UConn’s upcoming game against Xavier is significant for two reasons. Around 30 minutes before tipoff, UConn will induct Aaliyah Edwards into the Huskies of Honor. The ceremony was initially supposed to be on January 19, but was rescheduled because of Unrivaled. Wednesday is also UConn’s Pride Night. In all, the stakes are high for Geno Auriemma and Co. as they are looking to continue their unbeaten run.
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UConn is coming off a 92-52 win over Seton Hall in its last game. Sarah Strong scored 17 points, reserve Blanca Quinonez added 16 points, and Azzi Fudd broke out of a brief shooting slump with 14 points, helping UConn improve to 21-0. On the other hand, Xavier Musketeers lost 65-52 to Georgetown, their third loss on the trot. Let’s have a look at how both teams fare ahead of their matchup.
How to Watch UConn vs. Xavier
Location: Gampel Pavilion
Day and Date: January 28, Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET
Records: UConn 21-0, 11-0 Big East // Xavier 10-10, 3-8 Big East
TV: Peacock
UConn vs. Xavier: Injury Report
| UConn: | ||
| Player | Injury | Status |
| Ice Brady | Knee inflammation | Not expected |
| Morgan Cheli | Foot/ankle injury | Not expected |
Xavier:
| Player | Injury | Status |
| Kodee Williams-Sefo | Unknown | Out |
| Penda Dieng | Unknown | Doubtful |
| Mya Moore | Unknown | Out |
UConn vs. Xavier: Predicted Line-Ups
UConn
Sarah Strong
Serah Williams
Ashlynn Shade
KK Arnold
Azzi Fudd
Xavier:
Mariyah Noel
Mackenzie Givens
Meri Kanerva
Savannah White
Petra Oborilova
UConn vs. Xavier: Match Preview and Prediction
UConn defeated Xavier 104-39 in the Big East opener, with the Huskies forcing 31 Xavier turnovers, converting the miscues into 42 points. It was all UConn with 6 players in double figures. Since then, Xavier has struggled, dropping to 10-10 overall and 3-8 in the Big East. Let’s have a look at the underlying statistics of the two teams.
| Stat | UConn | Rank | Xavier | Rank |
| FG% | 0.527 | 1st | 0.391 | 253rd |
| 3P% | 0.39 | 4th | 0.274 | 305th |
| FT% | 0.756 | 48th | 0.737 | 95th |
| TRB | 37.5 | 153rd | 33.9 | 309th |
| AST | 24.1 | 1st | 13.5 | 169th |
| STL | 15.7 | 4th | 6.2 | 332nd |
| BLK | 5 | 23rd | 3.8 | 97th |
| TOV | 13.2 | 28th | 16 | 151st |
| PTS | 89.9 | 2nd | 60.2 | 285th |
| Opp Pts | 51.1 | 2nd | 64.2 | 188th |
The only hope for Xavier is Mariyah Noel. She is averaging 16.1 points per game, ranking fourth in the Big East. The junior guard has been a revelation, as she entered the season averaging 1.8 points per game in 39 games at Ole Miss. She also ranks second on the team in rebounding (6.5). Noel is just 1 of 5 players who rank in the top-10 in the conference in both rebounding and scoring. However, apart from this threat, we can expect UConn to dominate.
They are an all-around team with the second-best defense and offense. On Tuesday, Sarah Strong and KK Arnold were named to the 25-player watch list for the 2026 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award.
“It’s kind of nice that people look at us and think that we have a couple of pretty good defensive players, “Geno Auriemma said ahead of the game.
Strong is averaging 18.9 points, 3.6 steals, and 1.6 blocks, while Arnold is averaging 7.2 points, 4.5 assists, and 2.7 steals per game. Naturally, the analytics heavily favor UConn. According to ESPN Analytics, give UConn a whopping 99% chance to win the game. Unless Xavier delivers a near-perfect performance and defies the odds in a once-in-a-while performance, this should be another emphatic chapter in UConn’s undefeated season.
