Storrs — UConn coach Geno Auriemma called Paige Bueckers’ performance Sunday a “frame of mind.”

Bueckers scored 27 points on 12-for-14 shooting — a perfect 8-for-8 in the first half — to lead the second-ranked Huskies past Division II Fort Hayes State 89-49 in an exhibition game Sunday at Gampel Pavilion.

“This is kind of what Paige wants to do, exactly what she did today,” Auriemma said of the two-time All-American and former national player of the year. “That’s exactly how she wants to play.”

As for everything else, that’s why they play exhibition games, Auriemma said.

Freshmen Sarah Strong and Allie Ziebell made their debut in a UConn uniform as did graduate transfer Kaitlyn Chen and redshirt freshman Jana El Alfy, while the Huskies had six players who did not play due to injury.

Bueckers added nine rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal in 27 minutes. Ashlynn Shade finished with 15 points and four steals for the Huskies, Chen had 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists, Qadence Samuels 12 points and five rebounds and Strong 11 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals.

“The reason you play exhibition games is to kind of get out in public for the first time,” Auriemma said. “So you expect your veteran players to play like veterans and you expect your young players to be a little bit nervous in the beginning.”

UConn, which opens the regular season Thursday at the XL Center, facing Boston University, started the exhibition game with a lineup of Bueckers, Chen, Ice Brady, Shade and Strong.

The Huskies led just 15-11 after the first quarter, shooting 1-for-7 from 3-point range, but finished the half on a 17-0 run to lead 42-17, getting 3s during that stretch from Ziebell, Shade and Bueckers.

Bueckers missed her first shot of the second half, a driving layup on which she was well-defended, and missed a 3-pointer a short time later, clapping her hands in disappointment.

But Bueckers was hardly finished. Midway through the third quarter, she zipped a behind-the-back pass to Strong at the top of the key, with Strong throwing it to her left to Chen, who found Shade for a 3-pointer that made the score 53-23.

“I think it took us a little time to start getting into the groove of things,” said Chen, who played previously at Princeton. “It’s our first time playing in front of a crowd, so I think we were all sort of a little jittery, anxious to sort of just get out there. Once nerves settled in, I feel like we did a really good job of executing our stuff and picking up where we left off in practice the last few days.”

“You do have to have something that’s a constant,” Auriemma said. “When you have a young team like we do, you have to have some stability somewhere to help carry the rest of the group. I do think Paige is that. I do think Kaitlyn is that. Knowing that those two have played a lot of basketball and been in a lot of different scenarios can help those younger guys.”

Strong, a 6-foot-2 forward, is the former national high school player of the year from Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina. She finished her high school career at Grace Christian with 2,302 points, 1,628 rebounds and 41 straight victories.

Strong attended Sunday’s postgame press conference and answered a few questions softly. Auriemma believes she’ll be less reluctant as she gains experience.

“There’s a lot that she hesitates on, passes up a lot of shots, I think,” Auriemma said. “But I think you can see the plays that she makes. She’s a play-maker both for herself and for other people.

“I think sometimes when you watch freshmen play, you start to see tendencies and instincts and she’s got terrific instincts. As each game goes by, she’ll be less hesitant. I believe that because that’s what I’ve seen from her in the past. There’s no denying her talent and her ability to impact at both ends.”

v.fulkerson@theday.com