#UConn’s Geno Auriemma passes Pat Summitt in wins

STORRS, Conn. — UConn coach Geno Auriemma says he would rather still be coaching against the late Pat Summitt than moving past her on the all-time wins list.

The Huskies routed Butler 103-35 on Tuesday, giving Auriemma his 1,099th win. The victory leaves him just behind Stanford’s Tara VanDerveer (1,105) and gives him one more than his former rival, Summitt, who died in 2016 at the age of 64. It comes just two days before the Huskies visit Knoxville to take on the Lady Vols.

“I wish she were still coaching and I wish I had to work a lot harder to catch her,” Auriemma said. “It’s ironic that it plays out the way it played out, because to be honest with you, I didn’t think I’d be coaching long enough to be in this position.”

Olivia Nelson-Ododa led a balanced attack with 18 points for the Huskies, who were playing for the first time in 10 days. Christyn Williams and Aubrey Griffin, who made her first start, each scored 17 points for unbeaten UConn (8-0, 7-0 Big East).

Tennessee transfer Evina Wesbrook chipped in with 14 points and freshman Paige Bueckers had 13 points, eight assists, five rebounds and four steals.

Okako Adika scored 18 points for Butler (1-9, 1-8), despite spending most of the game in foul trouble, and Genesis Parker added 15 points.

The Huskies led 25-15 after a quarter, and used a stifling defense to hold Butler to just 20 points the rest of the game.

Williams stole an inbounds pass and hit a layup just before the halftime buzzer to give the Huskies a 45-20 lead. Adika had 14 of Butler’s 20 first-half points. But she also picked up three fouls.

The Huskies then outscored Butler 58-15 in the second half.

“I think it’s just a mindset that we came out with, especially out of halftime,” Nelson-Ododa said. “Going into the third quarter, we just really focused on not letting them get easy buckets.”