For the first time this year, the UConn women were tested. The No. 1 Huskies went on run after run, and time and again, No. 6 Maryland answered.
Teams don’t normally do that. Once UConn opens up a small lead, it snowballs from there. Six points turns to 10. Then 15. Then 20. Before you know it, it’s a video game score.
This time, it took 40 full minutes for the Huskies to prevail, 83-73, punctuated by a clutch three from Saniya Chong with 40 seconds left.
With conference play, and many more blowouts, on the horizon, here’s what we learned about this year’s team:
1. This team can respond to adversity
Last year against Stanford, UConn could not make the big plays down the stretch. This time, Maryland could not stop the Huskies when it mattered most. The Terps made a valiant effort to cut into the UConn lead in the fourth quarter, but the Huskies shot 8-14 in the period and were 10-12 from the line. They also scored on six of their final seven possessions. Chong’s three turned a four-point game into a seven-point game, effectively ending any hope of a Maryland comeback.
2. The best way to beat the Huskies is to turn them over
Holy crap, the first quarter was an adventure. UConn turned the ball over seven times in the first five minutes of the game and nine times overall in the first period. After the game, coach Geno Auriemma decided that most of the turnovers were unforced. It was a matter of UConn playing too fast, making poor decisions and trying to do too much. Auriemma said that in the second half, the guards did a better job of controlling the tempo and slowing the game down. Still, the opening minutes showed that UConn is not as good if it is forced to play too fast.
3. Breanna Stewart can do things no one else in college basketball can do
We already knew this, but it’s still so much fun to watch and I have no problem pointing it out every night. If she catches the ball in decent position the post, she will score approximately 100 percent of the time.
4. Even the No. 6 team in the country sees a 10-point loss to UConn as a moral victory
This quote came from the head coach of a team that went to the Final Four last year and is ranked sixth in the nation:
You want to play the best to be the best. For us, it’s closing the gap. Every time we’ve played them it’s just trying to learn and get better from it. For us to go into conference play now with our team, it should give us a lot of confidence. If we work like we did in this game for 40 minutes, you’re going to have good things happen.
5. Get used to milestones
Milestones from last night: Morgan Tuck scored her 1,000th point, Stewart passed Diana Taurasi on the all-time UConn scoring list and the Huskies won their 47th consecutive game — tied for the third-best streak in school history.
Up next on the all-time lists:
– Stewart needs 11 points to tie Kerry Bascom for fifth and 12 to tie Nykesha Sales and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis for third.
– Moriah Jefferson needs 21 points to tie Jessica Moore for the 34th all-time
– Stewart needs 10 rebounds to tie Peggy Walsh for 6th all-time
– She also needs eight blocks to tie Kiah Stokes for third
– Jefferson is nine steals from fifth all-time (would tie Kelly Farris) and is 18 from matching Farris on the all-time assist list (10th place)
– As a team, UConn needs 23 more wins to hit 70 in a row, matching its streak spanning from 2001 to 2003. If the Huskies get there, it will happen during the postseason.
6. Natalie Butler will probably make her season debut on Wednesday
Butler was dressed and appeared ready to go on Monday but did not enter the game. Auriemma indicated after the game that she would likely get a shot on Wednesday at Cincinnati in the conference opener.
7. Stewart will miss annual trips to USF and UCF the most
After the game, Stewart spoke a lot about enjoying her senior season and the final trip to each AAC city. It took her a while to think of one she’d truly miss, but settled on the Florida schools, where it is warm. UConn does not play at UCF this year, but hopefully the Bulls throw her a parade. They should.
8. I want a B2B with Geno
By now, you’re well aware of the Internet sensation that is #B2BWithRuss. I shared an elevator with Geno after the game and really wanted to ask him for one, given that we are comparable in height. Sadly, both his wife and women’s basketball SID Pat McKenna were in the elevator too, so I did not have the courage to ask.
