< Megan Walker
scores 19 points as No. 4 UConn overcomes a slow start and routs Virginia 83-44 at the XL Center in Hartford.
Hartford — Megan Walker scored 15 of her 19 points in the first half and No. 4 UConn blew out Virginia 83-44 on Tuesday night.
Christyn Williams added 17 points for the Huskies (40), who extended their home winning streak to 96 games.
Kyla Irwin had a career-high 13 points and freshman Anna Makarut had her best game as a Husky with 10.
Jocelyn Willoughby scored 13 points for Virginia (2-3), which was coming off a threepoint loss at home to No. 13 Kentucky.
The Cavaliers took an early lead, going up 9-5 on a 3-pointer by Lisa Jablonowski, who had just two of those all last season on 20 attempts.
But that was the last field goal Virginia would get for 10 minutes.
UConn scored the next 17 points, taking the lead for good on a driving layup by Williams.
The Huskies led 26-10 after the first quarter and scored the first seven points of the second quarter.
Virginia had just two field goals, both from 3-point range, in the second quarter and trailed 42-17 at halftime.
Olivia Nelson-Ododa, in foul trouble for much of the first half, scored seven of her nine points in the third quarter as the Huskies extended the lead to 64-34. UConn’s center added four blocked shots, giving her 17 for the season.
Big picture
Virginia: The Cavaliers came into the game giving up just 54 points per game and holding opponents under 32 percent shooting. UConn got its 54th point midway through the third quarter.
UConn: The Huskies have not lost a home game since falling to then top-ranked Baylor at the XL Center in February, 2013. They haven’t lost on campus in Storrs since January, 2013, when they fell by a point to Notre Dame.
Up next
Virginia: The Cavaliers head home to face two instate rivals, Old Dominion on Sunday and James Madison on Nov. 30.