PROVIDENCE – The game looked like it was supposed to.
While that wasn’t ideal for the Providence College women’s basketball team, sometimes you’ve just got to shrug your shoulders and realize it is what it is. Three days after losing by 41 to South Carolina, the No. 3 team in the country, the Friars lost to No. 1 Connecticut, 90-53 on Dec. 31, in a game where the result didn’t matter nearly as much as what was learned from it.
UConn Huskies guard Kayleigh Heckel (9) reaches in to take the ball from Providence Friars guard Orlagh Gormley (3) during the first half at the Amica Mutual Pavilion on Dec. 31.
“I always tell my women, I think sometimes people do not become who they really are or get tested or see who they can be unless they go against the best,” PC coach Erin Batth said. “… I can’t be more thankful. I learned so much about myself, I learned so much about my women – who I’m proud of overall.
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“I’m upset, don’t get me wrong, I’m a sore loser … but for the most part I really think we showed a lot of good spurts out there.”
So what kind of takeaways can you offer up in a blowout? Here’s what stood out in the final game at the Amica Mutual Pavilion on New Year’s Eve.
UConn Huskies guard Kayleigh Heckel (9) shoots a layup against Providence Friars guard Sophi Hall (33) during the first half Dec. 31 at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence.
Outcome was decided quickly
The first quarter was methodical. Whenever an underdog like Providence goes up against a powerhouse like the University of Connecticut, how long it can stick around is more the question than whether it can win the game.
When the Huskies’ Sarah Strong banged a 3-pointer on the opening possession, you would have been safe to think the rout was immediately on. The Friars didn’t and a layup by Teneisia Brown and pull-up jumper by Payton Dunbar actually had them on top, 4-3, 1:51 into the game.
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Dunbar came up big again with a 3-pointer that cut PC’s early deficit to 9-7 with 6:53 left and it was clear the Friars were ready to fight.
Dec 31, 2025; Providence, Rhode Island, USA; UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma looks on during the first half against the Providence Friars at the Amica Mutual Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
But by the time the quarter ended, the outcome was no longer in doubt. What did UConn do right? Everything. Over the final six minutes, the Huskies put on a display that should serve as a learning tool on how to play the game.
The ball-sharing was ridiculous. The defense was aggressive, smart and together. Possessions were valued and all the Huskies played at a breakneck speed. The once 2-point game was a blowout, as UConn outscored Providence 21-0 over the final 5:38, with Strong closing the quarter with a pair of 3-pointers.
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Things continued in the second quarter. The Friars got lost in rotations and when UConn moved the basketball, it found its way to an open player. Those players did not miss.
It was beautiful. It was brilliant. It was art. The Huskies played so soundly in the first quarter-and-a-half it really made it look like they were playing a different sport than the Friars were and there was nothing PC could do about it.
UConn defense dominant
The Huskies threw a variety of pressures at Providence in the first half, but its half-court defense created the most havoc.
UConn’s defense was team-oriented, with every player on the floor reacting to what PC was doing before PC had a chance to complete its act. It looked effortless.
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The Huskies also did something when they created turnovers. Neither team valued the basketball all that much in the first half – UConn won the turnover battle 19-13 – but one team did something when the other made mistakes. Over the first two quarters, the Huskies outscored the Friars in points off turnovers, 28-2.
“Who were we working for? Panera Bread? What kind of turnovers are we making today?” coach Batth joked. “… I know that we have to take care of the ball, that’s a fact.”
The defense also took Providence completely out of sorts. The Friars worked so hard to beat the pressure, they rushed any looks they had.
“We actually practiced 7-on-5 – I had seven scout guys out there,” Batth said. “… It’s hard to simulate. It was never 5-on-5, it was usually 5-on-6 or 5-on-7 just so they could feel the heat even though they’re dribbling; they’re never alone. They’re coming for you.
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“That’s really what you can do to try and simulate that pressure, but it’s hard to do because they’re so good at it.
Friars head coach Erin Batth calls out during the first half against the UConn Huskies at the Amica Mutual Pavilion on Dec. 31.
What’s next for the Friars
The 2025 portion of the season is over for Providence, who will have a few days to practice before continuing Big East play.
Closing the calendar year getting outscored by 48 points in two games isn’t ideal, but the Friars won’t play a team of the same caliber as South Carolina and UConn until they play the Huskies again in Storrs, Connecticut, on Feb. 22.
The Friars won’t have to look hard to find negatives and make necessary adjustments. Providence will be able to find positives and will keep moving forward. Sunday, Jan. 4, the Friars will be on the road to take on DePaul in an afternoon affair before returning to Alumni Hall to take on Seton Hall on Thursday, Jan. 8, at 7 p.m.
Huskies guard Blanca Quinonez (4) shoots a layup against Friars guard Sabou Gueye (0) during the first half Dec. 31 at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence.
Wins are needed. But growth is still the most important thing.
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“What do we do when things don’t really go our way?” Batth said. “It’s fight or flight, you can cry about it, whatever. I just try to get right back up.
“There’s Xs and Os, there’s making adjustments … but so much of it is playing between your ears.”
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Score from UConn vs. Providence women’s basketball on Dec. 31, 2025.
