No. 2 UConn women rout UCF 100-45 for 16th straight win

ORLANDO, Fla. -- It's easy for Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis to make her shots when her Connecticut teammates are hitting theirs as well.

The senior scored 23 points -- her third 20-point performance of the season -- as the second-ranked Huskies won their 16th straight game by routing Central Florida 100-45 on Wednesday night.

Breanna Stewart added 17 points, and Moriah Jefferson and Gabby Williams each scored 15 for the Huskies (17-1, 7-0 American Athletic Conference), who reached 100 points for the second time this season. They fell two points shy of their opening-night total against UC-Davis.

Mosqueda-Lewis made three of her four attempts from 3-point range and scored 15 in the first half. She finished with five 3s and led an unselfish Huskies team in assists with five.

"When you have teammates who you know are going to make their open shots or are posting up when you're not open, it's easier," Mosqueda-Lewis said. "I'm not worried about pressing to make shots and that helps me take the right ones."

UConn shot 71.4 percent (25 for 35) from the field to build a 61-18 halftime lead, matching its season high for points in a half. The Huskies also scored 61 in the first half against Tulsa on Jan. 7.

Zykira Lewis led UCF (6-12, 2-5) with 15 points, and Aliyah Gregory scored 11.

Stewart, who played only 17 minutes, hit four of her first five shots and needed just 7 minutes to reach double figures.

UConn had nine players with at least one assist and finished with 25 assists on its 42 field goals.

Jefferson was perfect from the field for the second straight game, going 7 for 7. She has hit her last 13 attempts.

"She's in one of those zones," Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma said. "The number one thing you can do on offense is your shot selection. When you take good shots, you shoot high percentage."

With the starters on the bench most of the second half, UConn's field goal percentage dropped to 60 percent (42 of 70) for the game. But that was still plenty for the Huskies to post their fourth consecutive victory of 34 points or more.

The Knights fell to 0-14 against nationally ranked teams since Joi Williams became coach in 2007.

"What's great about it (the matchup) is having a team like that on your home court, that you can see them up close and personal," Williams said. "That kind of relentless effort is what it takes to be a championship-caliber team. Especially for our young players, the great thing for them is they saw that this is the level, speed and pace that you have to play for the entire game. And it's not easy."

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TIP-INS

Connecticut: Kiah Stokes posted her third straight game and fourth in the last five with seven blocks. ... Morgan Tuck had 10 points.

Central Florida: Zykira Lewis, who entered as the conference's leading scorer at 20.6 points per game, was 6 for 29 from the field. ... Fifi Ndour scored 10 points.

BIG MONTH

UConn has won 71 of its last 73 games in January.

TWENTY SOMETHING

Mosqueda-Lewis reached 20 points for the first time since Nov. 28 against Charleston. Her season high is 30 against UC Davis.

UP NEXT

Connecticut plays at Cincinnati on Sunday.

Central Florida travels to SMU on Sunday.