University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Ohio State
No. 2 Huskies Open Season With 85-53 Win
11/11/2018 4:14:00 PM | Women's Basketball
STORRS, Conn. (AP) — Katie Lou Samuelson scored 19 points and No. 2 UConn opened its quest for a 12th national title on Sunday with an 85-53 rout of Ohio State.
Crystal Dangerfield had 18 points, Napheesa Collier added 17 and Megan Walker chipped in with 15 as the Huskies won their season opener for the 23rd straight year.
Carly Santoro had 20 points for Ohio State (1-2), which had to replace all five starters and its top six scorers from last season's Big Ten championship team.
It was clear early the Buckeyes were overmatched in this game.
Walker stole the ball and went the length of the court for a layup to open the scoring and the Huskies never trailed, shooting 52 percent from the floor.
UConn forced three of Ohio State's 21 turnovers in the first 2½ minutes on a 9-3 run.
Dangerfield's layup to open the second quarter pushed the Huskies' lead to 32-12 and a pass from Samuelson to Collier gave the Huskies their first 30-point lead in the second quarter.
They went into halftime up 49-19.
BIG PICTURE
UConn: The Huskies have not lost a regular-season game since falling to Stanford during the second game of the 2014-15 season, before any current player was in the program. That's a streak of 116 consecutive games.
Ohio State: The Buckeyes' two losses have both come to Top 25 teams. They dropped their opener at home to No. 22 USF, 71-47.
UP NEXT
UConn: The Huskies have an exhibition game in Hartford on Thursday against Southern Connecticut, then face Vanderbilt on Saturday just over 30 miles south of Storrs in Uncasville at the Hall of Fame Women's Showcase.
Ohio State: The Buckeyes head to the West Coast for a game Friday against Sacramento State and Sunday at Stanford.
