarah Strong contributed with 25 points, with 10 of 14 from open play. The Naismith Defensive Player of the Year candidate was also prolific in her role of protecting the rim from the paint. She added two steals and a block to complement her offensive performances. However, KK Arnold and Azzi Fudd had quiet games, each playing 27 minutes and combining for just 11 points.

With this win over Xavier, the UConn Huskies remain unbeaten at 22-0 and 12-0 in the conference. They will face a more formidable opponent in No. 15 Tennessee up next on Saturday at the PeoplesBank Arena. The Lady Volunteers are one of the most indispensable teams in the SEC conference, and also currently lead their table with a 6-0 record.

But it’s also true that Tennessee has struggled against ranked teams; defeats at the hands of UCLA and Louisville validate it. But the side still has plenty of resources to pose a tough challenge to Auriemma and Ziebell on Saturday.

Allie Ziebell Can Be a Major Trump Card for Geno Auriemma Against Tennessee

The upcoming clash will be Geno Auriemma’s opportunity to avenge last season’s narrow loss. However, the Lady Volunteers have clinched seven straight games this season and are a formidable offensive team, averaging 79.4 points per game. Thus, it won’t be an easy win to pocket for Auriemma and co., especially with the uncertainties surrounding Blanca Quinonez, Serah Williams, and Ice Brady.

This is where Allie Ziebell can create an impact off the bench for Auriemma’s side. While Quinonez has been providing that vital offensive edge off the bench, the Tennessee game would be Ziebell’s turn to create that impact. Sure, Tennessee’s defense won’t give her much space to shoot three-pointers with ease as Xavier did, but it would be up to the sophomore to figure that out with her dribbling and movements on the court.

For now, head coach Auriemma is well aware of Tennessee’s prowess.

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“We knew playing them was going to be hard. They knew playing us was going to be hard. It seemed like whoever won that game early in the season was going to win a national championship,” he said after the Xavier game. “It’s not that anymore. Things have changed, a lot has happened since then, but they’re still a really good team.”

And he’s right. Yes, UConn has some injuries, but this is the healthiest the team has been in years. Add in last year’s loss and the ancient rivalry. That should be enough to fire them up like never before.

Next up, the Huskies will face the Lady Vols, but Kim Caldwell’s side has two matchups before that against Ole Miss and Mississippi State.

Who do you think can prevail in this battle? Can the Lady Volunteers hand over the Huskies their first defeat of the season, or will UConn’s dominance prevail? Do let us know.