Seton Hall coach Phyllis Mangina has been on the wrong side of a lot of lopsided losses to the Huskies during her 25 seasons with the Pirates. Last season, UConn won 81-50. The outcome was even worse Saturday as the Huskies rolled 91-24 at the Prudential Center in Newark.
And the 67-point margin came with UConn receiving a season-high 37 points from its bench. When asked after the game to compare last season’s national championship team with this season’s unbeaten team, she delivered an extremely favorable review.
“It’s interesting,’’ Mangina said. “Renee (Montgomery) is one of the great players I think that played college basketball, especially in that position. For me, I think they transition even better than they did last year. I think they really get up and down. I love (Tiffany) Hayes and (Kalana) Greene. I think they’re even longer and even more athletic defensively. I think the biggest difference for me is what (Tina) Charles is doing. She’s just playing a whole other level. She’s the best big kid in the country I think anyway, but when she’s playing like that I don’t think there’s anybody close. So I think she’s a huge difference for them. And just her approach to the game. How tenacious she is now. I’ve watched every game they’ve played so far. I just think the last four games last year and all through this year she’s playing at a whole other level. And I think that can more than make up for the loss of Renee Montgomery in the backcourt. And I think Hayes and Greene have done a nice job. Plus, (Lorin) Dixon’s back a little bit. I just think they get up and down the floor even better than they did last year. They’re incredible.’’
For the record, the Huskies are averaging 14.3 points in transition this season. They averaged 11.0 in 39 games last season (15.0 through the first 12 games).
Rich
