UConn faced Marquette on New Year’s Eve at a sold-out XL Center and beat the Golden Eagles 95-64.

After the game, Marquette coach Megan Duffy, the former Notre Dame point guard and UConn rival, credited the explosive Huskies for their dynamic.

“Just a lot of firepower and a lot of athleticism. ... I just think the pace that they can go on runs quickly is what’s really taken shape for them,” Duffy said.

Eighth-ranked UConn (16-3 overall, 8-0 Big East) is now in the midst of a 12-game winning streak, the streak it had already begun last time it faced Marquette. And the Huskies travel to Milwaukee for another matchup with the Golden Eagles (15-3, 4-3) at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Al McGuire Center (SNY).

UConn, second in the nation in field goal percentage (.517) is outscoring Big East opponents by an average of 34.6 points per game.

The Huskies will take a break from conference play when they return from Marquette to play Notre Dame at 8 p.m. Saturday at sold-out Gampel Pavilion, the second of three straight sellouts at home for UConn.

UConn is led by Paige Bueckers with 19.8 points per game, Aaliyah Edwards with 16.7 points and 8.1 rebounds and Nika Muhl with 6.2 assists.

Ashlynn Shade was named Big East Freshman of the Week for the third straight week Monday and the fifth time this season after averaging 13.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.0 steals. She had a team-high 21 points and a personal-best seven rebounds in Saturday’s victory over DePaul.

“We’ve kind of gotten accustomed to spurts where she just does what she does,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said Saturday of Shade. “That’s who she is.

“You recruit a kid who’s a scorer and they come to college and you want them to kind of ‘This is who I am, this is what I do.’ ... I like the fact that she’s aggressive. The more that can be encouraged the better.”

Marquette, which is receiving votes in the Associated Press Top 25, is led by Liza Karlen with 17.5 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.

— Vickie Fulkerson