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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
NEW YORK (AP) -- Three days ago, top-ranked Connecticut was held to season lows in five categories. Then the Huskies struggled in
the first half Tuesday night against St. John's.
That's about enough, coach Geno Auriemma told his team.
|  | | UConn's Swin Cash gets past St. John's Latasha Thompson on her way to the basket Tuesday. |
"We try to get our younger players to understand that they
don't play to the score or the opponent," Auriemma said after
Connecticut rode a strong second half to an 85-43 victory over St.
John's. "They play to the game. I wasn't happy with the last five
minutes of the first half."
The Huskies set no more season lows, but in the second half they
held the Red Storm to 24 percent shooting, six field goals and
outscored them 49-16.
"(In) the second half defense was key," Auriemma said. "We could
force turnovers we could run off of."
Swin Cash led the race with 19 points on 7-for-12 shooting,
eight rebounds and three blocked shots. Svetlana Abrosimova added
17 points and 11 rebounds.
The Huskies (23-1, 12-0 Big East) went on two 14-0 runs in the
second half as Cash and Abrosimova combined for 19 of the 28
points.
"We approach every game with the same outlook," Cash said.
"We don't want to overlook anybody."
Connecticut, which looked sluggish in the first half, used
stifling defense to force 30 turnovers that led to easy transition
baskets.
"I felt, in the second half, it was nothing that Connecticut
did," St. John's coach Darcel Estep said. "We did it to
ourselves."
Connecticut played the second half without leading scorer Shea
Ralph, who rolled her right ankle in the opening minutes. Ralph is
seventh in the nation in field goal percentage (60.7).
"She landed on it kind of funny," Auriemma said. "It's the
same ankle she landed on a couple of weeks ago."
Sue Bird's jumper gave Connecticut a 51-33 lead with 13:38
remaining as the Huskies pulled away after leading by 11 at
halftime.
Bird, second in the nation in 3-point accuracy (51.6 percent)
was 1-for-4 from that range as her team finished just 3-for-13 from
behind the arc.
After a 3-pointer by St. John's Eukeisha Iton made it 56-37,
Connecticut went on its second 14-0 run.
The Huskies extended the lead to 77-41 with just over three
minutes left.
Kennitra Johnson added 15 points for the Huskies, who finished
with a 45-30 advantage on the boards.
Aiysha Smith, with 11 points, was the only player in double
figures for St. John's.
The Huskies were held to season lows in points, field goals
(19), free throws made (7), free throw percentage (39.8 percent)
and assists (11) in a 49-45 victory over then-No. 10 Rutgers on
Saturday.
Connecticut struggled to a 36-27 halftime lead against St.
John's, committing 12 turnovers and shooting 39 percent.
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ALSO SEE
Womens College Basketball Scoreboard
Connecticut Clubhouse
St Johns Clubhouse
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