Hayes, Charles lead UConn past DePaul for 63rd straight win

Tiffany Hayes and Tina Charles scored 19 points apiece to help No. 1 Connecticut roll to its 63rd straight victory with a 95-62 win over DePaul on Wednesday night.

The Huskies (24-0, 11-0 Big East) used a late spurt to build a 20-point halftime lead and then went on an 11-1 run to open the second. All of Connecticut's wins during its long winning streak have been by double digits.

UConn is seven wins short of the school and NCAA record of 70 straight victories set from 2001-03.

Hayes hit a long 3-pointer at the first half buzzer and then started the second half with another 3. And when Charles scored six straight points, the Huskies opened up a 30-point cushion early in the second half. They led by as many as 38 in the second half.

Maya Moore added 14 points for UConn.

DePaul (16-9, 5-6) hung tough for most of the first half, but didn't have the talent to stay with the Huskies and was hurt by 25 turnovers -- 14 in the opening half. Sam Quigley led the Blue Demons with 15 points.

Connecticut had an early 12-0 run but couldn't deliver a knockout punch against the hustling Blue Demons until the final minute of the opening half.

DePaul was still within nine when Keisha Hampton sank a jumper with 4:44 left.

But in the final 1:11, Hayes drove for a basket, Moore hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key and then Hayes delivered a crusher to DePaul. She launched a 25-footer that swished through the basket as the buzzer sounded, giving the Huskies a 52-32 halftime lead.

Hayes had 16 first-half points, shooting 6 for 8. She finished 7 for 10.

UConn has won by an average margin of 39.3 points entering the game.