The Day

No. 1 UConn women rout Tulane 91-47 to clinch at least a share of AAC title.

- By BRETT MARTEL

New Orleans — Azura Stevens scored 23 points, Napheesa Collier scored 22 and No. 1 UConn won its 50th straight road game, 91-47 over Tulane on Wednesday night.

Katie Lou Samuelson had 15 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for UConn (27-0, 140 American), which led by as many as many as 32 in the first half and built a lead as large as 48 in the final period en route to clinching at least a share of the AAC regular-season title.

Stevens reached 1,300 career points with her sixth point of the game. She hit nine of 12 field goals and all five of her foul shots. Her only misses were from 3-point range.

Kolby Morgan scored 15 points for Tulane (12-15, 4-10), which lost its third straight and fell to 0-9 all-time against UConn.

Tulane scored first on Morgan's 3-pointer — the Green Wave's first shot of the game — but that was by no means an omen of things to come. UConn responded with a 284 run during the rest of the first quarter, during which the Green Wave turned the ball over 12 times, leading to 17 Huskies points.

UConn then scored the first four points of the second period to make it 32-7.

Collier scored 11 points in the first seven minutes. Kia Nurse, who scored all 13 of her points in the first half, helped the Huskies pull out to a large early lead.

The Huskies took their first lead of 30 or more when Crystal Dangerfiel­d's 3 made it 39-8 with 6:13 still remaining in the second quarter.

Gabby Williams finished with 10 points for UConn.

Big picture

UConn: When they played at Tulane last season, the Huskies had to sweat out a 63-60 victory, preserving what was at the time a 101-game winning streak that eventually ended at 111. UConn appeared mindful of that too-close-for-comfort result this time around in a victory that never appeared in doubt.

The Huskies have now won 154 straight against unranked opponents, including 117 straight against such competitio­n on the road.

Tulane: After a shaky opening period, Tulane put forth a feisty effort for its home crowd, but still was hardpresse­d to stay within 50. That only further demonstrat­ed the gulf in talent between these teams in the same conference.

Up next

UConn: Visits SMU on Saturday.

Tulane: Visits Wichita State on Saturday.

 ?? SCOTT THRELKELD/AP PHOTO ?? UConn’s Azura Stevens drives past Tulane’s Krystal Freeman (23) for a basket during the No. 1 Huskies’ 91-47 victory on Wednesday night in New Orleans.
SCOTT THRELKELD/AP PHOTO UConn’s Azura Stevens drives past Tulane’s Krystal Freeman (23) for a basket during the No. 1 Huskies’ 91-47 victory on Wednesday night in New Orleans.

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