No. 1 UConn Escapes With 59-50 Victory Over
No. 23 Virginia Tech
Box score
BLACKSBURG, VA (Jan. 29, 2002) -- Held to a season-low 59 points, the No. 1
University of Connecticut women’s basketball team survived a nail-biter with No.
23 Virginia Tech at Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg, VA. The final score was
59-50, enabling the Huskies to improve to 23-0 overall, 9-0 in the BIG EAST.
Virginia Tech sprinted to an early 14-8 lead, thanks in part to sloppy play
by the Huskies, who coughed up four turnovers in the game’s opening six minutes.
UConn regrouped to hold the Hokies without a field goal for the next four
minutes and to post seven unaswered points, giving the nation’s No. 1 team its
first lead at 15-14.
The game would remain close over the next few minutes, until baskets by
seniors Asjha Jones (Piscataway, NJ) and Swin Cash (McKeesport, PA) gave UConn
breathing room at 24-17. The seven-point lead would be the Huskies’s largest of
the half, as Virginia Tech answered with consecutive three-pointers to once
again narrow the lead to one point.
UConn again would open a two-possession lead at 28-23, before the Hokies cut
the halftime advantage to 28-25, UConn’s narrowest halftime lead of the season.
The 28 points were also a season-low for point production in a half by the
Huskies.
In the second half, Virginia Tech hung tough with the Huskies, as UConn could
never establish its offensive rhythm. The Huskies looked to be gaining momentum,
when a layup by senior Tamika Williams (Dayton, OH) and a runner by sophomore
Diana Taurasi (Chino, CA) pushed the lead to 44-28 with 9:04 remaining.
UConn maintained the two-possession advantage until Sarah Hicks nailed a
three-pointer to trim the lead to two points with 3:49 remaining. A Husky
turnover resulted in a Virginia Tech fast-break opportunity, on which Taurasi
was called for an intentional foul. Two Chrystal Starling free throws tied the
game at 48-48 apiece at the 3:10 mark.
However, Virginia Tech could never give UConn its first second-half deficit
of the season, as the Hokies failed to score on the possession following the
Taurasi intentional foul. Senior Sue Bird (Syosset, NY) made a fall-away jumper,
and a Williams steal helped put Taurasi on the line for two free throws. The
sophomore guard’s accuracy from the line gave the Huskies a 52-48 lead. UConn
would sink seven more free throws in the game’s closing minutes, ending the game
on an 11-2 run, to escape with the 59-50 victory.
Jones led UConn with 19 points and eight rebounds while Bird and Taurasi each
recorded with 13 points. Seven of Taurasi’s points came from the line in the
game’s final minutes.
Cash also finished in double figures with 10 points.
Ieva Kublina led the Hokies with 17 points and 11 boards.
UConn returns to action this Sunday, Feb. 3, in a noon BIG EAST matchup with
Providence College in Providence, RI. |
