Huskies race past Vols

Freshman Griffin played starring role in rivalry renewal

HARTFORD — A new chapter in women’s basketball’s most storied rivalry was written Thursday night.

In it, freshman Aubrey Griffin played a starring role.

Griffin was a 6-foot-1 spark plug off the bench, doing everything she could to bring energy to an offense that was largely dormant for 20 minutes. She scored 13 points, and the No. 3 Huskies raced past No. 23 Tennessee 60-45 before 13,659 at the XL Center.

The Huskies (17-1, 7-0) opened the third quarter with a 7-0 run and took off from there, outscoring the Lady Vols (15-4, 5-1) 32-14 in the second half. Tennessee finished with a whopping 27 turnovers.

The schools had played 22 times over a 12-year span, including four times for the national championship, before the series was discontinued in 2007 amid allegations of recruiting improprieties. While the rematch lacked the same drama and anticipation, it did have energy, and plenty of it. UConn improved to 14-9 against the Lady Vols.

The Huskies, wearing black alternate uniforms, struggled to find their stroke against Tennessee’s big lineup. Olivia Nelson Ododa and Christyn Williams, both key starters, spent the first half in

relative obscurity, combining for one point on 0-of-8 shooting.

Nelson-Ododa remained on the bench for most of the third quarter, but still played a key role in putting the Lady Vols away. She scored 10 points in the second half while Williams finished with nine on 4-of-14 shooting.

Tennessee committed a whopping 15 turnovers in the first half, but UConn couldn’t take advantage. The Lady Vols created some separation at 26-18 before the Huskies answered with a 7-0 run. A 3-pointer by Megan Walker tied it 28-28, but Rennia Davis answered with a trey of her own to send Tennessee into halftime up 31-28.

Davis led all scorers with 16 points. Jazmine Massengill contributed 11 points.

Notable: Nelson-Ododa was named a midseason candidate for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year. … Class of 2020 signees Paige Bueckers and Mir McLean were named to the roster for the McDonald’s All-American Game on April 1 in Houston.

Jessica Hill / Associated Press Tennessee’s Jazmine Massengill, left, and UConn’s Aubrey Griffin chase a loose ball on Thursday in Hartford.

Jessica Hill / Associated Press UConn coach Geno Auriemma, right, talks with Crystal Dangerfield during Thursday’s game against Tennessee as associate head coach Chris Dailey talks with Olivia Nelson-Ododa.