KNOXVILLE — For the College of Connecticut, neither opposition nor an damage offense this season has saved the 11-time NCAA champion from successful extra typically.
For eight-time nationwide champions Tennessee, the Huskies have develop into a wall the Volunteers cannot breach nowadays — and one which ended their nine-game successful streak Thursday evening.
Lou Lopez Seneschal scored 26 factors and Aaliyah Edwards added 25 as No. 5 Yukon beat Tennessee 84-67 in a sport of the favored ladies’s basketball program at Thompson-Bowling Enviornment.
Aubrey Griffin and Dorka Yahuah scored 13 factors for the Huskies (19-2), who superior by 16 factors on the finish of the primary quarter and prolonged their successful streak to 12 video games. Nika Muhl had 13 assists and 4 steals for UConn, South Carolina’s runner-up within the NCAA event final season.
Jordan Hurston scored 27 factors for the Girl Volunteers (16-7), who closed to a two-point lead early within the third interval however have been unable to finish the comeback. Rekia Jackson scored 13 factors and Jillian Hollingshead added 11 as Tennessee misplaced for the primary time in 10 video games.
The Huskies, along with sustaining their present successful streak, have gained 4 straight towards Tennessee Since the series resumed between the non-conference contenders in 2020 after a 13-year hole. Main UConn 17-9, the twenty sixth assembly was the fruits of greater than every week of “We Again Pat” video games that drew consideration to Alzheimer’s illness, from which well-known Girl Vols coach Pat Summitt died in 2016.
“I do not know if we will re-create the rivalry we had (previously),” mentioned Geno Auriemma, who took over as head coach at UConn in 1985 and was on high of all 33 of the NCAA’s for this system. Championship look. “It is a good non-conference sport that you would be able to play wherever.”
Enjoying UConn was essential to Smith, so she hopes the collection will proceed, mentioned Tennessee coach Kelly Harper, a guard on three Girl Vols nationwide groups within the late Nineties. Taking up the Huskies within the common season can also be good preparation for what’s to return in March—although the Girl Vols, who’ve by no means missed the NCAA Event because it started with the Girls’s Division I in 1982, are rather more conscious of that.
“It was exhausting to sluggish them down,” Harper, who took over from Tennessee in 2019, mentioned of the Huskies. “They have been making each shot open and a few robust.”
UConn, who could not miss within the first quarter and could not purchase a basket within the second, carried a 40-36 halftime lead. Edwards scored 10 factors and Lopez Senich 9 within the first 10 minutes, when the Huskies shot 71% and took a 33-17 lead. And Tennessee scored its final eight factors within the second quarter—4 to Hurston, who scored 11 factors within the first half—to make it fascinating.
“It is a case of youngsters who’re bored with being hit with their butts,” Orima mentioned. “This takes. We’ve to vary our strategy. The adrenaline begins to move.”
hurston, who missed Sunday’s win in Missouri Resulting from sickness because the Girl Vols improved to 8-0 within the Southeastern Convention, she additionally grabbed seven rebounds, two blocks and a pair of assists whereas taking part in a team-high 33 minutes towards the Huskies, however was additionally charged with six turnovers.
Auriemma known as Hurston “a fantastic participant. We recruited her to the top and she or he picked Tennessee. These guys are likely to have large video games towards us.”
Hurston mentioned, “I simply needed to get it accomplished, no matter it took. The submit gamers have been actually bodily.”
Jackson, who had 5 turnovers, had a game-high 9 rebounds—Tennessee completed with a 41-30 Cup benefit—and in addition made two steals. Jordan Walker has 5 assists for the Girl Vols.
If huskies are wholesome, they may virtually actually be extra sturdy. Nevertheless, his two greatest gamers, the Large Packers and Uzi Fudd, and freshman Ace Brady, will probably be out with accidents. UConn used simply seven gamers towards Tennessee—who went 11 deep—and all 5 Huskies starters performed at the very least 36 minutes.
“Within the second quarter we punched and we did not reply,” Lopez-Senechal mentioned. “We needed to be extra aggressive.”
UConn has been ranked within the AP High 25 for 557 consecutive weeks. Tennessee began the season No. 5 however struggled at occasions with the hardest schedule within the nation and returned to the SEC with a Monday evening go to to No. 4 LSU. After the Girl Vols tackle the Tigers and South Carolina on February 23, they may have performed the entire high six groups within the present ballot.
The Huskies, 11-0 within the Large East this season, return to convention play once they host No. 21 Villanova on Sunday.
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