UConn head coach Geno Auriemma poses with his team after getting his 900th career win.

UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma, along with his top assistant Chris Dailey, has been at the helm for the past 30 seasons for the UConn Huskies. When he got there, the program was a mere speck of what it is today.

Now, after his team beat a former player and assistant coach Jamelle Elliott’s team in the Cincinnati Bearcats 96-36 at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on Tuesday night, Auriemma became the fastest coach to 900 wins in men’s or women’s basketball. It took him just 1,034 games to do it, 38 less than Pat Summitt and 149 less than Mike Krzyzewki on the men’s side.

The UConn women improve to 21-1 (11-0 American) while Cincinnati falls to 6-16 (3-8 American).

Gabby Williams continues to get better daily as she led the Huskies with a double-double of 18 points and 14 rebounds in 24 minutes of action. Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis added 16 points while Breanna Stewart had 14 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots.

Saniya Chong joined her benchmate Williams in double digits with 11 points. Kia Nurse and Morgan Tuck rounded out the Huskies in double digits with 10 points each. Kiah Stokes led UConn with five blocked shots to go along with five points and six rebounds.

Jasmine Whitfield paced the Bearcats with 14 points. Bianca Quisenberry was the only member of Cincinnati to hit double figures with 10 points. Marley Hill led them with nine rebounds to go along with her six points.

The UConn women are back in action on Saturday afternoon when they head to the home of Graceland for a matchup with the Memphis Tigers. Tip is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

Cincinnati Bearcats @ UConn Huskies 2/3/15 box score

Here are the postgame quotes from UConn head coach Geno Auriemma.

photo credit:  ©2015 Ian Bethune

UConn F Morgan Tuck (3) goes up strong for two of her 20 first half points against Temple at Gampel Pavilion on Wednesday night.

The last time the UConn Huskies women’s basketball team played at Gampel Pavilion, it was in the year 2014. November 23 to be exact. And with the new practice facility on campus, it was their first time since the Creighton game, a 96-50 win, that the team set foot on the court there as well.

And has been the case for the entire season, sans the Stanford loss, the venue where the UConn women played didn’t matter.

Behind a combined 42 points from Morgan Tuck and Breanna Stewart, the No. 2 UConn women spanked the Temple Owls 92-58 in front of 6,712 fans on Wednesday night.

The Huskies improve to 15-1 (5-0 American) while the Owls drop to 7-11 (3-2 American).

Tuck had 24 points, seven rebounds and four assists while Stewart had 18 points, six rebounds and a game-high six assists. Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, who was honored before the game for breaking the record of most career three-pointers previously held by Diana Taurasi, had a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds.

Kia Nurse, who wore her hair in a ponytail in the first half and bob in the second, rounded out the Huskies in double figures with 13 points. She had a rough first half and with the hair change, hit three three-pointers to get UConn going in the second half.

“I don’t know, I just put it back in the bun and it might have just changed my mindset a little bit,” a smiling Nurse said during the postgame interviews.

Gabby Williams pulled down 10 rebounds as did Kiah Stokes, who also had nine points and seven blocked shots against a very smaller Temple team.

Despite scoring just 58 points, the Owls did have four players hit double digits.

Feyonda Fitzgerald led the way with 16 points while Alliya Butts had 14, Erica Covile 13 and Tyonna Williams 10. Covile did manage a double-double as well pulling down 10 rebounds.

UConn will stay on campus for their next game as well as they’ll host the South Florida Bulls at Gampel this Sunday. Tip is scheduled for 1 p.m.

Temple Owls @ UConn Huskies 1-14-15 box score

Here are the postgame quotes from UConn head coach Geno Auriemma.

photo credit: ©2015 Ian Bethune

UConn F Morgan Tuck (3) puts in two of her 21 points against Tulsa in the first half at the XL Center in Hartford, CT.

It was an extremely cold night outside in Hartford, CT on Wednesday night. But inside at the XL Center, the UConn women’s basketball team was on fire from the floor.

Behind a 61 point first half on 67.6% shooting (25-37), the UConn Huskies crushed the Tulsa Golden Hurricane 98-60 in front of 8,103 fans.

The No. 2 Huskies improve to 13-1 (3-0 American) while the Golden Hurricane fall to 6-8 (1-2 American).

The red-hot Moriah Jefferson led UConn with 22 points. Morgan Tuck added 21 points while Kia Nurse and Gabby Williams each had 15 points. Williams led the team with nine rebounds.

Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis chipped in with 11 points and had three three-pointers which now ties her with Diana Taurasi for first overall in UConn history with 318. Breanna Stewart had a career-high eight assists along with six points and four rebounds.

Jordyn Holmes paced Tulsa with 17 points while Ashley Clark had 15 points and a team-high seven rebounds.

KML will most likely break Taurasi’s record on Sunday in Dallas, TX when UConn takes on the SMU Mustangs. Tip is scheduled for 3 p.m.

Tulsa Golden Hurricane @ UConn Huskies 1-7-15 box score

Here are the postgame quotes from UConn head coach Geno Auriemma.

photo credit: ©2015 Ian Bethune

It’s a trip that UConn Huskies women’s basketball head coach Geno Auriemma loves to take, a visit to New York City. It’s a chance to take the team to a show, get some good Italian food and have overall good team bonding.

For him, it’s even more special when it is to play in the Maggie Dixon Classic at Madison Square Garden, honoring the late Army coach Maggie Dixon, who died from a heart arrhythmia at the age of 28.

For the fourth time in the history of the Maggie Dixon Classic, UConn came out as winners as they beat the home town team, the St. John’s Red Storm, 70-54 in front of 7,419 on Sunday afternoon.

No. 2 UConn improves to 12-1 while St. John’s falls to 12-2.

Morgan Tuck led the Huskies with 23 points, including 11 straight that pushed the Huskies out front in the second half. Breanna Stewart added a double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds while blocking six shots.

Using words from the late Stuart Scott, “call Moriah Jefferson butter because she’s on a roll.” Jefferson finished with 16 points and six assists continuing her recent offensive surge. Kiah Stokes added nine rebounds off the bench as well.

Aliyahh paced the Red Storm with 20 points and eight rebounds. Amber Thompson also had eight rebounds with 10 points while Danaejah Grant had 13 points. Aaliyah Lewis had a game-high nine assists to go along with five points and four rebounds.

UConn returns home on Wednesday night when they’ll host the Tulsa Golden Hurricane at the XL Center in Hartford, CT. Tip is scheduled for 7 p.m.

UConn Huskies vs St. John’s Red Storm 1-4-15 box score

photo credit: cloe poisson – hartford courant

Down 13 points in the second half in a hostile environment in their first true road game, the UConn Huskies men’s basketball team could have folded like a bad hand in cards. Instead, they battled back and never gave up.

And for that, their effort was rewarded as the Huskies beat the Florida Gators 63-59 in front of 11,041 and a national television audience at the O’Connell Center in Gainesville, FL on Saturday afternoon.

It’s a big road win for UConn as they improve to 7-5 while the Gators slip to 7-6.

Ryan Boatright, who missed the second half of the loss to Temple on New Year’s Eve afternoon, returned to the lineup to lead the Huskies with 14 points and six assists while grabbing six boards. Omar Calhoun came off the bench to add 12 points while Rodney Purvis added 11 points, including two big back-to-back three pointers down the stretch.

Terrence Samuel chipped in with 10 points with Daniel Hamilton adding nine. Amida Brimah scored just three points but led UConn with 10 rebounds.

Dorian Finney-Smith was the only member of the Gators to hit double-figures as he led all scorers in the game with 19 points. Michael Frazier had eight points while Kasey Hill and Chris Chiozza had seven.

Despite the fact that Florida is struggling this season, this is a big win for the Huskies. Anytime you can rally for the win in enemy territory is huge but it’s even bigger when your team needs the win.

Boat saw that and gave everything he had just like the rest of the team did. And now the Huskies can return to conference play with a little momentum.

UConn will stay in Florida as they return to action on Tuesday night when they’ll take on the South Florida Bulls. Tip is scheduled for 7 p.m.

UConn Huskies @ Florida Gators 1/3/15 box score

photo credit: brad horrigan – hartford courant

The UConn Huskies women’s basketball team may have held a 45-22 lead at the half over the East Carolina Pirates but head coach Geno Auriemma was not happy. And he had good reason to be.

His team had 15 turnovers in the first half alone.

They would come out and play crisper, UConn basketball in the second half as they went on to the easy 89-38 win over East Carolina in front of 4,706 at Williams Arena in Greenville, NC on New Year’s Eve afternoon.

The No. 2 Huskies improve to 11-1 (2-0 American) while the Pirates fall to 9-4 (0-2 American).

After a rough few games scoring wise, All-American Breanna Stewart had 18 first half points on her way to a game-high 26 for UConn. She also had six rebounds, three assists, three steals and three blocks.

Moriah Jefferson’s hot offensive streak continued as she was 8-of-9 from the floor for 16 points with four assists and five steals. Morgan Tuck added 14 points while Kia Nurse had 13 points. Kiah Stokes came off the bench to contribute eight points, six rebounds and three blocked shots.

Jayda Pane paced East Carolina with seven points and five rebounds. I’Tiana Taylor, Abria Trice, DeVaughn Gray and Jasmine Phillips all had six points with Trice joining Pane with five rebounds.

Next up for the Huskies is a trip to the Mecca of college basketball, Madison Square Garden, for a matchup with the St. John’s Red Storm in the Maggie Dixon Classic on Sunday. Tip is scheduled for 1 p.m.

UConn Huskies @ East Carolina Pirates 12/31/14 box score

photo credit: cloe poisson – hartford courant

UConn G Ryan Boatright (11) has his thigh worked on after being kneed there late in the first half against Temple at the XL Center in Hartford, CT.

The UConn Huskies men’s basketball team faced a big test on New Year’s Eve afternoon in conference opponent the Temple Owls. And they faced an even bigger one when their leader Ryan Boatright went down with a deep left thigh bruise.

While UConn fought hard and gave it their all to the bitter end, they eventually fell 57-53 to Temple in front of 13,428 and a nationally televised audience on ESPN2 at the XL Center in Hartford, CT.

The Huskies drop to 6-5 (0-1 American) while the Owls improve to 10-4 (1-0 American).

Boatright was injured late in the first half when he was kneed in the thigh. He sat out the last minute of the first half and tried to go in the second half but was unable to do so. He finished with just two points in 17 minutes.

Amida Brimah led UConn with 12 points along with six rebounds and three blocks. Daniel Hamilton notched a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds with five assists but missed two crucial free throws (he was called for a lane violation on third one) in overtime. He also had six turnovers.

Kentan Facey fell one point short of a double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds. Both Rodney Purvis and Omar Calhoun each had seven points.

Temple’s Jesse Morgan led all scorers in the game with 17 points and had a team-high tying six rebounds with Jaylen Bond (seven points). Quenton DeCosey added 11 points while Will Cummings had eight points and seven assists.

Next up for the Huskies is a trip to Gainesville, FL with the struggling Florida Gators on Saturday afternoon. Tip is scheduled for 2 p.m.

Temple Owls @ UConn Huskies 12/31/14 box score

Here are the postgame quotes from UConn head coach Kevin Ollie.

Here are UConn’s postgame notes.

photo credit: ©2014 Ian Bethune

UConn G Moriah Jefferson (4) puts up a three-pointer in the second half against Duke at the XL Center in Hartford, CT.

When you look back at the past two games box scores in the wins over SMU and Duke, you’ll notice an unfamiliar but familiar name leading the UConn Huskies women’s basketball team in scoring in Moriah Jefferson.

I only say that because we are not used to seeing her leading the Huskies in scoring. We’re more accustomed to her being on tops in the assists and steals categories more than anything.

During the young season so far, Jefferson has had games where she’ll hit a few three pointers. But over the last two games, she’s hit some big ones, including three to start the second half against Duke.

Those three treys against the Blue Devils essentially put the final nail in the coffin.

With Jefferson stepping up her offensive game, it just makes the Huskies that much more harder to guard, especially when the starting five is on the floor. You basically have to pick your poison and say “well we’ll let her get her normal points and try to stop her.”

And that folks is going to present a big problem to teams in the American Athletic Conference and South Carolina down the road the rest of the season.

Watch and/or listen below as UConn head coach Geno Auriemma, Duke head coach Joanne P. McCallie, Breanna Stewart and Jefferson talk about the improving offensive play of Jefferson.

photo credit: ©2014 Ian Bethune

UConn G Moriah Jefferson (4) puts up a three-pointer over Duke G Ka’lia Johnson (14) to start the second half at the XL Center in Hartford, CT. Jefferson would make the three as part of her 18 points.

This was the last time the Duke Blue Devils and UConn Huskies women’s basketball teams will meet on the court in the regular season. After last night’s “pathetic display” according to Duke head coach Joanne P. McCallie, I’m sure she’s happy not to see them again until NCAA Tournament time (possibly).

Using an 11-2 run in the first half and two three-pointers by Moriah Jefferson to start the second half, UConn continued to build its lead on their way to an 83-52 win over Duke in front of 13,514 and a national television audience on ESPN2 at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on Monday night.

#2 UConn improves to 10-1 while No. 10 Duke falls to 8-4.

All five Huskies starters were in double figures.

For the second straight game, Jefferson led the team in scoring with 18 points and had four assists and five steals. Breanna Stewart and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis each had 14 points and five and six rebounds respectively. Stewart did however commit six turnovers.

Morgan Tuck added 13 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Kia Nurse rounded out the Huskies in double figures with 11 points and tied Jefferson with five steals. Kiah Stokes came off the bench to block four shots, score four points and pull down six rebounds.

Azura Stevens led Duke with 16 points while Elizabeth Williams added 15 points and a game-high eight rebounds.

Sierra Calhoun, brother of UConn men’s player Omar Calhoun, had a rough game as she was 0-of-8 from the floor (0-of-4 from three) and three turnovers.

As it always seem to be in bigger games, it was a battle of runs.

Duke got out to the early lead only to see UConn seize control when head coach Geno Auriemma went to the press and a zone. However Duke made some adjustments before UConn’s 11-2 run at the end of the first half.

The Huskies are back in action on New Year’s Eve afternoon when they’ll take on a new opponent in the American Athletic Conference, the East Carolina Pirates, in Greenville, NC at 2:30 p.m.

Duke Blue Devils @ UConn Huskies 12/29/14 box score

Here are the postgame quotes from UConn head coach Geno Auriemma and Duke head coach Joanne P. McCallie.

photo credit: ©2014 Ian Bethune