Spring Break
Louisville Slugged
Five players score in double figures, UConn off to second consecutive 20-0 start
Mike Northup
Issue date: 1/27/09 Section: Sports
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In the matchup between the last two unbeaten teams in Big East play, No. 1 UConn left little doubt as to who the team to beat in the conference is, beating No. 6 Louisville 93-65 Monday night at Gampel Pavilion in front of a national audience on ESPN2.
"They come out with the excitement, and to know that we could step up to that challenge and perform the way we did, it gives us a lot of confidence," said UConn forward Maya Moore.
With the win, the Huskies (20-0, 6-0) took sole possession of first place in the Big East.
The game featured two former Big East Conference Players of the Year in Louisville forward and 2007 winner Angel McCoughtry and the 2008 winner Moore.
Moore led all scorers with 27 points to go along with 11 rebounds, four assists and three steals. McCoughtry did her best to keep the Cardinals (19-2, 6-1) in the game with 24 points, 13 rebounds and four steals.
In the end, however, it was the difference between UConn's and Louisville's supporting casts that proved to be the decisive factor in the lopsided outcome
The Huskies had five players score in double figures on the night.
Freshman Tiffany Hayes, who came off the bench to score a career-high 23 points, which included six 3-pointers. Center Tina Charles added 18 points and 10 rebounds for her sixth double-double of the season. Guards Kalana Greene and Renee Montgomery scored 12 and 11 points respectively.
"If we are going to be a great team, we need people other than Maya and Renee," said coach Geno Auriemma. "If it's just Maya and Renee, we don't have a great team."
Moore said that the difference between when the supporting cast steps up and doesn't is like "night and day."
"I think it's the difference between a 15-point win and a 30-point win or a buzzer beater and a 10-point win," Moore said. "And I think they realize that and take it as a responsibility as we saw tonight."
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