Houston’s first half effort, something to build from
The No. 1 Uconn Lady Husky’s looked like an average team as the game began.
It’s wasn’t a pretty site but it got the job done. The defending national champions rode its overwhelming, pressure man-to-man defense to a 31-20 halftime lead and it coasted to it’s 50th consecutive win as it claimed a 76-37 victory over the Lady Cougars on Friday night at Hofheinz Pavilion.
The Lady Husky’s improve to (13-0, 3-0) on the season. While Houston (4-11, 0-4) dropped its fourth consecutive conference loss.
Uconn wasn’t sure where it’s offense was early in the first quarter while the Lady Cougars worked both ends of the court and executed the high percentage shots to lead the entire quarter and entered the second up 15-14. However, it didn’t take long for the Husky’s to apply additional pressure which resulted in disaster for Houston. Including three 30-second shot clock violations, several rushed shots, turnovers into points and blocked shots.
“There’s no substitute for making shots,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “I think the perception out there is that we are such a good offensive team that every time we shoot the ball, it’s going in. The reality of the situation is that’s not going to happen every night. Some nights you aren’t going to make shots, and you are going to have to do other things.”
A closer look showed Houston pulling the Husky’s out its comfort zone. The pesky first-half Cougars wrote it’s own chapter with a suffocating man-to-man defense which gave Uconn fits early on. Houston even had a bit of offense to go along with its defense, which helped sustain the young lead.
“We talked about and playing for the name across your chest more than the name across your back,” Houston Cougars coach Ronald Hughey explained. “I think they did that and represented us well tonight.”
“Just for our team to come out against the No 1 team in the country and play like that for two and a half quarters,” said Hughey. “I think we did a heck of a job.”
The Huskey’s continued to struggle offensively until forward Breanna Stewart and guard Moriah Jefferson nailed treys late in the second which helped stretch the lead to 31-20 going into intermission.
“We weren’t making shots and they were,” says Hughey. “We contested but they were better offensive players on this night. They end up getting a few second shots toward the end of the second quarter.”
Jefferson, Kia Nurse, Stewart and Gabby Williams led the Husky’s with 13 points each.
For Houston, coping with the intensified pressure only worsened when it went through a cold period without a basket for eight minutes and 37 seconds. A stretch that begin late in the third quarter and ended at the 4:09 mark of the fourth quarter when guard Bianca Winslow connected on a pair of free throws.
The Husky’s took the lead, 16-15 for keeps when sophomore guard Williams dropped a floater in the lane. It was the first Uconn shot of the second quarter. As the quarter progressed, freshman guard Katie Lou Samuelson followed up a missed shot with a basket. Jefferson penetrated through the lane, scoring while being fouled. She then converted the bonus point to open a six-point Husky lead, 21-15 with 4:23 left in the second quarter.
U-of-H shot 26 percent from the field but it’s shot selection had no barren issues. The constant ball harassing finally caught up to the Lady Cougars.
In the third quarter, Uconn made the best of its opportunities. Staying perfect from the free throw line (39-of-39)was all part of an all-around game, once its offense came full circle.
Without question UConn’s defense was the story tonight. But the third was by far its best offensive quarter, as it outscored the Lady Cougars, 23-10 en route to a 54-30 lead to close out the quarter.
Williams, Jefferson, and center Natalie Butler combined for four steals in a span of about two minutes which turned into points.
The Lady Cougars traded baskets early in the third quarter, but could not draw any closer than seven points, 31-24, and 33-26. Despite the effort, Marche Amerson, Brianna Coffman, Tyler Gilbert, who led Houston with 16 points and Senthia Hawkins all had a hand in Houston’s third quarter scoring. Never the less, nothing was enough to slow the Lady Husky’s once it got on a role.
