The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Huskies overcome slow start, rout SMU
DALLAS — Katie Lou Samuelson scored 23 points and topranked UConn wrapped up its fifth consecutive American Athletic Conference regular-season championship, using a 43-0 firsthalf run to rout SMU 80-36 on Saturday.
Nepheesa Collier added 16 points, Azura Stevens had 14 and Kia Nurse 13 for the Huskies (28-0, 15-0).
McKenzie Adams led SMU (10-18, 4-11) with 10 points.
Samuelson went into the game hitting 48.5 percent on 3-pointers and shot 5 for 8 behind the line. She played 22 minutes through third periods, sitting out the fourth.
SMU scored the first five points and led 12-6 late in the first quarter, the crowd erupting when the Mustangs' Klara Bradshaw blocked a layup attempt by Samuelson.
UConn uncharacteristically didn't grab its first lead until 1:21 remained in the first quarter at 13-12 on a three-point play by Collier. The Huskies scored the next 43 points for a 49-12 lead.
UConn set a program record for fewest points allowed in a quarter, the quarter format in its
third NCAA season, by outscoring SMU 32-1 in the second period.
SMU went from 4:13 remaining in the first quarter to 46 seconds into the third quarter without a field goal.
The Huskies are 9-0 against the Mustangs in five seasons of AAC play. Their largest margin of victory in the series is 61 points, their smallest 33.
BIG PICTURE
UConn: With one game remaining in the regular season, the Huskies seek their fifth national championship in the last six seasons and their 12th overall. They are 97-0 in AAC play and have won 118 consecutive true road games.
SMU: Coach Travis Mays altered his starting lineup by starting all five Mustangs seniors, who were honored before their final home game. SMU went into the game shooting 34.6 percent, ranked 337th among Division I's 349 teams and shot 26.9 percent on Saturday.
UP NEXT
UConn will finish the regular season at home Monday night against. South Florida.
SMU will close the regular season Monday night at Tulane.