Collier on a tear with S. Carolina awaiting

STORRS — Another American Athletic Conference opponent, another comfortable win.

The fifth-ranked UConn women geared up for their top-15 showdown with South Carolina by routing Temple 109-74 Saturday before a sellout crowd at Gampel Pavilion.

UConn moved to 21-2 (10-0 AAC) on the season, as it cracked triple-digits for the second straight game.

Here’s five takeaways from the easy win:

⏩ One of the best: Could Napheesa Collier be working her way into the conversation for national player of the year?

It’d be hard to argue otherwise.

Collier has been on a tear, averaging 22.5 points and 9.5 rebounds while shooting 66.3 percent over her last eight games. She’s already totaled 12 double-doubles this season, including a stellar 30-point, 14-rebound effort against Temple.

Geno Auriemma has had eight players named AP Player of the Year, including a pair of multiyear winners in Maya Moore (twice) and Breanna Stewart (three times).

While Oregon guard Sabrina Ionescu, Louisville guard Asia Durr, Mississippi State forward Teaira McCowan and Iowa forward Megan Gustafson, among others, will garner

plenty of attention, Collier, who is averaging a teamhigh 19.3 points and 9.9 rebounds, certainly is becoming more deserving of consideration.

⏩ Sharing the rock: UConn dished out a seasonhigh 35 assists in Wednesday’s 118-55 rout of ECU, prompting Auriemma to suggest that the Huskies were living in “fairy tale land.”

The Huskies followed that up by passing out 31 helpers against Temple.

On one play in the third quarter, all five Huskies touched the ball before Katie Lou Samuelson knocked down a 3-pointer from straight on. It was a thing of beauty.

⏩ Louuu: As if there was ever any doubt, Samuelson is out of her shooting slump. The senior followed up her 31-point outburst against ECU with another efficient day: 19 points on 6-of-9 shooting, along with seven assists.

Samuelson also matched her season-high with five 3-pointers, something she did three times last season.

⏩ Mixed results: Here’s the good from Olivia NelsonOdoda’s 15 minutes off the bench: 10 points and six rebounds.

And, here’s the not-sogood: four fouls.

Nelson-Ododa’s raw talent is evident, but fouls remain an issue. The freshman forward is averaging nearly two per game (in only 11.3 minutes of action). ⏩ Good luck: The Huskies are simply relentless. Consider this: Temple shot 21-of-48 (43 percent) and sank 11 3-pointers over the first three quarters. And yet, the Huskies led by 25

Doug Bonjour’s Takeaways

Jessica Hill / Associated Press From left, UConn’s Megan Walker, Crystal Dangerfield and Napheesa Collier look on from the bench during the second half on Saturday.