A look back at Tuesday’s UConn-Rutgers game:
No. 1 UConn 73, Rutgers 36
TURNING POINT – The Huskies were 4-of-14 from the field as they neared the midpoint of the first half with a 10-8 lead. But as has been the case so often this season, they went on a run and the game was transformed into a rout. UConn scored nine straight points in a 30-7 run to finish the half. Rutgers missed nine straight shots at one point and 18 of its final 21. Meanwhile, the Huskies made 12 of their final 18 shots to take a 40-15 lead at halftime.
“I think in the beginning of the game we had a lot of open shots and we didn’t make them,’’ senior Kalana Greene said. “And then on defense … we were very confident in our defense. People talk about us being an offensive team. But I think our defense is even better and worth more talking about than our offense. So we’re confident on defense and try to force them to take shots they’re not comfortable taking and get the ball out of their best player’s hands.’’
UNSUNG HERO – Kaili McLaren. She finished with six points, four assists and one turnover in 21 minutes.
“Kaili practiced really well,’’ coach Geno Auriemma said. “I think she knew she knew she was going to play well (Tuesday) because against Rutgers you need her. And she knew it. She kind of had the rest of the week off because she knew against Villanova she wasn’t going to play. So she was just kind of kicking back. So there’s some teams that we play against that it’s very difficult for her to matchup with anybody on the floor. But a game like this she knew and I think she prepared herself for it.’’
BEST ‘X’ AND/OR ‘O’ – The Huskies employed many more zone looks against Rutgers than they have in other games this season. And Rutgers was hapless offensively against them. The Scarlet Knights shot 28.6 percent from the field (1-of-14 3-pointers). Leading scorer Brittany Ray was 1-of-11 shooting (0-of-5 3-pointers). And Rutgers tied the second lowest scoring output (36) in team history.
“We played more zone then we did normally,’’ Auriemma said. “So maybe that kind of slowed them down a little bit. I think any time you play Rutgers you’ve got to kind of prepare for the same thing that you’re always going to see. It’s going to be physical. It’s going to be tough to get a lot of possessions and I thought (Tuesday) was pretty much the same as what we’ve come to expect and the style of play.’’
SIGHTS AND SOUNDS – Auriemma compared McLaren to Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre after the game in what a comical exchange. “She’s still the Brett Favre of women’s basketball,’’ he said. “Like don’t throw it to that guy. He’s wide-open. Don’t throw to that guy either. He’s wide-open. And don’t you dare throw it to that guy who’s more wider-open than wide-open. Try to throw through these four guys to that guy who has to make a great catch and then make a layup. That’s how she is. That’s who she is. And when she makes an easy pass it looks so easy that everybody goes, `Wow.’ And she goes, `I’m bored.’ So now she has to make something that everybody will go, `Oooo.’ Except me when it bounces off three people’s heads.’’ Auriemma was then asked if he thought Favre would return next season. “Is he coming back? I think Kaili’s going to replace him,’’ he said. “She’ll play two positions. Maybe three. Quarterback. Fullback. Right guard. She can handle all those positions.’’ … Rutgers coach C. Vivian Stringer commented on that fact that she doesn’t believe it’s good for the game that the Huskies are winning by such large margins. “It’s not their fault, but it’s not a great thing for the sport,” she said. “How can anybody enjoy a game that is really not much of a competition? You come to see games because of the competition.’’… Aside from the sellout against Stanford Dec. 23, the crowd of 12,347 was the second largest this season.
LOOKING AHEAD – The Huskies will travel to Pittsburgh Saturday to play in the palace known as the Petersen Events Center. It will be the first of six road games over the final 10 games to close out the regular season.
BY THE NUMBERS
1 – Opponents that have shot higher then 37.3 percent from the field (Stanford, 46.4)
6 – Straight games Greene has scored in double figures, one shy of her career-high
17 – Points needed to Tina Charles to reach 2,000
Rich
