University of Connecticut Athletics
No. 1/1 Women's Basketball Bounces Pitt 95-42
2/15/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Senior Renee Montgomery (St. Albans, W. Va.) led the Huskies in their opening run, netting seven of UConn’s 22 points. During that time span, Pittsburgh committed five turnovers as the Huskies scored eight points off those mistakes. The Panthers also shot just 1-of-7 from the floor to give the Huskies the dominating 19-point advantage.
The Huskies improve to a perfect 25-0 on the season, the fifth time doing so since the 1994-95 season. Pittsburgh drops to 18-5 on the year and 8-3 in the BIG EAST, while UConn moves to an impressive 11-0 in the conference.
Three players posted double-doubles in today’s BIG EAST victory as Maya Moore (Lawrenceville, Ga.) led the way recording 18 points and 12 rebounds for her fourth consecutive double-double and her team-leading 14th this season.
Following Moore was junior Tina Charles (Jamaica, N.Y.) with 18 points and 11 boards, while Kalana Greene (Saine Stephen, S.C.) netted 11 points and pulled down 11 rebounds.
UConn dominated the first half of play as the Huskies shot .448 (13-of-29) from the floor as Montgomery scored 15 points. The Panthers shot just .235 (8-of-34) in the first frame and gave the Huskies 22 opportunities on the free throw line as they connected on 18 of those attempts.
Freshman Tiffany Hayes (Lakeland, Fla.), who saw limited playing time in the first half after picking up three quick fouls in the first four minutes of the contest, came out in the second half shooting 4-of-7 from the floor, including 2-of-3 from behind the arc, to net 12 of her 15 points.
Montgomery had yet another stellar outing for the Huskies as she recorded a game-high 20 points for her second straight contest with 20 of more points and her eighth this season.
Moore, who added three steals and four assists to her numbers, scored in double-figures for the 25th time this season and the 61st time in 63 career games.
Meghan Gardler (Springfield, Pa.) came off the bench for the Huskies and scored a season-high seven points as she was perfect from the floor and free throw line. Lorin Dixon (Springfield Gardens, N.Y.) tied her season-high with six assists on the afternoon.
The Huskies took their largest lead of the game with 1:26 left on the clock as they went up by 53 and clinched the victory. UConn’s 95 total points were also the most points allowed by the Pittsburgh defense this season.
After today’s win, UConn is 89-2 in its last 91 games at Gampel Pavilion as the Huskies improve to 19-6 all-time at home against the Panthers. The Huskies have not lost to the Panthers on their home court since Jan. 7, 1988.
The Huskies return to the road for a game at BIG EAST opponent Providence on Wednesday, Feb. 18 beginning at 7:00 p.m. at Alumni Gym.
SCOREBOARD 1st 2nd Final 19/23 Pittsburgh 21 21 42 1/1 Connecticut 47 48 95
Postgame Notes
- UConn is 6-0 at Gampel Pavilion this season.
- The Huskies lead the all-time series with Pittsburgh 37-9, and have won the last 24 meetings.
- UConn is 20-6 all-time at home against Pittsburgh.
- UConn has won 126 of its last 134 games against ranked opponents.
- The Huskies are a perfect 4-0 this season against ranked opponents.
- UConn has started 25-0 for the fifth time since 1994-95.
- The Huskies are 11-0 in Big East play for the eighth time since 1994-95.
- UConn is 90-2 in its last 92 games at Gampel Pavilion.
- UConn’s 25-0 start to the 2008-09 season marks its best start since starting 31-0 in 2002-03.
- Connecticut has won 33 consecutive regular season games.
- The Huskies have won 36 consecutive regular-season home games, the nation’s longest active streak.
- UConn has won its last 22 BIG EAST Conference home games.
- The Huskies are 275-11 at home since the 1993-94 season.
- UConn is 126-8 in its last 134 games vs. BIG EAST opponents in the regular season.
- The Huskies are 188-97 in games played during February and 19 of their last 20 during the month.
- Connecticut is 218-11 all-time when playing as the nation’s No.1 ranked team in the AP Top 25.
- UConn started the game on a 22-3 run through the first 5:51 of the game.
-Connecticut is 134-53 all-time vs. AP Top 25 teams.
- UConn is 72-18 in nationally televised contests, including 7-0 this season.
- UConn is 144-2 in its last 146 BIG EAST home games.
- UConn has made at least one 3-point field goal in 243 consecutive games.
- Tina Charles’ 18 points moved her past Sue Bird (1,378 points) into 22nd on the Huskies all-time scoring list. Her current total is 1,393 points.
- Renee Montgomery’s 20 points marked her 11th consecutive game with double-figure points and her 23rd this season.
- Tina Charles’ 18 points marked her 21st game this season with double-figure points.
- UConn has won its last 62 games in which it has scored at least 80 points.
- UConn has won its last 25 games played at Gampel Pavilion.
- Maya Moore’s 18 points and 12 rebounds marked her fourth consecutive double-double and her team-leading 14th this season.
- UConn’s 53 point margin of victory marked its 14th victory this season by a 30-point margin and its ninth of 40 or more points.
- Today’s game marked the 12th this season in which UConn did not trail.
- Renee Montgomery’s 20 points marked her second straight game with 20 or more points and her eighth this season.
- Kalana Greene’s 11 points and 11 rebounds marked her first double-double since March 24, 2007 vs. NC State in the Fresno Regional Semifinals.
- UConn’s 95 points marked the most allowed by Pittsburgh this season.
- Tiffany Hayes’ 15 points marked her 12th game this season with double-figure points.
- UConn had five players with double-figure points for the 11th time in 25 games. They had at least five players score in double-figures seven times in 38 games last season.
- The Huskies scored at least 90 points for the ninth time this season through 25 games. They accomplished this feat eight times in 38 games last season.
- The Huskies have beaten four opponents ranked in the AP Top 25 this season by an average margin of 34.8 points per game.
- Maya Moore scored in double-figures for the 25th time this season and the 61st time in 63 career games.
- Tina Charles’ 18 points and 11 rebounds marked her seventh game this season with a double-double and the 32nd of her career.
- UConn had three players finish the game with a double-double (Maya Moore 18 pts/12 rebs, Tina Charles 18 pts/11 rebs, and Kalana Greene 11pts/11 rebs) for the second time this season. They also did it against Oklahoma on November 30, 2008.
-The last time UConn had three players finish a game with a double-double before this season was on February 6, 2007 against Rutgers. (Charde Houston 16 pts/11 rebs, Tina Charles 15 pts/10 rebs, and Kalana Greene 15 pts/10 rebs).
Postgame Quotes
University of Connecticut
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Head Coach Geno
Talk about what it was like to have Renee Montgomery added to the Huskies of Honor.
“You know, it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. To recognize somebody while they are still playing, because it’s so hard to get them back here once they leave, and they get to share it with the people they play with and the fans that watch them play. I decided that I wanted to do it, and I would have done it senior night, but it’s not here…this was the last weekend game at Gampel, so it’s when it fit best. I’ve wanted to do it for other players and couldn’t do it, so this is the first one since we’ve had that opportunity, Renee’s the first one, and I wanted to make sure I took advantage of it.”
Can you talk about the rebounding? They came in as the leading rebounding team in the BIG EAST.
“There have been times when I remember getting out rebounded and winning by a lot, because we were just that good. I don’t know that we can win a lot of games if we get out rebounded. We don’t have enough scorers to compensate for that…when you’re playing a team that really rebounds well, we made a big point of emphasis this week, and we talked about how it has to be a group effort and it has to be at both ends of the floor. It can’t just be one sided.”
Can you talk about the focus and the success that you’ve had against the four ranked teams this season?
“This will come back to haunt me, but I think we’ve got a couple players on our team that live for big games. They want to play in these kind of games, they look forward to it, and they prepare for these kind of games every day in practice. There’s other kinds of games that come along the way that you have to play in, but these are the games that they prepare for every day in practice.”
Senior
Can you talk about what this honor means to you?
“It is hard to describe. I think the way in which I received it made it more special than what it would have meant originally. I had no idea that I was getting it, Kalana (Greene) did an amazing job of keeping it a secret for weeks and my family was here. I first realized that it was for me after coach had to tell me three times to come up there and I had no idea what he was talking about. I was like no, no, no, you go ahead and honor Kay Yow and he told me to come up there. When I went up there, I was like oh my goodness this is for me and my family was not there. First he told me my family couldn’t make it and he was so sorry but then he was like just kidding, turn around and I saw my family walking out. I think that was the best part of receiving it.”
Can you talk about the day that you had?
“This was a great game and I was happy that we played well, which made it better. It was just all around a great day. I went through so many emotions today.”
Do you believe this is the greatest accomplishment you can receive because you have not even graduated yet?
“Definitely, that’s why I knew it wasn’t for me. I couldn’t believe it and now everyday when we practice I will see it up there. I think it will give you some motivation to see that you have accomplished some thing and still have goals. I want to get a national championship. Seeing it up there everyday will remind me that I have not gotten everything that I wanted. It is a tremendous honor and I think it is the best honor you can receive.”
What did coach tell you after?
“He said we got you didn’t we, that was the first thing he said. I said that I couldn’t believe it but he said that I deserved it. It was just a very special moment.”
Junior
Were you involved with helping surprise Renee [Montgomery]?
“Well, Renee’s mom can’t hold secrets for long and so a couple of weeks ago, she called me. I saw a West Virginia number and I was like, ‘Who is this?’ I called her back and she was like, ‘I need some help. We’re honoring Renee at the Pittsburgh game. I need some tickets and you can’t tell her. It’s a surprise.’ I’m like, ‘Okay’, but she wasn’t supposed to tell me. The next day [program aide] Sarah Darras and Coach called me into the office and said, ‘We need your help,’ and I was like, ‘I already know what you’re talking to me about.’ It was special. She’s done a lot of great things here and I’m happy to be a part of it. I’m pretty sure she can’t trust me anymore, but oh well.”
Did you have a hard time keeping it a secret?
“Renee’s one of the nosiest people. She has her nose everywhere, so to keep anything from her for that amount of time for three weeks is like a long time for Renee not to figure something out. I was scrambling, running around trying to find tickets. I mean it’s special, being that the secret wasn’t broken and her family being able to be here for it is great.”
On bouncing back from the St. John’s game and guarding Shavonte Zellous;
“I know I let my team down against St. John’s. I just had a night where I didn’t contribute at all defensively or offensively. I just wanted to come out tonight and get it started on defense, do the little things and I knew it would turn into big things. I just wanted to defend and rebound the entire night.”
Sophomore
On the team’s rebounding:
“I’m very proud of the way we came out and rebounded. Coach made it known about their success in rebounding, how we were really going to have to work and put a body on people. I think it was kind of easy to be motivated, to come out and to rebound with them because of the way we performed against St. John’s. Rebounding is one of those things that just takes heart and I think everybody showed up and played hard today.”
How does this team continue to not take any possessions off especially when you’re up 40?
“Well, I think you have those moments there where we have like a few stretches where we may get a little bit out of it, but I think it just comes down to our communication like Renee said. When we’re talking to each other, when we’re focused, when we’re on the same page, we get out of those little lulls pretty quick. It’s something that we practice. I think that the intensity level from the tip to the end of the game is maintained pretty high. When the intensity level’s high like that, you shouldn’t expect any drop offs.”
What does Kalana bring to the team when she plays like she did tonight?
“I think it just deflates the other team. You feel like, ‘We stopped Renee, we stopped Maya, Tina [Charles] didn’t score,’ and then Kalana hits an and-one or gets a monster offensive rebound. You know, what do you do with that? She makes our team that much more of a threat.”
University of Pittsburgh
Head Coach Agnus Berenato
Opening Statement:
“I just think UConn is really good. I think they are awesome. I was disappointed in that we didn’t compete and I really felt good going into the game. I’ll be honest with you; I felt like we had a great game plan and this was a game we felt like we had nothing to lose. However, I do feel like we lost something. I felt like Connecticut took it to us in the first four minutes of the game. They had 18 points and I had to use two time outs. That’s what a great team does. Tradition and 15 All-Americans will do that for you. Maybe I was delusional thinking that we could compete, but in my heart in soul I, my staff and my guest coaches and maybe even my administration felt that on any given day we could have the upset. I really did believe that. So, call me crazy, you can quote that, but I would have that philosophy than think it was all doom and gloom. Seeing Connecticut in person, and we’ve watched all their film, but seeing them in person we could see that they are special. Renee Montgomery is the heart of the team and she did a great job. Tina Charles posted up and Maya Moore, what else could you say about her. They had five people in double figures and three people with double digit rebounding. It is 55 to 37 on the boards and 17-12 on turnovers. I just think that they attacked; they were aggressive. They had 31 free throws to our 10. They were the more aggressive team. I thought they did a great job taking us out of what we wanted to run. I just want to give my compliments to Coach Auriemma, their staff and to the Huskies. I think the BIG EAST should be really proud that we have the number one team in the nation.”
Does a 95-42 loss help the game of women’s basketball grow?
“I think that my team hurt the game today because we didn’t compete with the University of Connecticut, but at the same time yes I think we are growing the game. Gosh, it was on national television. There are probably 16 writers in this room whereas 20 or 25 years ago there were no writers. We were begging people. If you were someone I knew with a pen, I badgered you to give us a line in the paper. 35 or 45 years ago when I played in high school, I didn’t go school on scholarship. I had to go to Europe to play ball when I was a senior in high school. These kids are all on scholarship. Look at the wonderful opportunity we had for our kids because of the game. They have 15 and I have 10 kids on full scholarships. The game was on national television. The NCAA used us as a test game throughout the nation. There is standing room only in here to write a story about a 95-42 loss. Renee Montgomery was presented with a wonderful award that my former assistant coach (Shea Ralph) was presented with three years ago when we came up here. Look how far we have come. Shea Ralph was one of the best of the best, national player of the year, MVP of the Final Four and she had to be out for six years before she got it. Sure the game has grown.”
Senior Shavonte Zellous
Are you disappointed with how you guys played?
“Yes, like Coach said I don’t think any of us competed today. I think we were lagging and we weren’t attacking UConn. They are a really good team and we didn’t compete.”
