In what I thought would be a closer game, the UConn women destroyed Jen Rizzotti’s Hartford Hawks 70-24 in front of 14,581 at the XL Center on Saturday night. It was the first game of the year for the Huskies as the #1 team ranked in the country. The Hawks came into the game as the first team receiving votes in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll.
Leading the way for the Huskies was Maya Moore who scored 21 points and had 7 rebounds. Renee Montgomery added 12 points for the Huskies. Ketia Swainer added 8 points and Tina Charles pulled down a game-high 15 rebounds.
The Hawks were led by Jaime McCabe who scored 9 points. Erica Beverly added 6 points and 6 rebounds. Hartford’s leading score Danielle Hood was held to 5 points. She did pull down 6 boards.
Hartford (10-3) started out the first half by scoring the first 5 points of the game but it was all UConn after that. With the score tied at 8, the Huskies essentially put the game away with a 17-4 run led by Charde Houston and Moore. Hood scored the last basket of the half for the Hawks with just under 10 minutes to go as they were held without a field goal the rest of the 1st half.
It was more of the same in the second half as Hartford had no answers for UConn only scoring 7 points. Most of the UConn starters spent the last part of the 2nd half on the bench but were still too good for the Hawks.
UConn (10-0) will have a quick turnaround as they will face Army on Monday at 12 noon at the XL Center.
Notes and Observations:
The starters were Maya Moore, Brittany Hunter, Tina Charles, Renee Montgomery and Mel Thomas.
Jen Rizzotti is now 0-9 against her former coach (Geno Auriemma) while at Hartford.
One of Rizzotti’s assistants, Bill Sullivan, is also her husband.
Kalana Greene was with the team tonight and sitting behind the bench.
Former UConn player Carla Berube, who is the head coach at Tufts, was at the game tonight.
Maya Moore has scored in double-figures for the 10th straight game, which is a UConn record to start a career. Tina Charles and Moore had been the only players to score in double figures the first 9 games. Charles only scored 6 points tonight.
Hartford shot 13% (7-54) from the floor in the game. It was the second lowest total against the Huskies ever. The last time was back in 2000 when West Virginia shot 12.7% (7-55).
The Huskies outrebounded Hartford 55-26.
Hartford was 0-for-23 from the field during the 16:49 stretch without a field goal.
UConn had 15 assists on 28 baskets.
They forced 25 turnovers by the Hawks which they turned into 25 points. UConn did commit 16 turnovers.
UConn outscored the Hawks 36-2 in the paint.
UConn’s free throw shooting was dismal again as they were 11-of-20 (55%).
Mel Thomas was 0-6 from the floor and finished with 2 points. She needed one 3-pointer to tie Rizzotti and Sue Bird for 3rd on the career 3-pointers made list.
