Judging by the final score, you wouldn’t know that the UConn Huskies women’s basketball team didn’t play its collective best game. They had their moments but when you allow 11 three-point field goals, you know the defense wasn’t up to the standards of head coach Geno Auriemma.
Maya Moore led the way with 20 points in her last regular season game at the XL Center as the Huskies beat the Seton Hall Pirates 80-59 in front of 11,249 on Tuesday night.
The No. 1/1 Huskies move to 27-1 (14-0 Big East) on the season. The Pirates fall to 8-10 (1-13).
Moore also added six rebounds and five assists. Bria Hartley had another fine game as she had 17 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals. Stefanie Dolson continued her improved play with 14 points, five rebounds and two assists. Tiffany Hayes rounded out the Huskies in double digits with 10 points and added six rebounds and four assists.
Kelly Faris led UConn with 11 rebounds and six assists to go along with her five points.
Freshman Jazzmine Johnson led the Pirates with 14 points. Brittany Morris had 12 points while Jasmine Crew, Seton Hall’s leading scorer, had 11 points.
The Huskies came out running as they got out to an early 10-2 lead. The Pirates would work the lead down to six at 14-8 before a 9-0 burst by the Huskies pushed the lead to 15 points. The Pirates then used the three to cut the lead back to nine three times over the remainder of the half but still found themselves in a 38-27 hole at the half.
Any chance of the Pirates coming back was quickly put the rest as the Huskies played their best basketball of the game with an 18-2 run. The Pirates never got it closer than 19 points and that came in garbage time.
Certainly not UConn’s best effort as they definitely didn’t have the same intensity they did on Saturday against Notre Dame. These things happen at times and it’s probably best they get it out of their system before the Big East Tournament and NCAA Tournament. That’s when they’ll need their “A” game on a nightly basis.
The Huskies can clinch at least a share of the Big East title with a win over the Georgetown Hoyas on Saturday afternoon in Washington, DC. Game time is scheduled for 3 p.m. and the game will be locally televised on CPTV.
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Notes and musings:
Seton Hall Pirates @ UConn Huskies 2.22.11 box score
Here are some quotes from UConn head coach Geno Auriemma, Maya Moore, Bria Hartley, Stefanie Dolson and Seton Hall head coach Anne Donovan.
The starters for the Huskies were Bria Hartley, Tiffany Hayes, Kelly Faris, Maya Moore and Stefanie Dolson.
This was UConn’s 77th straight home win.
Maya Moore has now scored in double figures 140 times in her career.
UConn shot 42.9% (27-63) from the floor while Seton Hall shot 38.3% (23-60).
The Huskies had an astonishing 22 assists on their 27 made baskets.
UConn was 20-of-24 (83.3%) from the charity stripe.
The Huskies were 6-of-20 (30%) beyond the three-point arc. Seton Hall was 11-of-22 (50%). The 11 three-pointers by the Pirates were the most allowed by the Huskies this season.
UConn won the battle of the boards 42-33.
The Huskies outscored the Pirates 36-12 in the paint, 14-4 on the fast break and 18-7 on second chance points.
UConn had 20 points off of 12 Seton Hall turnovers. The Pirates had five points off of five Huskies turnovers.
Photo credits: John Woike – Hartford Courant (No. 15, No. 9)
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