No. 1 Connecticut routs Clemson 87-48 to win WBCA Classic and extend streak to 45
By Pat Eaton-robb, APSunday, November 29, 2009
Top-ranked UConn beats Clemson 87-48
STORRS, Conn. — Kalana Greene scored a career-high 28 points and top-ranked Connecticut blew out another opponent with an 87-48 win over Clemson on Sunday to win the WBCA Classic.
Tina Charles had 20 points and nine rebounds and Maya Moore added 19 points for UConn, which extended its winning streak to 45 games.
The Huskies, who beat Hofstra 91-46 on Friday, and routed Richmond 86-37 on Saturday, have won 13 consecutive in-season tournaments dating back to 1992.
Lele Hardy had 17 points for Clemson, which actually led the game for over 2 1/2 minutes, the first time UConn has trailed all season. Lindsay Welker added 11.
UConn has won each game in its streak by at least 10 points, and has won all six games this season by at least 25 points.
Clemson became the first team this season to take a lead on the Huskies when Hardy hit a 3-pointer 33 seconds into the game to make it 3-2. The Tigers were up 9-6 just over 2 minutes into the contest, but that was the biggest advantage they would have. Charles scored 10 of the Huskies first 14 points, and sparked a 16-2 run that made it 22-11.
Clemson tried to stay with the Huskies, cutting the lead to 31-21 on another 3-pointer by Hardy that prompted UConn coach Geno Auriemma to call a timeout. UConn scored the next 11 points.
Kalana Greene had three steals and two layups in the final minute before intermission as the Huskies extended the lead to 54-27. She scored 16 second-half points, and also had eight rebounds and four steals.
Connecticut missed all nine of its 3-point attempts in the first half, and was just two of 15 for the game, after hitting 13 on Saturday against Richmond.
The Huskies scored 62 points in the paint, while holding Clemson to 20.
Connecticut is now 3-1 against Clemson. The 61-59 loss came on March 17, 1990 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, and was the last time the Huskies lost an NCAA Tournament game at Gampel Pavilion.
The Tigers finished the round-robin tournament 1-2, losing to Richmond 86-67 on Friday and beating Hofstra 69-68 on Saturday.
UConn is in the middle of a seven-game homestand, which concludes with a Dec. 23 showdown against No. 2 Stanford.
