|
It took No. 1 Connecticut a little more than seven minutes to open up a 30-point lead against No. 16 Robert Morris in Saturday's first-round game in the NCAA tournament. In a game that tipped an hour before noon, it was still morning when the Huskies led by 50. Had the rest of the teams in the bracket opted to simply go back to bed and set their alarm clocks for November, no one could have faulted them. It was that kind of show. With the stage all to itself in the only game of the morning, Connecticut's 101-49 win against an overmatched team from the Northeast Conference was a statement of intent and intensity. In pursuing a fourth consecutive national title and second perfect season in its past three attempts, Connecticut played a perfect first quarter that made the three that followed entirely perfunctory. Breanna Stewart had 18 points, eight steals and three blocks, the latter enough to pass Rebecca Lobo for the most in program history. Here's a quick look at Connecticut's 70th consecutive win.  How the game was won: Robert Morris never had a chance because it couldn't even get the shots required to score points. That isn't meant to demean the Colonials because the truth is there are dozens of Division I teams that could have filled the role, but there were stretches of the game in which they struggled to simply complete passes against a defense that seemed to play one second ahead of its foe. Connecticut ranks in the top five nationally in steals per game, but it also ranks in the top five in field goal defense. This game showed why. Player of the game: Stewart got yet another record, but give the nod to freshman Katie Lou Samuelson, who led all scorers with 22 points. Stewart's contributions, if almost always special, are expected. Samuelson, in her first NCAA tournament game, looked ready to be counted on, too. The only moment of concern for the Huskies the entire game was when she had nowhere to land on a layup attempt in the first quarter and crashed hard to the court. She stayed in the game and converted the free throw for a three-point play. Turning point: When Connecticut hired Geno Auriemma? When the Huskies won their first title? There really was no turning point in this game beyond the opening tip. Connecticut's Kia Nurse and Sameulson hit 3-pointers in the game's opening minute. Steals on three consecutive possessions then set up six more unanswered points, and the rout was on. X factor: A little rest is never a bad thing, even for a team that seems tireless. Stewart played just 20 minutes in the win, matching her fewest in any NCAA tournament game. In fact, given the ease of the American Athletic Conference tournament, she's averaging just 24 minutes in four games this month. Stat of the game: Robert Morris committed 20 turnovers in the first half, including 12 in the first seven-plus minutes. It had nearly as many turnovers in the half as it had field goal attempts (25). That wasn't sloppiness so much as a reflection of reality. It finished the game with 29 turnovers. What's next: Connecticut faces the winner of No. 8 Seton Hall vs. No. 9 Duquesne (as if the city of Pittsburgh, also home to Robert Morris, hasn't had enough). Although now separated, Connecticut and Seton Hall shared a long history in the Big East. It was not, however, a particularly competitive history. Despite meeting on an annual basis until recently, the last Seton Hall win was in 1994. Connecticut's only meeting with Duquesne was a win in 1995.
|
