UConn tops Duke, advances to region final

ALBANY, N.Y. — Geno Auriemma and the UConn Huskies are in a familiar place — the Elite Eight.

Napheesa Collier had 16 points and 11 rebounds to help top-seed UConn beat Duke 72-59 on Saturday and advance to the regional finals for the 13th consecutive season.

The Huskies’ senior duo of Gabby Williams and Kia Nurse was key on the defensive end to help UConn to the win.

“We’re fortunate that our two seniors are two of the better defensive players in the country,” Auriemma said. “We can count on those two every game. Gabby’s going to play great every game. She plays at a certain level every game. Kia’s one of the toughest competitors we’ve had at Connecticut.”

UConn (35-0) will face defending national champion South Carolina on Monday night to try and advance to a record 11th straight Final Four.

“Last time we played them we got out to an early run so I don’t think any of us are expecting it to be easy (Monday),” said Williams, who had 15 points, seven rebounds and six assists. “A’ja (Wilson) doesn’t want her college career to be over on Monday.

UConn 72, Duke 59

We know they are going to put up a fight and it will be a battle.”

The Huskies scored the first seven points of the game beginning with a banked-in 3-pointer from Nurse and they were off and running.

Duke had only given up an average of 49 points in its first two games of the tournament. UConn had that by the end of the third quarter, much to the delight of the partisan crowd of 10,658 that took in the Albany Regional.