February 11, 2002

STOORS, Conn. - The combination of a pressure defense and a late first half surge proved to be the undoing of the Virginia Tech women's basketball team in a 77-42 loss at top-ranked Connecticut. The loss was the fourth in the last five games for the Hokies.

Tech (16-6, 7-4), ranked No. 20 in the USA Today/ESPN coaches poll and No. 23 in the Associated Press poll, had prevented UConn from any of its patented early game runs in the Huskies 59-50 win in Blacksburg on Jan. 29. However, Tech fell behind 11-2 just four minutes into the game but managed to recapture some of the momentum when Lisa Guarneri (Sr., Piscataway, N.J.) banked in a three-point shot to tie the game at 17-17 with 8:35 remaining in the first half.

Connecticut (26-0, 12-0) outscored Tech 20-2 for the remainder of the half to take control of the game for good and led 37-19 at the intermission. In the run, the Huskies were 9-of-11 from the field and converted six Hokie turnovers into nine points.

Tech's fate was sealed in the first five minutes of the second half as UConn opened the half on a 19-6 run to build the advantage to 56-25. The Huskies were 16-of-23 (69.6 percent) from the field in the second half and shot 57.1 percent (32-56) for the game. Tech committed 26 turnovers in the game which UConn converted into 39 points.

Chrystal Starling (Jr., Syracuse, N.Y.) came off the bench to lead Tech with 10 points. The 42 points were the fewest since the Hokies were limited to 38 in last season's lone meeting with the Huskies. Sarah Hicks (r-Sr., Roanoke, Va.) was held to five points but is now 11 shy of becoming the 13th member of the Virginia Tech 1,000-point club.

Tamika Williams led UConn with 15 points followed by Swin Cash and Asjha Jones with 14 each and Sue Bird with 13.

The Hokies return to action on Wednesday with a 7 p.m. game at Providence.