Williams helps No. 10 UConn top Providence 69-61
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - UConn head coach Geno Auriemma didn't hide his displeasure after the 10th-ranked Huskies downed Providence 69-61 Sunday night.
'œI wasn't pleased with anything. It was a lousy effort. I thought Providence was way better than us tonight. They just don't have all the high school All-Americans that we do,'ť said Auriemma. 'œWe won the game because we recruit better. That's the bottom line.'ť
Even with a shorthanded roster that seems to be getting shorter with each passing game, the sentiments of the UConn players echoed the views of Auriemma. The Huskies (13-4, 8-0 Big East) were never in danger, yet the underdog Friars ((9-11, 4-7) never allowed the visitors to coast home to an easy win after UConn built a 16-point lead early in the fourth quarter.
'œIt was lousy. He's right. We have a lot of things we need to work on and clean up as a team,'ť said UConn senior Christyn Williams after scoring a team-best 19 points in 40 minutes. 'œWe're going to do our best to work on it in practice.'ť
Williams was one of four UConn players to reach double figures. Evina Westbrook had 13 points while Caroline Ducharme finished with 12 points. Olivia Nelson-Ododa added 10 points for the Huskies, who shot 54% (25-for-46) from the floor.
'œI thought the offense was stagnant. We didn't get the kind of flow that we're used to getting,'ť said Auriemma.
Providence has now dropped 30 straight games to UConn dating back to 1993.
UConn led 15-10 after one quarter before using an 11-0 run to build a 36-23 halftime lead. Providence then cut a 16-point deficit in half in the third quarter thanks in part to a reversal of a call that saw the Friars getting called for an offensive foul to Lauren Sampson getting credited with a basket.
Providence only trailed 50-42 heading into the final quarter. The Huskies scored the first six points in the fourth to regain the momentum and Providence could never make a push to get it close.
Janai Crooms led all scorers with a career-high 27 points for the Friars. She was 8-11 from the field, 3-4 from three, and 8-10 from the free-throw line.
'œCredit to UConn. They have great players on their team but I thought we did a good job on defense,'ť said Crooms.
RESCHEDULING EFFORTS
The original plan called for the Friars to welcome the Huskies for an 11 a.m. Sunday tip at the Dunkin' Donuts Center. Due to the snowstorm that blanketed the region on Saturday, the PC-UConn contest was shifted to the on-campus Alumni Hall for a Sunday night start in an effort to accommodate a Big East men's basketball game at The Dunk featuring PC and Marquette. The Friar men squared off against the Golden Eagles one day later than they were supposed to
'œWe had to shift some times and the venue, but I thought everyone involved did an amazing job with that,'ť said Providence head coach Jim Crowley. 'œYou also have to give credit to the folks coming out on a Sunday night to create a really good atmosphere.'ť
WALKING WOUNDED
This injury-marred season for the Huskies added another twist as graduate transfer Dorka Juhasz missed Sunday's game with a foot injury. She was seen wearing a boot. Juhasz appeared in UConn's previous game that took place last Friday night. She finished with eight points and 12 rebounds in an 80-78 win at DePaul.
'œWe realized after the DePaul game that she would need some time away. We just don't know how much time,'ť said Auriemma. 'œWe have a day off (Monday). We'll see how she is on Tuesday.
On the season, Juhascz is averaging 7.2 ppg and 6.6 rebounds. Her absence opened the door for Aaliyah Edwards to start for the first time since Dec. 9. Edwards played 32 minutes Sunday and finished with a Juhascz-esque stat line (nine points, six rebounds).
'œKnowing that Dorka is one of our most impactful teammates, I just had to be ready to step up and do what I can for the team,'ť said Edwards.
BIG PICTURE
UConn: Make it 168 straight conference wins for the Huskies, a streak that dates back to 2013 when Connecticut was a Big East member. UConn did not drop a single regular season or conference tournament game when it competed in the American Athletic Conference between 2013-20.
Providence: The Big East rivalry with Connecticut was put on hold for several years before resuming last season.
UP NEXT
UConn: At Creighton on Wednesday
Providence: At Marquette on Friday.
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