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College Hoops Fans Were in Awe of UConn Beating Arkansas State by Almost 70 Points

An absolute beatdown.

Josh Wilson

Bueckers scored 11 points in the huge win.
Bueckers scored 11 points in the huge win. / David Butler II-Imagn Images
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The UConn Huskies made clear that they should not be doubted in the NCAA tournament when they put up 103 points in their opening game against the Arkansas State Red Wolves. Even more impressive was the margin of victory: A whopping 69 points.

Four Huskies scored in double digits, and the defense was on point, holding Arkansas State to single digits in two quarters. Final score: UConn 103, Arkansas State 34.

Even the most optimistic of UConn fans had their jaws on the floor after this one:

Next up for UConn is the winner of Oklahoma State vs. South Dakota State. Last season, the Huskies lost in the semifinal round, and they haven't been to the final since 2022. They'll look to get back and dethrone South Carolina, the proverbial favorites as the defending champions. The earliest UConn could face the Gamecocks is in the final, certainly one of the preferred matchups by fans.

The biggest test for UConn could be No. 6, Iowa (possible Sweet 16) and No. 1 USC (possible Elite Eight). It's not an easy path, but UConn is off on the right foot.

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Josh Wilson
JOSH WILSON

Josh Wilson is the news director of the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in 2024, he worked for FanSided in a variety of roles, most recently as senior managing editor of the brand’s flagship site. He has also served as a general manager of Sportscasting, the sports arm of a start-up sports media company, where he oversaw the site’s editorial and business strategy. Wilson has a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from SUNY Cortland and a master’s in accountancy from the Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois. He loves a good nonfiction book and enjoys learning and practicing Polish. Wilson lives in Chicago but was raised in upstate New York. He spent most of his life in the Northeast and briefly lived in Poland, where he ate an unhealthy amount of pastries for six months.

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