Tiffany Hayes was playing her own version of follow-the-leader Sunday at Sovereign Bank Arena. After watching fellow freshman Kemba Walker light up Missouri with a career-high tying 23 points (7-of-9 FG), five assists and five rebounds in 25 minutes in UConn’s 82-75 victory over in the West regional final Saturday, Hayes was hoping that she could make that kind of an impact at the expense of California.
And she certainly did. Hayes finished with career-highs of 28 points and seven assists and she added five rebounds and two steals. She was 9-of-10 from the field, 5-of-6 from 3-point range and did not commit a turnover in a career-high 39 minutes.
“I did watch him and I was really proud of the way he played,’’ Hayes said. “I was thinking about him and how he’s a freshman and the way he stepped up and did what he did. So I thought maybe I could come out and do the same thing and luckily I did.’’
Hayes scored more points than any other freshman in team history in an NCAA tournament game. Tuesday she will try to take the Huskies of the Final Four, just like Walker did.
Tina Charles was forced to sit out the final 14:07 of the first half today after picking up two fouls. She responded with two points, five rebounds, two assists and two blocks in 17 minutes in the second half. And she only picked up one more foul. That’s a sign of maturity.
Speaking of Tuesday’s night regional final against surprise sixth-seed Arizona State, there will be a Tennessee flavor to the matchup. Senior center Sybil Dosty was with the Lady Vols when they reached the Final Four in 2005 and the Elite Eight in 2006.
Dosty has also played in two games against the Huskies. She had one rebound and one steal in two minutes in Tennessee’s 68-67 victory over the Huskies Jan. 8 at the then-Hartford Civic Center. And she had six points and four rebounds in five minutes in an 89-80 victory at Thompson-Boling Arena Jan. 7, 2006.
Rich
