Stewart scores 25 points to lead No. 2 UConn women to 98-64 rout of No. 25 DePaul

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — Breanna Stewart scored 25 points and No. 2 UConn returned from a 13-day break to rout No. 25 DePaul 98-64 on Friday night.

Kia Nurse had 19 points and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis added 16 points and nine rebounds for UConn (7-1). Morgan Tuck and Gabby Williams each had 14 points.

Brittany Hrynko led DePaul (7-4) with 17 points. Jessica January and Megan Rogowski each added 13 points.

UConn held the Blue Demons 27 points under their season average.

The game was tied at 24 before UConn switched to a zone defense and went on a 12-0 run. The Huskies led by 20 at halftime and stretched the lead from there.

DePaul hit its first six shots from the floor, and didn't miss until a jumper by January fell off the side of the rim 5 minutes into the game.

But the Blue Demons finished the first half 13 of 32 from the floor.

UConn scored the first five points of the second half and DePaul didn't challenge again.

Stewart left the game with just under 7 minutes remaining and UConn holding a 27-point lead after giving fans a scare by grabbing her knee after a collision. She popped up a few seconds later and walked off the court.

This was DePaul's third loss this season against a top-five team. The Blue Demons fell to Texas A&M in their season opener, and lost to Notre Dame in overtime. Their other loss came to Chicago-rival Northwestern in two overtimes.

UConn had not played a game since beating Notre Dame on Dec. 6, getting an extended break for final exams.

DePaul came in ranked third in the nation in scoring, putting up 91.5 points per game and was averaging 10 baskets a game from 3-point range. The Blue Demons were 6 of 27 from behind the arc on Friday.

TIP-INS:

UConn: The Huskies have played 12 times at Bridgeport's Webster Bank Arena, 10 of them during the NCAA tournament. The Huskies improved to 11-1 here, and 2-0 in regular-season games after beating Temple 80-36 last season.

DePaul: DePaul falls to 1-12 against UConn. The Blue Demons only win in the series came in the first meeting between the two programs, back in 1983.

UP NEXT:

UConn: The Huskies will play UCLA on Sunday at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville.