No. 1 UConn cruises past OSU

Associated Press

SPRINGFIELD, Mass.

It’s been 21 years and counting since the UConn Huskies lost a regular-season tournament.

Bria Hartley scored 17 points, Stefanie Dolson added 15 and No. 1 Connecticut kept that streak alive by beating Ohio State 70-49 Sunday to win the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Challenge.

The Huskies (9-0) have won 52 consecutive in-season tournament games with the last loss coming in 1992.

“We talk about it a little bit,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “When they’re giving away trophies we want to be in line to get them.”

Connecticut got off to a slow start and led 13-10 midway through the first half before getting going offensively. Saniya Chong started a 22-7 run to close the half with a 3-pointer. Hartley, Dolson and Brianna Banks took over from there, scoring the other 19 points during the burst. The Huskies led 35-17 at the break.

Ohio State (6-3) hung around in the second half and trailed 50-36 with 8:11 left, but got no closer.

“They’re so good you have to give up something,” Ohio State coach Kevin McGuff said. “We just got beat by the best team in the country. There’s no moral victories, but we don’t come into the game focused on the score. We focused on how hard we want to play and do the things that make us a good team. For the most part we did that.”

It doesn’t get easier for Ohio State, which will play at Maryland on Wednesday in the ACC/Big Ten challenge.

Raven Ferguson scored all 14 of her points in the second half to lead the Buckeyes.

This was only the second meeting between the schools. UConn beat Ohio State in 2010 at Madison Square Garden for its 88th straight victory to tie the NCAA record for most consecutive victories. UConn went on to break it.