University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies Cruise Through NCAA First Round
3/16/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
STORRS, CT (March 16) - After shaking off the rust from a 10-day layoff, the No. 1 seeded University of Connecticut women's basketball team scored the game's first 10 points en route to a 86-37 win over 16th-seeded St. Francis (PA) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Gampel Pavilion.
Senior forward Asjha Jones (Piscataway, NJ) got the Huskies rolling by netting eight of her game-high 18 points during the opening run. St. Francis missed its first nine shots from the floor and didn't get on the scoreboard until a free throw from Karen Hewitt made the score 10-1 with 14:31 to play.
The Huskies blew the game open midway through the first half with a 25-5 run that was capped by a three-pointer from freshman forward Ashley Battle (Pittsburgh, PA) to make it 43-13 with 4:33 to play in the stanza. Connecticut led by as many as 36 in the first before heading into the intermission with a 53-18 lead.
UConn kept up its intensity in the second half and never led by less than 35. Senior Swin Cash (McKeesport, PA) scored seven of her 17 points after the break and grabbed 11 rebounds for her 14th double-double of the season. Battle finished with 12 points and was one rebound shy of her second double-double of the season.
Senior Sue Bird (Syosset, NY) and sophomore Diana Taurasi (Chino, CA) each finished with seven points apiece. Bird also had four assists while Taurasi dished out seven assists and had three steals. Tonjee Ward led the way for St. Francis with 15 points.
The Huskies held a 46-25 advantage on the glass and outscored the Red Flash 48-8 in the paint. Connecticut shot 56 percent from the field for the game while St. Francis finished at 26 percent.
UConn improved its record to 34-0 overall while St. Francis ended the season with a 19-12 mark. The Huskies will face ninth-seeded Iowa in the second round on Monday at 9 p.m. The Hawkeyes advanced with a 69-62 win over eighth-seeded Virginia earlier in the day.
