UConn holds off Notre Dame to earn 83rd straight victory
A month into the season the Connecticut women don’t look quite as vulnerable as many people thought. Not after beating No. 1 Notre Dame. Not after winning its 83rd straight game.
The Huskies easily secured a comfortable 72-61 victory over the Fighting Irish on Wednesday night, their third straight victory over a ranked team.
Coach Geno Auriemma said the Huskies (8-0) wouldn’t know their winning streak stretched to more than two years if not for the media.
“I would think if this was the first time our program had ever been here, we’d be acting a little bit different. You don’t want to sound like you don’t appreciate it — but we did win 90 in a row,” Auriemma said.
Napheesa Collier scored 14 of her 20 points in the second half after playing just nine minutes in the first half because of foul trouble, Gabby Williams had 19 points, 12 rebounds and six assists, and Katie Lou Samuelson added 18 points to pace the Huskies.
Brianna Turner led the Irish (8-1) with 16 points and 12 rebounds.
No. 5 North Carolina 83, Davidson 74: Justin Jackson matched his career high with 27 points and hit a career-best 7 three-pointers to help No. 5 North Carolina beat Davidson, 83-74, on Wednesday night.
Luke Maye added an early burst by scoring all of his career-high 10 points before halftime for the Tar Heels (9-1), who played without top point guard and No. 2 scorer Joel Berry II. UNC didn’t get in any kind of groove, with the 6-foot-8 Jackson largely carrying the offense.
No. 7 Kentucky 87, Valparaiso 63: Bam Adebayo scored 16 points, Malik Monk added 15 and No. 7 Kentucky scored 21 straight points in a first-half run to beat Valparaiso, 87-63, on Wednesday night.
Needing to rebound after Saturday’s upset by then-No. 9 UCLA, Kentucky (8-1) turned a 4-all tie into a 29-9 lead behind that big run over 8:51, holding the Crusaders scoreless for 7 minutes during that stretch. Valparaiso (7-2) shot 23 of 67 from the field (34%.
Derek Willis had 12 points and Isaiah Briscoe 10 for Kentucky, which shot 46%.
No. 10 Creighton 77, Nebraska 62: Maurice Watson Jr. scored a season-high 25 points, Cole Huff added 13 and Creighton dominated the second half in a 77-62 victory over in-state rival Nebraska on Wednesday night.
The Bluejays (9-0) have won 15 of 18 meetings with the Cornhuskers (5-4), including the last six by double digits.
Tai Webster had 16 points and Ed Morrow had 13 rebounds for the Huskers.
No. 13 Louisville 74, S. Illinois 51: Mangok Mathiang scored 15 points to lead No. 13 Louisville to a 74-51 victory over Southern Illinois on Tuesday night.
The 6-foot-10 senior got the Cardinals (8-1) off to a hot start as he scored the team’s first seven points, and Louisville settled in from there, extending the lead to 21-4 in the game’s first 8 minutes. In making six of nine shots, Mathiang finished two points shy of his career high in just 22 minutes.
No. 16 W. Virginia 90, W. Carolina 37: Esa Ahmad scored 14 points and No. 16 West Virginia stomped Western Carolina 90-37 on Wednesday night.
West Virginia (7-1) didn’t slack off after a close road win at No. 12 Virginia on Saturday.
Indiana St. 72, No. 15 Butler 71: Brenton Scott made one of two free throws with 0.8 seconds left and finished with 25 points to help Indiana State upset No. 15 Butler, 7271, on Wednesday night.
Matt Van Scyoc scored 23 points and had 6 three-pointers, both career highs, as the Sycamores (5-4) won their third straight to snap a fourgame losing streak in the series.