UCONN Women Cool Off The Boilermakers

Behind Renee Montgomery’s 26 points, the UCONN Women defeated the Purdue Boilermakers 66-55. Montgomery’s 26 points tied her career high and was the only scorer in double figures for the Huskies. Charde Houston added 9 pts, Mel Thomas 8 pts, and Tina Charles added 6 pts in limited minutes.

The game was close early until Ketia Swanier came in and sparked the Huskies on a 10-3 run hitting a 3 pointer and dishing out a nice assist to Tina Charles. Brittany Hunter played well for the Huskies adding some much needed post presence with Tina Charles looking like a deer in headlights during the game. Mel Thomas didn’t have her usual scoring game tonight but was tremendous on defense playing all 40 minutes and holding Purdue’s best player, Katie Geralds, to 4 points on 2 of 18 shooting.

UCONN committed 26 turnovers tonight while forcing 24. They will need to improve on this before they start to play the better teams. Teams like UNC and Tennessee, who they face later in the year, will eat them up if they continue to play sloppy basketball. Overall, a good win for the Huskies tonight. Coach Geno Auriemma is now 7 wins from 600 in his career. Next up for the Huskies is a road game on Monday night Dec 4th at Holy Cross.

Notes and Observations:

• UCONN Coach Geno Auriemma was honored before the game with two banners celebrating his being named to the Basketball Hall of Fame and also to the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
• The starters are Montgomery, Thomas, Greene, Charles, and Houston.
• Purdue has started the game with a 7-2 run after a few turnovers by Mel Thomas and Renee Montgomery.
• Score at 1st TV timeout: Purdue 9 UCONN 4
• Renee Montgomery has the first six points for UCONN
• Mel Thomas came into the game shooting 63% from 3 point land and didn’t disappoint hitting her first 3 of the night.
• Score at 2nd TV timeout: Purdue 13 UCONN 11
• Kaili McClaren just showed some range hitting a shot from behind the foul line to tie the game at 13.
• Ketia Swanier is doing her best Doug Wiggins from last night’s game impression as she has led UCONN to 5 straight points including a 3 of her own during the middle of a 10-3 UCONN run.
• Score at 3rd tv timeout: UCONN 18 Purdue 16
• Nice steal by Mel Thomas that leads to a basket by Renee Montgomery who was fouled on the play to put the Huskies up 21-18
• Mel Thomas’ hustle and Renee Montomgery’s quick thinking on a pass to Tina Charles puts the lead up to 27-18. They are in the midst of a 22-5 run.
• Score at the last TV timeout of the half: UCONN 29 Purdue 18
• UCONN ends the half up 35-20. Renee Montgomery has 16 of UCONN’s 35 points.
• Purdue has started the half with a 5-0 run to cut the lead to 10 pts.
• Score at the 1st TV timeout of the second half: UCONN 40 Purdue 28.
• Renee Montgomery has picked up her third foul with 15:41 to play.
• UCONN and Purdue both committed 16 turnovers tonight with 12 mins to go. Score at the 2nd TV timeout. UCONN 46 Purdue 32.
• UCONN’s defense, Mel Thomas in particular, have frustrated Purdue’s leading scorer Katie Geralds into 1 for 13 shooting so far.
• Purdue is in the midst of a 8-0 run to cut the lead to 7 with 9 minutes to play.
• Score at the 3rd TV timeout: UCONN 50 Purdue 43.
• Renee Montgomery’s old fashioned 3 point play has temporarily stopped the bleeding to put UCONN up 10 with 7:50 to go.
• I’m beginning to wonder if Tina Charles’ shoulder has acted up because I don’t think I have seen her at all this half.
• Mel Thomas’ first shot of the second half was good for another 3 pointer to put UCONN up 10 with 4:31 to play.
• Score at the last TV timeout (2:42 to go): UCONN 60 Purdue 50.
• There are a few WNBA scouts in attendance tonight to look at a few of the Purdue seniors. UCONN has no seniors this year. Also former UCONN guard, Ann Strother, is in the crowd.
• UCONN has hit their last 4 foul shots to go up 13 with 30 seconds left. Of course I just jinxed them.
• Final score: UCONN 66 Purdue 55