Jefferson leads No. 2 UConn women over SMU 96-45
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - Moriah Jefferson had a career-high 24 points and No. 2 UConn routed SMU 96-45 on Saturday in the American Athletic Conference opener for both teams.
The junior point guard hit eight of her 12 shots, including 4 of 5 from 3-point range. Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis scored 19 points, Kia Nurse had 13 points and seven assists and Morgan Tuck added 12 points for UConn (9-1), which hosts No. 10 Duke on Monday night.
The win gives Geno Auriemma the best winning percentage in the history of women's college basketball (.86889) just ahead of former Louisiana Tech Coach Leon Barmore, who finished his career with a percentage of .86878 and a record of 576-87. Auriemma is now 888-134.
Sisters Keely and Alicia Froling and Raven Short each had seven points to lead SMU (4-8), which has now lost five in a row.
The Huskies scored the game's first eight points and hit 10 of their first 11 shots, opening a 20-2 lead that put the game out of reach early.
Jefferson, whose previous career high was 19-points, hit two 3-pointers and had 11 points during the opening run. She had all five of her steals by halftime and added four assists.
The Huskies, who went to their bench early, made seven of 24 attempts the rest of the half, but stretched the lead to 30-points on Kia Nurse's free throw 15 minutes into the game. The Mustangs committed 22 first-half turnovers and had 10 fouls, eight of them before UConn picked up its first foul.
A 14-2 run gave the Huskies a 44-11 lead. Mosqueda-Lewis' third 3-pointer of the game sent the Huskies into halftime with a 49-16 lead.
Jefferson hit two 3-pointers early in the second half to give UConn its first 40-point lead at 58-18.
The Huskies shot 51.5 percent from the floor while holding SMU to just 34 percent shooting and 18 baskets.
The Huskies easy win came despite a poor shooting night from Breanna Stewart, last year's national player of the year. Stewart hit just two of her nine shots and finished with six points and three fouls.
UConn improves to 144-13 in games played in Hartford. The Huskies have won 70 of the last 73 times they have played at the XL Center.
TIP INS:
SMU: The Mustangs have now lost five in a row and six of their last seven. SMU's lone win in December came at home on Dec. 3 against North Texas.
UCONN: Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis' three 3-pointers tied her with Maya Moore for second place on the school's all-time list with 311. Diana Taurasi is next up with 318.
UP NEXT:
UCONN: The Huskies are home Monday night for a non-conference showdown with No. 10 Duke.
SMU: The Mustangs travel to Philadelphia to take on Temple on Tuesday.