AP PHOTO - UConn’s KK Arnold, right, defends Iowa’s Taylor McCabe during the second half of a college basketball game Saturday in New York.

NEW YORK — Azzi Fudd scored 27 points and Sarah Strong added 23 to help No. 1 UConn beat 11th-ranked Iowa 90-64 on Saturday in the Women’s Champions Classic.

Strong also had seven rebounds and six steals for the Huskies (12-0), who remained unbeaten on the season heading into the holidays. No. 16 Louisville routed 17th-ranked Tennessee 89-65 in the opener of the doubleheader.

Strong, the sensational sophomore, dominated the first half with 20 points and five steals as UConn led 42-31.

UConn was up 22-12 after one quarter before Iowa was able to get within six in the second. Strong wouldn’t let them get closer as she scored seven points, including the first five, in a 10-2 run that gave the Huskies a 35-20 advantage midway through the quarter. On one play, Strong got a steal, then went the length of the court for a lay-in.

Iowa couldn’t get closer than nine the rest of the way as Fudd had 21 of her 27 points in the second half. UConn scored the first six points of the third quarter to put the game away.

Hannah Stuelke scored 17 points and Chazadi Wright added 16 for the Hawkeyes (10-2), who have dropped two of their last three games. The other loss came to in-state rival No. 10 Iowa State.

Iowa lost guard Kylie Feuerbach to an ankle injury in the first quarter. She didn’t return.

Up next

Iowa: Hosts Penn State on Sunday, Dec. 28.

UConn: Visits Butler on Sunday, Dec. 28.

No. 1 UConn 90, No. 11 Iowa 64

IOWA (10-2) — Stuelke 8-11 1-2 17, Heiden 4-11 0-0 8, Feuerbach 0-2 0-0 0, McCabe 1-2 0-0 3, Wright 6-12 0-0 16, Hays 1-4 3-4 5, Deal 1-2 0-0 2, Houston 1-1 0-0 2, Levin 0-0 0-0 0, Mallegni 0-0 0-0 0, Stremlow 3-6 2-2 11. TOTALS 25-51 6-8 64.

UCONN (12-0) — Strong 10-18 0-0 23, Williams 3-6 1-2 7, Arnold 2-4 1-2 7, Fudd 11-24 0-0 27, Shade 2-4 0-0 5, Patterson 0-0 0-0 0, Quiñonez 4-5 1-1 10, El Alfy 0-0 0-0 0, Fisher 1-2 0-0 2, Heckel 1-2 0-0 2, Ziebell 2-4 2-2 7. TOTALS 36-69 5-7 90.

Iowa 12 19 13 20 — 64

UConn 22 20 23 25 — 90

3-Point Goals–Iowa 8-17 (Feuerbach 0-2, McCabe 1-2, Wright 4-8, Stremlow 3-5), UConn 13-29 (Strong 3-9, Arnold 2-2, Fudd 5-13, Shade 1-1, Quiñonez 1-2, Ziebell 1-2). Assists–Iowa 19 (Stuelke 5), UConn 22 (Arnold 6). Fouled Out–None. Rebounds–Iowa 34 (Heiden 6), UConn 25 (Strong 7). Total Fouls–Iowa 9, UConn 10. A–10,107.