BROOKLYN, NY — The 2025 Shark Beauty Women’s Champions Classic brought four Women’s College Basketball powerhouse programs to the Barclays Center on Saturday, showcasing high talent and competitive play in a packed doubleheader.
No. 16 Louisville faced No. 17 Tennessee in the opener before No. 1 UConn and No. 11 Iowa closed out the afternoon.
Over 10,000 fans attended Saturday’s Shark Beauty Women’s Champions Classic at the Barclays Center – Image Credit: Simon Asher/UConn Athletics
Beyond the action on the court in Brooklyn, the event also spotlighted growing Latina representation in Women’s College Basketball, which included UConn freshman Blanca Quiñonez of Ecuador.
In the opener, a 11:00AM ET tip-off, Louisville defeated Tennessee 89-65 behind a dominant performance on the glass, out-rebounding the Lady Volunteers, 59-37.
The Cardinals were powered by a balanced scoring attack, led by Tajianna Roberts dropping 18 points as Imari Berry had 15 points and 13 rebounds, marking her first career double-double. Reyna Scott also added 12 points.
On the opposite end, the Lady Vols’ were led by Zee Spearman with 18 points and 12 rebounds, while Talaysia Cooper and Mia Pauldo contributed 14 and 10 points, respectively. The Cardinals (12-3) pulled away late from Tennessee (7-3), resulting in a lopsided loss.
In the first game of the 2025 Shark Beauty Women’s Champions Classic in Brooklyn on Saturday, No. 16 Louisville defeated No. 17 Tennessee by a final score of 89-65 – Image Credit: Kate Luffman/Tennessee Athletics
Winning each of the four all-time meetings against Tennessee, Louisville is now off and running—recording five consecutive wins and eight of their last nine.
In the final game of the doubleheader, a 1:30PM ET tip-off, No. 1 UConn beat No. 11 Iowa, 90-64. The Huskies cruised past a Hawkeyes squad playing without guard/forward Emely Rodriguez, a sophomore hailing from La Romana, Dominican Republic.
For UConn (12-0), the reigning NCAA champion of 2024-2025, Azzi Fudd scored 27 points and Sarah Strong added 23 points to the board to help secure the victory. Fudd had 21 of her 27 points in the second half.
Iowa (10-2) scored the first six points of the third quarter, but the chance of a comeback was quickly put to rest. Their scoring was led by Hannah Stuelke who finished with 17 points, five rebounds, five assists and Chazadi Wright, who contributed 16 points with four three pointers.
Freshman Blanca Quiñonez, from Milagro, Ecuador, recorded an all-around stat line for UConn—compiling 10 points, five assists, four rebounds and four steals. The six-two forward, a product of Mario Pagano Boarding School located in Campobasso, Italy, is currently averaging 10.3 points per game on 57.1% shooting from the field—with 2.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists across 10 contests. She is one of the few South American players competing at the Power Five level, making her performance even more significant for Latina representation in Women’s Basketball.
Additionally, she is the first-ever UConn player from Ecuador and South America.
Freshman forward Blanca Quiñonez, from Milagro, Ecuador, has played a massive role in UConn’s winning success this season as the Huskies stand 12-0 – Image Credit: Simon Asher/UConn Athletics
After Saturday’s victory, Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma emphasized Quiñonez’s aggressiveness, relentless attitude, and impact she’s already made on UConn as well as the difficult road she took to get there:
“She has played so much basketball that she takes it very seriously. You don’t find that very often. It’s almost like junior hockey. These kids leave home, go live somewhere else with another family, and then they come out and go to the NHL as tough guys because they know how to take care of themselves.
She left Ecuador as a teenager, went to Italy, and played with players 30 years old while taking care of herself for the most part. I think you grow up fast in that situation, and you develop a sense of urgency and purpose. She’s not playing just for the fun of it. Even though she does have fun playing, there’s a real purpose behind it.”
Fudd added to her head coach’s glowing remarks of Quiñonez, stating, “I feel like the way she plays, you can tell that she’s been playing pro basketball overseas. The moves she makes, the confidence she has, her scoring ability, she can score on anyone, anytime she wants.”
Blanca Quiñonez, the first-ever UConn player from Ecuador and South America, is averaging 10.3 points per game on 57.1% shooting from the field this season across 10 games – Image Credit: Simon Asher/UConn Athletics
For Auriemma, Fudd, Quiñonez, and the Huskies, UConn’s ongoing undefeated run is now at 28 straight games dating back to February of 2025—giving the program plenty of momentum heading into the holiday season.
Overall, both games, two top-25 ranked matchups, highlighted the depth of talent in Women’s College Basketball, with several standout performances across the Shark Beauty Women’s Champions Classic, including the valuable contribution from Quiñónez on the court.
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Sylvia Todd
December 21, 2025 at 12:10 pm
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