After losing game two of the season at Stanford in Overtime, UConn Women's Basketball Head Coach Geno Auriemma said he lost trust in the 2014-15 Huskies. Yes they were good, but could they maintain the excellence of the 2014 Team that graduated Stefanie Dolson and Bria Hartley with everyone else returning that included a healthy Morgan Tuck back after knee surgery. As the season evolved, the Huskies picked up a monster road win at then #2 Notre Dame, then while cruising in season two in the American Conference, regained the top ranking with a signature home win over #1 South Carolina in a 1 v 2 battle in Storrs.
Other than an occasional challenge from USF, the Conference Regular and Tournament Titles came without a challenge. And that trend continued in the two NCAA wins at Gampel, routing St Francis of Brooklyn then Rutgers to reach the Sweet 16. Waiting was the five seed from Texas, who won a pair in Berkeley, California, including a second round win over the Cal Bears to earn it's trip east to Albany.
The matchup at the First Union Center saw the Huskies starting five setting the early tone by jumping out to a 30-19 advantage with 8:37 to play in the half....The later four points from the line. That was followed by a Mosqueda-Lewis three, four points from Moriah Jefferson and a Breanna Stewart pull up jumper to 39-19...Celina Rodrigo ended the run, or so she thought when Stewey took over with a pair of threes and a transition hoop as part of another 11-0 run capped by a Kia Nurse three and bang ! It was 50-21....52-24 at the break where UConn shot 58% from the field, made 6 of 10 from three and a perfect 10 of 10 from the line...
There are some years the Huskies might take their foot off the gas, but the great teams leave no doubt. Thus the case with this team as they roared out of the gate with an 18-4 start to up the advantage to 40. Moriah Jefferson, Kia Nurse, Morgan and Mosqueda Lewis all making threes in the run...Seven Triples in the 2nd half and 13 for the game in what was a record margin of victory at the time in the Sweet 16...The record lasted for a year...
The Junior Duo of Breanna Stewart and Texas Native Moriah Jefferson were just unstoppable. Stewart a game high 31p-12r-7a-3b-2s in just...31 minutes. Mo Jeff added 25 on 10 of 12 shooting, added 6 assists and had 3 steals...The Longhorns never had a chance this midday in Albany. 18 Texas turnovers led to 22 points for the Huskies.
If you think the Elite 8 game was easy, guess again....But they did win ...Stay tuned !!
check out the game at UConnHuskyGames.com