UConn Huskies All-American Breanna Stewart spent a good portion of the game on the bench with foul trouble so it gave head coach Geno Auriemma a chance to see what the team could do without her.
If he saw what I saw, he had to be pleased with the effort of what’s supposed to be her supporting cast.
Morgan Tuck and Kia Nurse each had 16 points to lead UConn to a 91-52 win over the Vanderbilt Commodores to advance to the finals of the Gulf Coast Showcase at Germain Arena in Estero, FL.
The Huskies (4-1) advance to play the Green Bay Phoenix in the finals. It’s the first loss for Vanderbilt (5-1) who’ll take on the Arizona State Sun Devils in the third place game.
Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis added fourteen points, including four-of-six on three pointers. Stewart had 12 points as did Moriah Jefferson who also had five assists and four steals.
Kiah Stokes played perhaps her finest game of the young season as she came off the bench to score eight points, pull down seven rebounds and block seven shots.
Vanderbilt’s Christa Reed led all scorers in the game with 17 points. Kristen Gaffney added 12 points and a team-high five rebounds. Paris Kea had six assists for the Commodores but also committed seven turnovers.
The championship game between UConn and Green Bay will start at 8:30 p.m. on Sunday night and be shown locally in Connecticut on SNY.
UConn Huskies vs Vanderbilt Commodores 11/29/14 box score
photo credit: brad horrigan – hartford courant
