Near-perfect UConn routs Temple

Associated Press

NORFOLK, Va.

Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma hugged his former assistant before their teams met in the second round of the NCAA women’s tournament.

Once the game started, affection gave way to near perfection by the Huskies.

UConn was flawless at both ends of the floor against Temple, romping 90-36 on Tuesday night. It was the top-seeded Huskies’ 74th win in a row, the longest streak in NCAA Division I women’s history, and one of the most impressive.

It may also have been one of the least enjoyable for Auriemma since it came against a team coached by second-year Owls coach Tonya Cardoza, one of his assistants for 14 years.

But Cardoza and the eighth-seeded Owls (25-9) never had a chance.

The Huskies ran off 20 points in a row in six minutes after Temple closed to within 13-5 and finished the half on a 20-1 burst for a 55-12 lead at halftime.

Notre Dame 84, Vermont 66

SOUTH BEND, Ind.

Skylar Diggins had a season-high 31 points, seven steals, and six assists to lead second-seeded Notre Dame over 10th-seeded Vermont.

The Irish forced the Catamounts into a season-high 25 turnovers. Notre Dame, which fell behind by 10 points eight minutes into the game, finished the half on a 32-13 run to open a 42-33 lead at intermission. The Catamounts never got closer than eight points.

Xavier 63, Vanderbilt 62

CINCINNATI

Amber Harris led a last-minute Xavier comeback and made the go-ahead layup with 12.3 seconds left, rallying the third-seeded Musketeers over Vanderbilt.

Harris bailed Xavier (29-3) out of a 10-point deficit, scoring the Musketeers’ last six points. Xavier has won 20 games in a row.