University of Connecticut Athletics
Top-Ranked Huskies Cruise Past Ukraine in Exhibition, 89-35
11/18/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
 Ukraine's Tatume Brown tries to take control of the ball from Connecticut's Tamika Williams, during the first half of an exhibition game Saturday.(AP Photo/Steve Miller) |
STORRS, Conn. (AP) -- Top-ranked Connecticut tuned up for its upcoming West Coast swing with an 89-35 rout Saturday over an overmatched Ukraine team.
The Huskies kept Dynamo Kiev off the scoreboard for the first seven minutes. Waves of substitutes from UConn's deep and talented bench held the visitors to under 20 percent shooting in the first half.
Swin Cash led the UConn with 15 points. Shea Ralph had 14. UConn outrebounded the Ukraine team 52-34, led by Svetlana Abrosimova's nine boards.
The Huskies were coming off a 99-70 win over No. 3 Georgia, and returned with the same intensity when they took the floor against Dyanamo Kiev, a team that gave up 144 points to Tennessee earlier this month.
"We approach every game like it would be the game to end our season," said Ralph.
Point guard Sue Bird set the tone immediately, turning an easy steal into an easy layup. She had seven of UConn's first 11 points.
With less than six minutes gone, coach Geno Auriemma subbed in his second stringers, who had the same results. In eight minutes of work in the first half, freshman Diana Taursi had six points, three assists and two steals. UConn shot 55 percent to take a 52-14 lead at the break.
 Connecticut's Swin Cash takes the ball to the net against Ukraine's Tatume Brown.(AP Photo/Steve Miller) |
The Huskies stumbled a bit in the second half, shooting just 39 percent, but the damage had been done.
Sophomore Kennitra Johnson made her first appearance of the season after emerging from Auriemma's doghouse. The point guard sat out the first two games for not meeting preseason physical and academic goals, Auriemma said.
"The ball's in her court right now," said Auriemma. "She has to now take the opportunity and make the most of it. She's a good kid. I don't have any doubt that she won't."
Johnson played 15 minutes and had one assists and said she learned from the experience.
"It's good to be back out there. It seemed like forever, but it always seems like forever when you aren't playing," said Johnson.
The Huskies may have gained a point guard, but lost a center for two weeks. Senior Kelly Schumacher, who set an NCAA record with nine blocks in last season's national championship, is nursing a stress fracture in her right foot.
The Huskies compensated by filling the middle with more muscle. Starting forwards Asjha Jones and Cash were backed up Tamika Williams, Ashley Battle and Morgan Valley. Battle finished with 12 points and eight rebounds.
UConn returns to regular season play Tuesday at Pepperdine. The Huskies will then play at Washington on Friday.
"This trip is to get on the road, get some of our young kids accustomed to traveling with us, get the routine down and all the distractions and hoopla that goes with it," said Auriemma.
