Huskies Tame Fighting Irish as Five Score in Double Figures
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STORRS, CT (February 23, 2003) -- Diana Taurasi (Chino,
CA) scored 13 points to lead five Huskies in double figures as top-ranked and
unbeaten Connecticut raced past Notre Dame, 77-59, Sunday afternoon before a
sellout crowd of 10,167 at the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion.
The win, Connecticut’s 65th in a row, improves
their record to a spotless 26-0, 13-0 in the BIG EAST conference. The Irish
drop to 15-9 overall, 7-6 in the loop.
UConn bolted out to a 10-2 lead behind consecutive
three-pointers by Ann Strother (Castle Rock, CO). However, Notre Dame rallied
to tie the contest at 28 apiece with 1:29 to play in the opening stanza on a
lay-up by Teresa Borton (17 first half points on six of seven shooting). The
Huskies scored the final five points of the half on a three-point play by
Willnett Crockett (Harbor City, CA) and a lay-up by Jessica Moore (Palmer, AK).
Connecticut turned up the defensive pressure at the outset
of the second half, forcing the Irish into four consecutive turnovers. Morgan
Valley (Colchester, VT) had three steals in that sequence. UConn converted to
score the first six points of the half and were never seriously threatened the
rest of the way.
The Huskies had a remarkably balanced offensive attack.
Scoring in double figures besides Taurasi were Crockett with 12, Strother and
Maria Conlon (Derby, CT), who each scored 11, and Moore, who chipped in with
10. Barbara Turner (Cleveland, OH) and Ashley Battle (Pittsburgh, PA) had nine
and eight points respectively for Connecticut. Turner led the Huskies with 13
rebounds. Strother had six of UConn’s 23 assists.
UConn took excellent control of the ball, committing just
10 turnovers, including just one in the final 10:21. They shot 44% (30 of 68)
for the game, and hit 50% (19 of 38) after intermission.
Borton led Notre Dame with a game-high 21 points, while
Jacqueline Batteast yanked down a game-high 18 rebounds.
Connecticut will return to action on Wednesday, February
26, when they travel to our nation’s capital to face league foe Georgetown at
8:00 p.m. The game will be televised by CPTV.
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