Monday, January 30, 2012

NCAA WBB Action Live: #3 UConn Huskies vs #5 Duke Blue Devils

Huskies win 61-45, end Blue Devils’ streak at Cameron


The #3 Connecticut Huskies (20-2) took away a 61-45 win over the #5 Duke Blue Devils (17-3) at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, N.C. on Monday night.The Huskies took even more away from the Blue...

Live game blog:

The #3 Connecticut Huskies are in town to take on the #5 Duke Blue Devils at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, N.C. on Monday night.


Both teams are expected to play to a full house as the game will be nationally televised on ESPN, so to say it is a big game would be mildly understating it.

Duke students aka Cameron Crazies are starting to roll in and have already been filling the stands with their Duke Blue t-shirts on.



A look at the some of the stats coming in:

Category: Team (National Rank)

Scoring Offense: Connecticut (4) / Duke (10)
Scoring Defense: Connecticut (1) / Duke (18)
Scoring Margin: Connecticut (1) / Duke (4)
Field Goal % : Connecticut (1) / Duke (4)

Assists/game : Connecticut (1) / Duke (10)
Blocked shots/game: Connecticut (32)/ Duke (7)
Steals/game: Connecticut (10/ Duke (7)

Category: Individual (National Rank)

Points/game: Connecticut - Tiffany Hayes (79), Bria Hartley (176) / Duke - Elizabeth Williams (208)
Rebounds/game: Duke - Elizabeth Williams (78)
Assists/game: Connecticut - Kelly Faris (70) , Bria Hartley (89) / Duke - Chelsea Gray (10)
Blocked Shots/game: Connecticut - Kiah Stokes (166) / Duke - Elizabeth Williams (3)

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Probable Starters:

Duke - Haley Peters, Elizabeth Williams, Chelsea Gray, Richa Jackson, Tricia Liston


Connecticut - Tiffany Hayes, Caroline Doty, Bria Hartley, Stefanie Dolson, Kelly Faris

Teams coming back out for final warm-up - tip-off in 22 minutes

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With a combined three losses amongst them these two teams will bring it and leave it all out on the floor.

The Huskies have something to prove and so do the Blue Devils.

The action gets going right from the tip-off.

Huge block by Williams right of the first chance that the Huskies get on the offense.

A turnover as Connecticut loses the ball in their back court.

Duke loses the ball and the Huskies get another chance on the offense but miss.

Both teams taking time to pace each others' defense out - tied 2-2 after 90 seconds of play.

The chess match has begun.

UConn scores, Duke matches it as Gray hits the first three of the game - Duke leads 5-4 with 17:14 left in the first half.



With 14:24 to go in the first half, Connecticut leads 11-8.

Tiffany Hayes leads the Huskies with five points while Chelsea Gray's two three-pointers has her at six points - 11:59 left in the half.

Gray hits another three to keep Duke close as Connecticut tries to find their groove, but can't quite find it.

Enough to stay ahead of the Blue Devils 22-15 with 7:04 remaining in the first half.

Connecticut has put a small string of shots while the Blue Devils struggle from the field shooting 27 % - 31- 19 advantage for the Huskies with 2:00 remaining in the first half.

At the end of the first half, Connecticut leads Duke 31-23.

Blue Devils start the second half with possession of the ball but cannot convert on their chance.

Connecticut misses on their offensive chance and Chelsea Gray answers - Duke trailing 32-25.

Connecticut turning the ball over after both teams trade baskets - Gray and Williams starting to make a stand for Duke as they cut the Huskies lead to five - 34-29 with 17:19 remaining in the second half.

The Huskies making of the most of each shot taken as they start the half 2-3 while the Blue Devils seem to be rushing their shots still and their 2-7 shooting performance early in half shows it.

Connecticut 37, Duke 29 - 15:57 remaining in the second half.

Both teams battling as shots are not dropping easily for either team but Connecticut is managing to hit shots when it needs to and keep Duke at a distance.

The Huskies lead 42-29 as Duke's Coach P takes a timeout with 12:43 remaining in the half.

With about 11:30 left in the half Duke switches its defense to a press and zone that creates turnovers but the Blue Devils still struggle to score in transition.

 

With seven minutes remaining Duke trails Connecticut 50-33.


Duke continues to miss shots but so do the Huskies.

Finally Haley Peters hits a three followed up by a steal by Gray who passes to Jackson who gets the easy lay-up.

Duke cuts the Connecticut lead to 12 points - 50-38 with 5:17 remaining in the half.

A few more shots from both teams and the Huskies still hold a 14-point lead over the Blue Devils, 55-41 with 3:14 remaining and Duke in possession of the ball.

Gray feeds a pass into Williams and she can't convert on the lay-up opportunity.

Duke continues to struggle from the field against the Huskies.

Duke fouls consecutively to get Connecticut in the bonus trailing 57-43 with 1:28 remaining in the half.

The Huskies add a few more from the free throw line as well as a lay-up and it is 61-43 with 45.5 seconds left to play.

The Blue Devils continue to fight but the Huskies kill the clock and win 61-45.

UConn post-game interviews
Duke post-game interviews