honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, December 22, 2007

No. 2 UConn women roll past San Diego St., 85-53

Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

San Diego State's Quenese Davis goes up for a shot over Connecticut's Ketia Swanier in the first half last night.

LENNY IGNELZI | Associated Press

spacer spacer

SAN DIEGO — Despite a lopsided victory, Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma found little to like about his team's win.

Renee Montgomery scored 14 of her 19 points in the first half and Brittany Hunter added 14 points to lead No. 2 Connecticut to an 85-53 rout of San Diego State last night.

But Auriemma was dissatisfied about the performance of his undefeated team.

"If it wasn't so chilly out there," Auriemma said, "I would have gone outside, had a cigar, sat on the bus and waited for the game to end. I didn't want to watch it anymore. It got to a point where it was unwatchable."

Connecticut (9-0) scored the first seven points and took a 23-8 lead just more than six minutes into the game as it remained one of six undefeated teams in the country. The Huskies hit nine of their first 13 shots.

But Connecticut also committed 28 turnovers in a game that Auriemma described as "bizzare and weird." He noted that the teams combined for 53 baskets compared to a combined 51 turnovers.

"It didn't look good," he said. "It was bad and sloppy. Both teams were playing ugly basketball."

San Diego State (8-2) shot only 31.7 percent from the field and turned the ball over 23 times.

The Huskies were playing without junior guard Kalana Greene, who suffered a torn ligament in her right knee during Monday night's 97-39 win over South Carolina.

No. 12 California 74, Kansas 41: Alexis Gray-Lawson scored 16 of her season-high 25 points in the first half and the Golden Bears (9-2) returned from an 11-day break for final exams to romp past the Jayhawks (9-2) at Berkeley, Calif., in their last non-conference game of the season.

No. 14 Duke 92, Bucknell 49: Chante Black and Joy Cheek each scored 19 points and the Blue Devils (9-3) raced to a 53-31 halftime lead and never looked back in cruising past the Lady Bison (4-7), who failed to score in the final 6:09 at Durham, N.C.

No. 17 Notre Dame 67, IUPUI 44: Charel Allen had 12 points and five steals, Devereaux Peters had 11 points and four blocks, and the Irish (10-1) forced 28 turnover to beat the Jaguars (3-9) at Indianapolis for their eighth straight victory.

DIVISION II WOMEN

COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES 69, BYU-HAWAI'I 62: Blakelee Midyett scored 11 points, Stevie Hagemeister and Peanut Eickelman each added 10, and the Orediggers (6-4) outscored the Seasiders (0-8) 19-10 in the final six minutes yesterday at the Cannon Activities Center in La'ie.

ALASKA-ANCHORAGE 72, HAWAI'I-HILO 60: Maria Nilsson hit 7 of 11 3-point attempts en route to 23 points, and Rebecca Kielpinski added 12, leading the Seawolves (11-1) over the Vulcans (0-7) last night at Hilo civic on the Big Island.

MEN'S TOP 25

No. 10 Marquette 89, Coppin State 42: Dominic James and Jerel McNeal scored 18 points each and the Golden Eagles (9-1) used a 22-0 run midway through the second half to rout the Eagles (3-9) at Milwaukee.

No. 15 Clemson 90, DePaul 74: Trevor Booker scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, five teammates scored in double figures, and the Tigers (10-0) used a 19-4 run to start the second half in rolling past the Demons (2-7) in the San Juan Shootout at Guaynabo, Puerto Rico.

BYU 70, Southern Utah 55: Jonathan Tavernari scored 15 of his 19 points in the second half as the Cougars (10-2) defeated the T-Birds (2-10) at Provo, Utah, to extend their home winning streak to 38 games, the longest active streak in the nation.

WAC TEAMS

Utah State 78, Northern Arizona 62: Jaycee Carroll scored 33 points, Gary Wilkinson added 14 and the host Aggies (9-5) defeated the Lumberjacks (8-5) in the championship game of the Gossner Foods Holiday Classic at Logan, Utah.

DIVISION II MEN

SEATTLE PACIFIC 83, COLOADO SCHOOL OF MINES 66: Marques Echols scored 25 points to lead three teammates in double figures as the Falcons (6-1) beat the Orediggers (5-5) yesterday at the Cannon Activities Center in La'ie. 'Iolani alum Kyle Pape and Ben Mohr each scored 20 for the Orediggers.

ALASKA-ANCHORAGE 73, HAWAI'I-HILO 72: Carl Arts scored 26 points, including two free throws with five seconds remaining, to lift the Seawolves (7-3) over the Vulcans (3-4), who turned the ball over on their final possession at Hilo civic on the Big Island.

NOTES

Pitts' Cook out for season: Senior small forward Mike Cook will miss the rest of the season after injuring his left knee in overtime in the Panthers' 65-64 victory over No. 6 Duke Thursday night. Cook will have surgery in the next two weeks to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

New Mexico suspends two: Starting center Hatila Passos and reserve guard Paris Carter were suspended indefinitely yesterday by coach Marvin Menzies for violations of undisclosed team rules. They returned to Las Cruces after Wednesday night's 83-69 loss at New Mexico.

Make a difference. Donate to The Advertiser Christmas Fund.