Jan. 6, 1998
Connecticut Beats Providence
STORRS, Conn. (AP) - Coming off its first loss of the season, third-ranked
Connecticut wanted to chase the blues away.
It did so in record fashion.
"This was exactly the kind of game we wanted to have," junior Amy Duran
said after the Huskies clobbered Providence 126-48 Tuesday night in the Big
East.
"We felt kind of dejected the last couple of days and our confidence was
low. It was just a matter of coming out with the same level and effort," said
Duran, one of seven UConn players in double figures.
The point total broke the 1996 school record of 108 - also against
Providence. It also is the most points scored this season by a Division I
women's team.
Providence coach Jim Jabir had more than an inkling UConn would be up for
the game. He watched on television Saturday as the Huskies lost by 15 points to
top-ranked Tennessee and admitted crying in his living room.
"It was like watching a horror movie," he said.
UConn (13-1, 4-0 Big East) scored 28 points off 26 Providence turnovers. The
Huskies also outrebounded Providence 65-28.
Freshman Svetlana Abrosimiova got her first start for UConn, and had 17
points, 16 rebounds and eight assists.
"We were disappointed after the Tennessee game," Abrosimova said.
UConn senior Nykesha Sales led all scorers with 30 points, second only to
her carer-high 46 against Stanford last month. UConn shot 60.8 percent from the
floor (45-of-74) while holding Providence to 20.6 percent (13-of-63).
"I hope Providence doesn't take it personally," Sales said. "But it was
some stuff we needed to get out; we needed a game like that to get back on
track."
UConn coach Geno Auriemma agreed that his players needed to put the past few
days behind them.
"The way we played the game today is the way it should be played," he
said.
The 78-point margin was a Big East record, breaking the 56-point margin by
UConn over St. John's in 1984.
Jen Gombotz led Providence (6-6, 2-2) with 11 points.
