Huskies Clinch Outright BIG EAST Regular Season Title Despite Loss at Villanova
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VILLANOVA, PA (February 28) – Despite dropping a 59-56 decision at the
hands of Villanova, the No. 1/1 Connecticut women’s basketball
team clinched the outright 2004 BIG EAST regular season title on
Saturday night at the Pavilion in Philadelphia, Pa. The Huskies
clinched their 11th consecutive and 14th overall BIG EAST title in the program's history.
Senior All-American Diana Taurasi became the first player in UConn women’s
basketball history to notch 2,000 career points and 600 career assists. Taurasi
ended the night with eight points and four assists to push her current career
total to an even 2,000 points and 601 assists.
UConn had its season-best 12-game win streak snapped in the loss while Villanova
remained undefeated at 12-0 on its home floor. The Huskies record drops to
23-3 overall and 13-2 in the BIG EAST, while the Wildcats improve to 21-5
overall and hold an 11-4 record in league action.
Villanova beat Connecticut for the second time in as many meetings, including
last year’s stunning Wildcat victory in the championship game of the 2003 BIG
EAST Tournament.
Connecticut had not lost back-to-back games vs. a BIG EAST
opponent since January 1 5,
1993 and February 14, 1993 against Miami.
UConn led most of the game and maintained the lead with three-minutes left in
regulation. Jackie Adamshick hit a 3-pointer with 3:05 left for the 54-52
Villanova lead. Taurasi tied the score with 2:47 remaining but the Huskies could
never regain the lead. Suez hit a jumper with 56 seconds left, then along with Adamshick combined for three free throws
down the stretch to cap the victory.
Taurasi had one last chance as she dashed the length of the court with 3.8
seconds remaining and hoisted a three, which rimmed out of the basket, from five
feet beyond the arc as time expired.
UConn sophomore Barbara Turner scored a game-high 25 points, including 3-of-4
shooting from 3-point range. Turner was the only
Husky to score in double-figures. Sophomore
Ann Strother added nine points.
Suez was unstoppable in the second half as she finished a perfect 8-for-8 from the floor. After
scoring only three first-h alf
points, she posted 20 in the second and sealed the victory with her only
two free throw attempts of the night in the final seconds of the game.
Villanova was red hot in the second half, shooting 70 percent from the field
while out-scoring the Huskies 36-27 over that span.
For only the third time this season,
Connecticut did not lead the points in the paint battle, as they finished tied
with the Wildcats 16-16, and now stand 0-3 in games that they have not led in
that category.
UConn held a 29-23 lead at halftime and opened its largest lead of the game at eight points
at 38-30 early in the second half.
UConn will host West Virginia on Tuesday, March 2 for "Senior Night"
beginning at 7:30 p.m. (ET) at Gampel Pavilion. The UConn-West Virginia
clash will be televised live on CPTV.
POST GAME NOTES:
- UConn clinched its 11th straight and 14th overall BIG EAST regular season
title
- Senior All-American Diana Taurasi became the first player in UConn women’s
basketball history to notch 2,000 career points and 600 career assists.
- UConn’s 12-game win streak was snapped
- For the third time this season, Connecticut did not lead in points in the
paint and is now 0-3 in those games.
- UConn’s last back-to-back loss to an opponent was to Tennessee on January
3, 1998 and January 10, 1999.
- UConn's last back-to-back losses vs. a BIG EAST opponent came on Feb. 15,
1994 and Feb. 14, 1993 vs. Miami.
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