For four years, Tennessee has been chasing UConn at the top of women’s basketball.
The Huskies’ lead just got much bigger.
No. 3 Connecticut took an early lead and never looked back Thursday at Thompson-Boling Arena, dominating the Lady Vols on the way to an 81-67 win.
One area UT coach Pat Summitt was particularly displeased with was her team’s lack of aggressiveness on the boards. The Huskies held a 26-19 rebounding edge at the half, on their way to a 41-33 lead.
“I believe in giving credit where it is due,” she said. “Connecticut deserves credit for stepping up on both ends of the court.
“We weren’t attacking the boards with the same level of intensity as they were.”
And while the Huskies certainly outhustled the Lady Vols, having all-American Diana Taurasi didn’t hurt.
The senior guard was booed every time she touched the ball, but the effects certainly didn’t seem to bother her. Last year’s concensus national player of the year scored 18 points, a team high.
“They were booing?” she said about the fans. “I thought they were mooing.”
Numerous times in the second half Tennessee was able to cut into Connecticut’s lead- even getting within four with six minutes left – but the Huskies always had an answer.
“They had an answer for absolutely every single run we gave at them,” sophomore guard Shanna Zolman said. “Offensively and defensively both, they were better than us in this game.”
Summitt agreed, stressing the performances of Ann Strother (16 points) and Barbara Turner (17).
“Turner and Strother stepped up and made big plays against us tonight,” she said. “They had a lot of weapons on the floor.
“They answered all our runs.”
Tennessee struggled offensively, shooting under 40 percent for the contest, partially because they were unable to get the ball inside.
“We struggled to get the ball into the post in the first half,” Summitt said. “We couldn’t get Shyra (Ely) started. If Shyra Ely’s struggling, we’re struggling.”
Vol center Ashley Robinson saw the contest as a setback, but not a permanent one.
“It’s only February,” Robinson said. “If we were to get down on ourselves, that would be ridiculous. We’re going to become the team we need to be.”
CONNECTICUT (81)
Turner 6-16 3-9 16, Strother 6-14 2-2 17, Moore 2-3 1-3 5, Taurasi 4-13 7-9 18, Conlon 3-6 0-1 8, Battle 5-12 0-0 11, Crockett 1-2 4-4 6, Sherwood 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 27-66 17-28 81.
TENNESSEE (67)
Jackson 3-9 2-2 10, Ely 4-9 2-2 10, Robinson 4-5 0-0 8, Butts 1-8 3-5 6, Zolman 5-11 2-2 14, Spencer 0-3 5-6 5, Davis 0-0 0-0 0, Redding 0-1 0-0 0, Fluker 5-10 4-4 14. Totals 22-56 18-21 67.
Halftime-Connecticut 41-33. Fouled out-Robinson, Taurasi. Rebounds-Connecticut 42 (Turner 9), Tennessee 39 (Ely 14). Assists-Connecticut 13 (Taurasi 5), Tennessee 16 (Spencer, Butts 4). Total fouls-Connecticut 22, Tennessee 23.
A-20,961.
