Here’s a look back at Wednesday’s UConn-Syracuse game:
TURNING POINT – Tiffany Hayes scored 10 straight points during a stretch of 97 seconds to jumpstart the Huskies offensively in the first half. The burst included back-to-back 3-pointers and a pull-up jumper that gave UConn a 19-9 lead with 13:21 left in the half. She had 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting (2-of-3 3-pointers) at that point on her way to a 22-point effort. All of this came after she was a bit uneasy prior to tip-off.
“I knew it would be a fight coming here,’’ Hayes said. “Before the game I was kind
of nervous because I knew of the other things that went on in other
games with them. You have to stay composed in a game like this
because you know what you’re going to get. You have to stay together as a team. We did a good job.’’
UNSUNG HERO – Tina Charles. Syracuse made it a point to regularly blanket her in the lane, holding her to a season-low three points. She took just four shots – one shy of her career-low vs. South Florida Jan. 30, 2008 – in 25 minutes. However, she tied her career-high with four assists and added five rebounds and five blocks and did not commit a turnover.
“Tina was in the lane and they were going to put a couple people around her,’’ Auriemma said. “Tina didn’t have an offensive rebound. Maybe there weren’t many to get because Maya (Moore) got them all. And there weren’t a whole lot of shots to get because the other two guys were taking them all. But I thought Tina played great on the defensive the whole first half. There were just times when you couldn’t get near the basket against us. I think that’s what’s impressive about our team is Tina’s not sitting on the bench complaining about not getting the ball or complaining about not getting any shots. And she’s not complaining in the locker room about not getting any … She just sits there and listens to me complain about her not getting any offensive rebounds.’’
BEST ‘X’ AND/OR ‘O’ – Syracuse had outrebounded 22 of its first 26 opponents. Entering the game, the Orange was also leading the Big East in total rebounds (45.8) and offensive rebounds (17.7). But powered by a career-high 20 rebounds from Moore, the Huskies finished with a 50-30 advantage on the boards, including 30-11 in the first half.
The Orange finished with season-lows in rebounds and offensive rebounds (10).
“That was a huge part of the scouting report because we know Syracuse gets a lot of extra possessions by attacking the offensive glass,’’ Moore said. “So to make it a lot harder for them we had to rebound. So we knew coming in that was a must. And I’m really proud of the way our team tried to lead with that. Just be aggressive and go after the ball.’’
SIGHTS AND SOUNDS – Last season’s game between the teams ended with Nicole Michael trying to trip Auriemma following a verbal exchange in the postgame handshake line. Wednesday’s game ended with Hayes sporting a cut on her lower lip after bumping heads with Syracuse junior Erica Morrow as the two battled for a loose ball. Morrow was ejected for throwing a punch in the incident, a blow that caught by officials when they looked at the replay monitor at the scorer’s table.
“I just saw Tiffany come out of there holding her face and there was blood,’’ Auriemma said. “I heard somebody on the bench say, `I think she got punched.’ So the referee stopped the game and they said we’re going to check and then they saw it on the film.’’
Hayes said she did not realize the extent of her injury until after she had left the game. “I didn’t think it was that bad,’’ she said. “Then I looked in the mirror and saw it and was like, `Oh, wow. That’s not good.’’’ Morrow’s teammates and Orange coach Quentin Hillsman did take the time to ask Hayes about her health after the game. “Some of her teammates asked me if I was OK and the Coach apologized,’’ Hayes said. “I’m fine with them.’’… In the far from right category, Auriemma predicted that Moore would not have a strong game Wednesday. She had already secured her 10th double-double of the season with 8:43 left in the first half. “I said Maya was going to be horrible,’’ Auriemma said. “She had a bad shootaround. She was acting like her typical dopey self, like she always does. And then she missed the first couple shots and I said to the players on the bench, `You guys think I’m not that smart. I said that Maya was going to be out of it. See I’m right.’ Thirty-eight points and 20 rebounds later … They don’t listen to anything I say anymore. They think I’m crazy.’’ … Moore was asked which stat she appreciated more, 38 points or 20 rebounds. “Twenty rebounds, easy,’’ Moore said. “Hearing you can’t rebound, `You’re not a good rebounder’ every day at practice it feels good to come out and actually do what I know I can do.’’ … Syracuse men’s basketball coach Jim Boeheim and long-time friend of Auriemma was seated in the second row behind the hoop.
LOOKING AHEAD – The Huskies (28-0, 14-0 Big East) will look to clinch their fourth straight Big East regular season championship –18th overall – on Senior Day Saturday at the XL Center. Tina Charles, Jacquie Fernandes, Meghan Gardler, Kalana Greene, and Kaili McLaren will be honored during a pregame ceremony that is slated to commence at approximately 11:40 a.m.
BY THE NUMBERS
4 – Games with at least 30 points for Maya Moore in her career, tied for second all-time in team history (Kerry Bascom, 11)
16.7 – Rebounding average for Moore in three games vs. Syracuse
30.3 – Scoring average for Moore in three games vs. Syracuse
Rich
