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UConn-bound recruit Saniya Chong scored 29 points today to lead top-seeded Ossining to a 100-57 victory over fourth-seeded Ursuline in the New York Section I Class AA semifinals. Andra Espinoza-Hunter, an eighth-grader who attended the UConn-Baylor game at the XL Center with Chong Feb. 18, had 21 points.

Ossining led 38-7 at the end of the first quarter.

“We know we have the best team, we have to get out to fast starts,’’ Ossining coach Dan Ricci told The Journal News. “The only way we are going to lose is if we get outhustled or outworked. We feel we have the most talent. That’s what I tell my kids, `Get out fast, impose your will and everything will fall into place.’’’

Ossining will be looking for its third straight Section I Class AA title when it meets second-seeded Lourdes in the championship game Sunday (2 p.m.).

Rich

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Let’s start with IF UConn defeats South Florida Saturday and IF No. 2 Notre Dame defeats Providence Saturday … Not only could the Huskies earn a share of their 20th Big East regular season championship with a win over the Irish at Purcell Pavilion Monday night, but they could also earn the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament by virtue of the tiebreaker.

Here is how it works: UConn played Marquette twice. Notre Dame played Providence twice. The decisive tiebreaker will be UConn’s two wins over Marquette (Notre Dame has one) and the fact that the Golden Eagles finished ahead of Providence in the Big East standings.

Rich

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Senior Kelly Faris, juniors Stefanie Dolson and Bria Hartley and sophomore Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis are among 30 candidates for the Naismith Women’s College Player of the Year award, it was announced today by the Atlanta Tipoff Club. The players were selected by the Atlanta Tipoff Club Board of Selectors based on player performance this season.

No other team has four players on the list. Baylor, Duke, Maryland, Notre Dame and Penn State each have two players named.

The Naismith Trophy voting academy will cut the list to four finalists in late March. The Naismith Women’s College Player of the Year will be presented in New Orleans April 8.

Rich

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The moment was one to remember for UConn head coach Geno Auriemma last night at the XL Center.

Seeing associate head coach Chris Dailey, assistant coaches Marisa Moseley and Shea Ralph and film coordinator Keith Anderson receive their commemorative rings for their involvement in the U.S. Olympic team’s gold medal run last summer in London was special.

“It’s amazing that we were able to do that and be able to share it with everybody on our staff as opposed to just me by myself,’’ Auriemma said. “So I think the fact that they were all there and had a hand in it and participated I think that makes it more worthwhile.’’

Auriemma, who also received the Order of Ikkos medal, raved Monday about the ring he received after the 2010 World Championships. He also is impressed with the look of the Olympic ring.

“They’re what you would expect them to be,’’ Auriemma said. “They’re big. They’re gaudy. They’ve got a lot going on. They’re pretty impressive. They’re heavy. They’re exactly what you would think an Olympic championship ring would be like.’’

Rich

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Morgan Tuck and Caroline Doty were both experiencing discomfort tonight against Pittsburgh. UConn coach Geno Auriemma did not play Kiah Stokes at all.

So someone had to log more minutes than usual in a 76-36 win at the XL Center. That person was Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, who played 40 minutes for the first time in 65 career games.

Mosqueda-Lewis had previously played as many 38 minutes three times this season – vs. Syracuse Jan. 19, at St. John’s Feb. 2 and vs. Baylor Feb. 18.

“Everybody else I kind of find a reason to take them out,’’ Auriemma said. “I just don’t find a reason to take Kaleena out right now. In the first half with Moriah (Jefferson) getting the three fouls and then in the second half Morgan had said that her knee was bothering her and she really couldn’t go any harder and that it was going to be a little bit of a struggle for her. And Caroline the same thing. Caroline’s been banged up a little bit. Her knee’s been bothering her. So we’re kind of down in numbers and it’s never a bad thing to have Kaleena out on the floor, that’s for sure.’’

Mosqueda-Lewis maximized her playing time by producing 19 points, 13 rebounds, five assists (tying a season-high) and two steals. It was her second double-double in the last three games and her third this season.

“It was a dream,’’ Mosqueda-Lewis said. “It was awesome out there. Halftime was my friend.’’

Sophomore center Kiah Stokes was the only player not to play against the Panthers. Here is Auriemma’s reasoning behind her DNP …

“There’s only so many minutes in the game and right now I’m trying to get minutes for the guys that I think have earned them,’’ Auriemma said.

Rich

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The time to win championships is drawing near for the UConn women’s basketball team. The Huskies proved Tuesday that they still have some work to do.

Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis had 19 points, 13 rebounds and five assists to lead the Huskies to a lackluster 76-36 victory over Pittsburgh before 9,428 at the XL Center in their final home game of the regular season. UConn suffered through long stretches of inconsistency, especially in the first half when it shot just 41.7 percent from the field.

USA Basketball National Team Director Carol Callan presented UConn coach Geno Auriemma, associate head coach Chris Dailey, assistant coaches Marisa Moseley and Shea Ralph and film coordinator Keith Anderson with commemorative rings for their involvement with the U.S. Olympic team’s gold medal run in London last summer during a pregame ceremony.

The Huskies (26-2 overall, 13-1 Big East) have won 28 straight games against Pittsburgh (9-18, 0-14). The Panthers have lost 32 straight games against Big East opponents and 34 straight conference regular season games.

Meanwhile, UConn is a combined 379-34 in the Big East since the start of the 1988-89 season.

Breanna Stewart added 15 points, nine rebounds, four assists, four blocks and four steals for the Huskies. Stefanie Dolson had 14 points and seven rebounds. Kelly Faris had 11 points, nine rebounds, three assists and four steals.

The Huskies opened the game by missing eight of their first 11 shots and trailed 8-7 with 14:07 left in the half. But they capitalized on the inability of Pittsburgh to get anything established offensively and finished the half with a 30-5 run.

UConn scored 16 straight points at one point. The Panthers (5-of-27 FG) did not make a field over the final 9:26 of the half, missing their final nine shots.

The Huskies led by as many as 43 in the second half.

Brianna Kiesel had 11 points (4-of-22 FG) to lead Pittsburgh.

Rich

STAR OF THE GAME: Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis. She recorded her third double-double of the season with 19 points and 13 rebounds.

KEYS TO THE WIN: The Huskies ended the first half with a 30-5 run. … Pittsburgh did not make a field goal over the final 9:26 of the first half, missing nine straight shots. … The Huskies finished with a 49-29 rebounding advantage.

WORTH NOTING: Bria Hartley (3×3), Moriah Jefferson (U-18), Stewart (U-18) and Morgan Tuck (U-18) were during a pregame ceremony for winning a gold medal as part of USA Basketball last summer. … It was the last meeting between the teams as Big East competitors. Pittsburgh will become a member of the ACC next season. … Faris moved into fifth place in team history in steals (275) and 10th in games played (143). … Mosqueda-Lewis and Faris were awarded commemorative game balls prior to the game for becoming the 37th and 38th players, respectively, in team history to reach 1,000 points.

NEXT: Saturday at South Florida, noon (SNY)

Rich

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Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis has nine points and six rebounds to lead the Huskies. Kelly Faris has seven points, seven rebounds and four steals.

UConn opened the game by missing seven of its first eight shots. But the Huskies capitalized on the inability of Pittsburgh to get anything going offensively and finished the half with a 30-5 run.

UConn scored 16 straight points at one point. The Panthers (5-of-27 FG) did not make a field over the final 9:26 of the half.

Brianna Kiesel (seven) and Asia Logan (six) have combined to score all of the points for Pittsburgh.

Rich

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WHEN: Tonight, 7

WHERE: XL Center, Hartford (16,294)

RECORDS: Pittsburgh 9-17 (0-13 Big East), UConn 25-2 (12-1)

ON THE AIR: SNY (Andrew Catalon and Meghan Culmo); WTIC-AM 1080 (Bob Joyce and Debbie Fiske)

UP NEXT: Saturday at South Florida, noon (SNY)

PITTSBURGH

• Asia Logan, G, 6-0 Jr.: 21p, career-high 16r vs. Georgetown
• Brianna Kiesel, G, 5-7 Soph.: 21.0p, 5.0r, 5.0a, 2.0s last two.
• Ashlee Anderson, G, 5-9 Jr.: 6.8p, 5.2r, 2.4a last five games
• Loliya Briggs, G, 5-11 Fr.: 8.0p, 4.3r, 2.6a last seven games
• Marquel Davis, G, 5-9 Jr.: 11.7p, 5.0r last three games
• Cora McManus, F, 6-0 Soph.: Scoreless in 19 minutes last two games (0-of-2 FG)
• Chyna Golden, C, 6-2 Soph.: Played season-low four minutes vs. Georgetown
• Krista Pettipier, F, 6-3 Fr.: 1.0p (1-of-5 FG), 6.8r last four games

UCONN

• Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, F, 6-0 Soph.: 18.3p (27-of-42 FG), 7.8r last four games
• Stefanie Dolson, C, 6-5 Jr.: 11.5p (8-of-24 FG) 8.5r, 3.5a last two games
• Breanna Stewart, G, 6-4 Fr.: 16p, 5r vs. Seton Hall; 6p, 3r previous two games
• Kelly Faris, G, 5-11 Sr.: 14.5p, 4.3r, 3.8a, 2.5s last four games
• Bria Hartley, G, 5-7 Jr.: 9.5p (7-of-19 FG), 3.0 turnovers last two.
• Morgan Tuck, F, 6-2 Fr.: 9.0p, 5.0r last three games
• Caroline Doty, G, 5-10 Sr.: 5p, 5r vs. Seton Hall; 3p, 2r previous two games
• Moriah Jefferson, G, 5-7 Fr.: 7a, 2 turnovers in 64 minutes last three games
• Kiah Stokes, C, 6-3 Soph.: Has played 14 minutes in last three games (2.0p, 0.3r)

STORY LINES

HONOREES: USA Basketball will present UConn coach Geno Auriemma, associate head coach Chris Dailey, assistant coaches Marisa Moseley and Shea Ralph and film coordinator Keith Anderson with commemorative rings for their involvement with the U.S. Olympic team’s gold medal run in London last summer. Hartley (3×3), Jefferson (U-18), Stewart (U-18) and Tuck (U-18) will be also honored for winning gold last summer.

GRAND TIME: Mosqueda-Lewis and Faris will be given commemorative game balls for becoming the 37th and 38th players, respectively, in team history to reach 1,000 points.

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