STORRS, Conn. -- Svetlana Abrosimova went back to basics to
help No 1. Connecticut rebound from its first loss of the season.
|  | | Shea Ralph scored eight points to move into eighth place on UConn's all-time scoring list. |
She started with the boards.
Abrosimova had a team-high 13 rebounds and 19 points and UConn
cruised by Old Dominion 80-51 Thursday. The Huskies were coming off
a 92-76 loss to No. 3 Notre Dame, which dominated them from
wire-to-wire on Monday.
"I was kind of struggling on offense, so for me to get back I
had to rebound and do all other things possible," said Abrosimova.
"So that's why I was concentrating on rebounding."
Tamika Williams had 16 points for UConn, most coming off
backdoor plays, and the Huskies (14-1) shot 59 percent in the
second half. They held ODU to 26 percent shooting in the first half
with the pressure defense that was a no-show against the Fighting
Irish.
Coach Geno Auriemma was pleased with the response.
"Our defense was lousy the other day. I said, `Look, if we
don't do anything else right, we're going to go out and play the
kind of defense we're used to,"' said Auriemma. "I thought for 20
minutes in the first half we did about as well as we wanted."
Both teams struggled with poor shooting early, but it was UConn
that found its touch first.
Diana Taurasi broke a two-minute scoring slump with a 3-pointer
to put UConn up 9-4 and kick off an 11-2 run.
The Monarchs (8-5) didn't get consecutive baskets until there
was 2:34 left in the half. ODU's Okeisha Howard converted a 3-point
play and Monique Coker followed with a layup. UConn led by as much
as 21 in the first half and took a 38-17 lead at the break.
Williams said patience was the key to getting the offense
untracked.
"When we execute and run our offense and we make four passes,
it's beautiful. We're going to score every time," Williams said.
Abrosimova's 3-pointer keyed a 12-4 run to open the second half.
She was 3-of-5 from behind the arc.
The Huskies did what they couldn't do against Notre Dame --
defend the 3-pointer. The undersized Monarchs shot 1-of-16 from
behind the arc and got their only 3-pointer with 13 minutes left in
the game.
ODU coach Wendy Larry said her backcourt was intimidated and
that led to poor shooting. She also expected UConn to come out
firing after a loss.
"We certainly weren't going to surprise them," said Larry.
"Like my assistant said, `playing Connecticut after a loss is like
being kicked on a hornet's nest naked."
Hamchetou Maiga led ODU with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
Teammates Kim Giddens and Coker had 12 points apiece.
Shea Ralph's eight points moved her into eighth-place on UConn's
all-time scoring list.
After Monday's loss, Auriemma wants to keep the team pointed in
the right direction. There's more work to be done, he said.
"The rest of this month and February, you're going to see
little improvements here and there," said Auriemma. "I want to
make sure the last two weeks of February and the month of March
we're playing our best basketball."
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ALSO SEE
Women's College Basketball Scoreboard
Old Dominion Clubhouse
Connecticut Clubhouse
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