Report: Texas Tech turning to Tubby
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — Connecticut is headed back to a familiar place — the Final Four.
Breanna Stewart scored 21 points and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis added 17 to help top-seed UConn rout Kentucky 83-53 on Monday night and advance to a record sixth-straight national semifinal.
The Huskies will face either Notre Dame or Duke in the national semifinals on Sunday in New Orleans. The Irish and Blue Devils play Tuesday night. UConn (33-4) broke a tie with Stanford (2008-12), LSU (2004-08) and itself (2000-04) by reaching the Final Four again.
It was the second straight season that UConn beat Kentucky in the regional finals. The Huskies topped the Wildcats by 15 last year 105 miles to the north of Bridgeport in Kingston, R.I.
This game wasn’t as close. Kentucky stayed close for the first 10 minutes with their “40 minutes of dread” defense. Then UConn turned up its own defensive intensity.
The Huskies trailed 23-22 with just 9 minutes left in the first half. That’s when Stewart — honored as the outstanding player of the Bridgeport Regional — and UConn’s “noname” defense took over allowing three points the rest of the half. Kentucky missed 13 of its final 14 shots in the half with the only make coming when Jelleah Sidney banked in a 3-pointer from the wing.
While UConn was playing lock- down defense, Stewart was dominating on the offensive end. The 6-foot-4 star, who was the national high school player of the year last season, scored nine points and had a vicious two-handed block during that closing run.
After Sidney’s 3-pointer, Stewart calmly converted a three-point play on the other end. UConn led 48-26 at the half.
Kentucky couldn’t get within 20 in the second half.
The loss brought to a close a record year for the Wildcats (30-5). Kentucky had the most victories in school history.
DEVELOPMENTS
LUBBOCK, Texas — Tubby Smith is headed to Texas Tech to try to turn around another wayward program.
Smith agreed to terms Monday with Texas Tech to be its next coach, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because an official announcement has not been made.
Interim coach Chris ing down the eight-time national Walker went 11-20 this champions in the regional finals on season and 3-15 in Big 12 Tuesday night. play as the program tried
“We know we’re going to have our to recover from Billy Gilhands full tomorrow night. We’re golispie’s volatile one-year ing to have to come out and play antenure, which ended when other great game,” Cardinals coach he resigned in September. Jeff Walz said. “But why not? I mean, Smith was fired by Minno one expected us to be here today nesota last week after six anyway. So what do we have to lose? seasons. He led them to Wolfpack’s Leslie turnI mean, again, I don’t think the presthree NCAA tournaments ing pro: North Carolina sure is on us.” and this year delivered the State’s C.J. Leslie is joining
These Lady Vols (27-7), even with program’s first tourney teammate Lorenzo Brown their impressive pedigree and No. win — over sixth-seeded by skipping his final sea2 seed, don’t have nearly the air of UCLA — since 1997. son and entering the NBA invincibility of Louisville’s last opHe went 124-81 (.610), draft. ponent. Tennessee hasn’t been to winning 20 games five “It’s one of those things the Final Four since winning the natimes. But he never finwhere you just know it’s tional championship in 2008, and the ished higher than sixth just time, it’s time to move Louisville turns attention to Lady Cardinals (27-8) played for the title in the Big Ten, going just on,” Leslie said Monday Vols: Look out, Tennessee: The gimore recently, in 2009. 46- 62 in conference play, during a news conference ant slayers of the NCAA women’s With longtime assistant Holly and Minnesota athletic at the team’s practice faciltournamentity.are coming for you next. Warlick taking over for coach Pat director Norwood Teague
After pulling off a stunning upset Summitt, who won more games than ousted him. he 6-9 forward was of top-ranked Baylor, fifth-seeded anyone else in the sport, many outIn all, Smith is 511-226 the preseason ACC player Louisville tried to put the euphoria side the program started the season (.693) in 22 seasons and of the year. He averaged a behind them as soon as they woke without expecting to hear “Rocky his teams have won 20team-high 15 points to go up Monday, leaving behind dozens Top” at the Final Four. plus games 19 times. with 7.4 rebounds while of congratulatory text messages That didn’t sit well with the playSmith won a national shooting nearly 52 percent and turning their focus toward tak- ers in Knoxville. title and five Southeast- from the floor. ern Conference championships with Kentucky before the demanding Wildcat faithful pushed him to leave for Minnesota in 2007.
He would be the fourth person to lead Texas Tech in as many seasons.
The 61-year-old Smith could be just what Texas Tech needs. The AP Coach of the Year in 2003, Smith has a reputation as a program builder who doesn’t cut corners. His teams have been clean, and doing things the right way could go a long way toward bringing name recognition to the school not historically on the college basketball map and after the past two seasons’ difficulties.
DEVELOPMENTS