HARTFORD, Conn. — Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma threw his old player a curve last night.

The top-ranked Huskies used a dizzying variety of defenses on Jennifer Rizzotti's Hartford Hawks and handed Hartford its worst beating of the season, a 70-24 rout. Maya Moore had 21 points and Tina Charles grabbed a season-high 12 rebounds for UConn.

Rizzotti, a former All-America point guard at UConn, was a member of the Huskies' 1995 NCAA title team. In their three previous meetings with UConn, the Hawks had been gritty and gutty, much like the style that defined their coach in her playing days.

Last night, they were simply confused.

"It really kind of threw us off," said Rizzotti, now 0-4 against her mentor. "UConn makes teams look worse than they are."

Renee Montgomery added 12 for UConn, which opened the season 10-0 for the 10th time since 1994-95, the season the Huskies won the first of their five NCAA titles.

The game was UConn's first since earning the top spot in the AP Poll. It's been nearly four years since the Huskies were ranked No. 1, and they were every bit the powerhouse Saturday night. The Hawks (10-3) were coming off last week's upset of then-No. 25 Michigan State, and managed to stay even with UConn for the first five minutes.

But any hope of another upset evaporated in a 17-4 UConn run early in the first half. The Huskies then began switching up defenses, rotating from man to zone to half-court traps.

"That was the start of our demise," Rizzotti said.

Reserve forward Charde Houston, who lost her starting job this season, sparked the run, hitting a jumper to break an 8-all tie and the Huskies were off. Houston had three steals, a defensive rebound and four points in six minutes.

NO. 5 MARYLAND 89, RICHMOND 59

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Marissa Coleman made four 3-pointers and scored 23 points, and Crystal Langhorne added 15 points and 15 rebounds, powering the host Terrapins (15-1), who led 47-26 at intermission, to a rout of the Spiders (7-6).

NO. GEORGIA 71, FLORIDA STATE 62

MIAMI — Tasha Humphrey scored 22 points, and Angel Robinson added 12 points and 18 rebounds to help the Lady Bulldogs (11-0) beat the Seminoles (9-4) in overtime in the Florida International University Sun & Fun Classic.

SAINT JOSEPH'S 71, NO. 15 AUBURN 69

PHILADELPHIA — Amy Wold scored 17 points, Sarah Acker had 16 and the host Hawks (7-6) let a 41-29 halftime lead slip to just two before hanging on to upset the Tigers (12-1) in the championship game of the Hilton Philadelphia Hawk Classic.

NO. 16 NOTRE DAME 82, ST. FRANCIS, PA. 39

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Erica Williamson scored a career-high 16 points and added eight rebounds, helping the Irish (11-1) dominate the inside by outscoring the smaller Red Flash (3-8), 50-10, en route to their ninth straight victory.

NO. 24 OKLAHOMA ST. 85, TEXAS SOUTHERN 39

STILLWATER, Okla. — Andrea Riley had 20 points and six steals, Danielle Green added 14 points, nine rebounds and five steals, and the Cowgirls (9-0) raced to a 29-4 lead and were never threatened in routing the Tigers (2-8).

HAWAI'I DIVISION II

Nebraska-Omaha 66, Brigham Young-Hawai'i 56: Latoya Wright scored 18 points and the Mavericks broke away from a 43-all tie by outscoring the Seasiders 23-13 in the final nine minutes at Cannon Activities Center in La'ie. Agnes Tuilevuka scored 23 points and Richelle Fenenbock 18 to lead BYUH.

Make a difference. Donate to The Advertiser Christmas Fund.