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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, March 24, 2010

No. 1 UConn routs Temple, 90-36


Associated Press

NORFOLK, Va. — Connecticut was so good — nearly perfect — in the first half against Temple that even one of its superstars was surprised.

"It was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime kind of a half," Maya Moore said.

The Huskies shot nearly 78 percent, held Temple to five field goals and 12 points and took a 43-point lead into the locker room last night in the Dayton Regional. They coasted to a 90-36 victory in the second round of the NCAA women's tournament, stretching their winning streak to 74 games.

"You go in wanting to feel like you're going to hit every shot, but you don't really think every single shot is going to go in," Moore said after making all six of her shots, including three 3-pointers. "At a point there, we thought every shot was going to go in."

To the Owls, it seemed like every shot did.

"It was just, 'Wow,' " said Qwedia Wallace, who led Temple with 12 points.

"They are the No. 1 team in the nation for a reason," added Marli Bennett.

On a night that started with UConn coach Geno Auriemma twice hugging former assistant Tonya Cardoza, in her second season as the Owls coach, perfection quickly replaced affection.

Moore hit 3-pointers on the Huskies' first two possessions, they ran off 20 points in a row in 6 minutes after Temple closed to 13-5 and finished the half on a 20-1 burst en route to a 55-12 lead.

NO. 7 MISSISSIPPI STATE 87, NO. 2 OHIO STATE 67

Alexis Rack poured in 30 points and the Bulldogs (21-12) used an 18-0 run that turned a 32-26 deficit into a 44-32 lead to upset the Buckeyes (31-5) at Pittsburgh to reach the round of 16 for the first time.

NO. 4 IOWA STATE 60, NO. 12 WISCONSIN-GREEN BAY 56

Kelsey Bolte scored 15 points, including a 3-pointer for a 57-56 lead with 1:11 left, and the Cyclones (25-7) held on to beat the Phoenix (28-5) at Ames, Iowa.

KANSAS CITY

NO. 1 NEBRASKA 83, NO. 8 UCLA 70

Dominique Kelley scored a career-high 22 points, Kelsey Griffin added 18 points and 14 rebounds, and the Cornhuskers (32-1) beat the Bruins (25-9) at Minneapolis to reach the regional semifinals for the first time in program history.

NO. 2 NOTRE DAME 84, NO. 10 VERMONT 66

Freshman Skylar Diggins had a season-high 31 points, seven steals, and six assists, and the Fighting Irish (29-5) finished with 19 steals and forced the Catamounts (27-7) into a season-high 25 turnovers at South Bend, Ind.

NO. 3 OKLAHOMA 60, NO 11 ARKANSAS-LITTLE ROCK 44

Abi Olajuwon had 19 points and 11 rebounds, and the Sooners (25-10) closed a ragged first half with an 11-0 run to go up by 15 and never let the Trojans (27-7) get back within single digits at Norman, Okla.

MEMPHIS

NO. 11 SAN DIEGO STATE 64, NO. 3 WEST VIRGINIA 55

Jene Morris scored 27 points and the Aztecs (23-10) used an 8-0 run for a 55-47 lead to upset the Mountaineers (29-6) at Austin Texas.

SACRAMENTO

NO. 3 XAVIER 63, NO. 6 VANDERBILT 62

Amber Harris had 21 points and made the go-ahead layup with 12.3 seconds left as the Musketeers (29-3) rallied from an 11-point deficit to beat the Commodores (23-11) at Cincinnati.

NAIA WOMEN

UNION (TENN.) 73, AZUSA-PACIFIC 65

Zeinab Chan scored 20 points and pulled down 10 rebounds to lead the Lady Bulldogs (36-2) to their fifth NAIA women's national championship with a victory over the Cougars (29-7) at Jackson, Tenn.

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