Women's Basketball Tramples Holy Cross, 75-36

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HARTFORD, CT (December 5, 2004) – Junior Ann Strother (Castle Rock, Colo.) scored 16 points and Connecticut used a 21-0 run in the first half to blow open a close game as the eighth-ranked Huskies dominated Holy Cross, 75-36, Sunday afternoon before the 114^th straight home sellout crowd of 16,294 at Hartford Civic Center. The win improves the UConn record to 3-1, while the Crusaders slip to 3-4.

UConn led 4-3 before Strother and freshman Charde Houston (San Diego, Calif.) were the key players in the Huskies decisive run. Houston scored seven straight points and Strother added two three-pointers among her eight points as the Huskies took control of the contest. 

UConn led 36-10 at the half, holding Holy Cross to just 16 percent (4-of-25) shooting in the opening 20 minutes. The Crusaders 10 first half points was the third-lowest total allowed in school history.

Strother finished with her 16 points on five of nine shooting, including four of seven from long range. She added a game-high four assists. Houston continued her strong play of late with 14 points and three assists. 

Also in double figures for Connecticut was junior Barbara Turner (Cleveland, Ohio) who scored 12 points. Junior forward Willnett Crockett (Harbor City, Calif.) yanked down a game-best nine rebounds to pace a 44-30 Husky advantage. Senior Ashley Battle (Pittsburgh, Pa.) scored seven and had seven assists off of the UConn bench. Sarah Placek led Holy Cross with 11 points.

The Huskies play their final pre-semester examination game on Tuesday, Dec. 7, when they entertain the University of Hartford at the Hartford Civic Center. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. and the game will be televised by CPTV. The game marks the return of former Husky great Jen Rizzotti, now the Hawks head coach.

POST GAME NOTES

• UConn improves to 45-6 all-time at the Hartford Civic Center.
• UConn improves to 13-2 all-time vs. Holy Cross and have won its last 12 games in the series.
• UConn improves to 21-3 all-time vs. Patriot League opponents
• UConn improves to 199-5 at home since the 1993-94 season.
• Sunday’s game marked UConn’s 114^th straight sellout and its 28^th straight at the Harford Civic Center.
• UConn’s win extends its winning streak against unranked teams at home to 161 games.
• Holy Cross’ 10 points in the first half tied for the third-lowest allowed by UConn to an opponent in the opening 20 minutes. Last time-10 points allowed at Rutgers on Feb. 14, 2004.
• Ann Strother’s 16 points marked her fourth straight game in double-figures this season and the 47^th of her career.
• Barbara Turner’s 12 points marked her fourth straight game in double-figures this season and the 48^th in her career.
• Holy Cross’ 36 points marked the fewest scored against UConn this season.

POST GAME QUOTES

Connecticut Head Coach Geno Auriemma

How did the run begin in the 1^st half?

"I think it started with defense. Defensively I thought we were aggressive and really active. I think we made it very tough for Holy Cross to run their offense. They are a very disciplined team. I think we did a great job of not allowing them to get into any kind of rhythm. It took us a while to get into any kind of a flow on the other end. I think once we did it was pretty much a group effort."

Was this the best the team has played all season?

"Yes. We have certain things we try to do as a team and this is, by far, the best that we’ve had. All around, I think it has been the best. There are 14 things that we are trying to get accomplished in the course of a game. So you can see the difference we had two (accomplished) against North Carolina, two against Florida and nine today. It is no mystery when you play well. It is because you do certain things, you play good defense, you limit them to poor shots. We did a lot of good things today."

On Charde Houston (Is she where she needs to be?)

"She is a little bit at a time. We have this discussion on out staff all the time about where is she and where is she going to get to at the end of the season. She has so much natural ability. She has so many things that she can do. Little by little she is moving in that direction, and that is all you can hope for at this point from someone who has just come to college. It is not an easy transition from high school to college. Each and every day I just want her to get better and so far so good."

On the 14 team goals

"We had nine out of 14 today (of the things we wanted to accomplish). I am trying to teach my players to be goal oriented. They were really disappointed in the other games that they didn’t do that, so today was a good day for them."

What will Tuesday’s game be like?

"Hopefully it is just a basketball game. That’s what it should be. I know it won’t be because it’s the first time I will be coaching against one of my former players. If it’s made to be more than that then it’s not fair to the kids playing in it. The Hartford kids are not coming here to see Jen Rizzotti coach against Geno Auriemma. They are coming to try and beat UConn’s team. That’s all it should be."

Connecticut Junior Ann Strother 

"I think overall, offensively and defensively we got a lot done. We were all a lot more together than in any of the other games."

"It was the best game we’ve had so far. Definitely."

"One of the good things about today’s game was that we made the game go at our pace and that’s something that we haven’t done the past few games."

Did you feel it right away?

"Yes. Right from the tap we got on defensively and that led to a more fluid offense."

Is it about time you guys started to play the way you wanted to?

"Yes. I think so. I think it was just a matter of time before we all got on the same page. Today we really showed that we all had it together."

Connecticut Freshman Charde Houston

"I’m really proving to myself that I can play defense. Playing down low you have to have a lot of confidence and I think I am showing that now. I’m understanding the game better now. I want to be a spark off the bench. I really enjoy coming off the bench and getting my teammates fired up."

Does it feel like things are coming together?

"Yes. And not just for me, for the team as well. We’re all coming together and playing the game the way it’s supposed to be played."

Connecticut Junior Willnett Crockett

Do you think that this was your best game?

"As a team it definitely was. Today, everyone came out and gave whatever they could. Whether it was a three, a charge, whatever it was, somebody gave it to us."

Why was it today?

"It was bound to happen! We needed something to help us out and I’m just glad it was today. Like coach said, we haven’t played too many games but to come out here, in the fourth game, it was good."

How badly did you need this?

"We needed it a lot especially after the South Florida game. We pulled the win out then but at the same time, everyone wasn’t out there. To have everyone come out here today was great to build on." 

Connecticut Junior Barbara Turner

Do you think this was your best game of the season so far?

"It was in terms of going out and playing hard for forty minutes and executing our game plan. By far it was the best game."

How important was this game confidence wise for the team?

"It was really, really important because we wanted to come out and establish our offense and defense right away and we really did that right from the opening tap."

Do you think the team is coming together a lot more?

"I wouldn’t say a lot more. I think we’re a work in progress but this was a step in the right direction. A step ahead of where we were two or three days ago. We’re not looking to get better right away. We’re looking to get better and better every day….chip away at it until down the stretch we can be a great team."

Holy Cross Head Coach Bill Gibbons

"I knew they were going to come out one of two ways. I knew they would either be feeling the pressure due to the fans wanting them to beat us by 30- that they would come out a little tentative. Obviously they didn’t. They came out with a lot of fire."

"I think we played good defense early. We played our man-to-man and were aggressive with it. We just couldn’t score."

"He did a good job of not letting us control the tempo and really coming after us with our man-to-man. I believed him when he said they were a zone team so worked a lot of the zone this week in preparation. But, their man-to-man really played up in us, and we couldn’t get the shots we wanted."

"We didn’t come down here to play them tough - we came down here to win. I thought we were prepared, but we didn’t rebound great but we are realizing that we have to rebound to become a better basketball team."

What is the injury on Laura Aloisi?

"It does look serious but she got banged pretty good knee to knee. It was a good collision. I thought the whole leg moved rather than the knee. I didn’t hear anything pop. The initial report says that the ACL looks good."

"We will not have her this week. This is a big week for us and we are not going to be doing with without our leader."

On the expectations for their scoring:

"I was thinking that we should get in double digits by half-time. I was hoping in the second half to be above 35. We are not athletic enough to go up and down with them."

"We shot from the zone well though. I think we got some good shots against their zone. I think my kids responded in the second half even if the score doesn’t show it."

Are there some players that they have who make it hard to control the tempo?

"Swanier makes you play at a faster pace. But, we’ve got some more athletes coming and we’ve signed two players next year like McLaughlin. By playing UConn I think we are getting those type of kids. That is helping us recruiting-wise."