UConn routs Temple to begin run at 7th straight AAC title

UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) Crystal Dangerfield scored 22 points to lead six UConn players in double-figures and the Huskies began their run at a seventh consecutive American Athletic Conference Tournament title with a 94-61 rout of Temple in the quarterfinals.

Freshman Aubrey Griffin put up the second double-double of her career, grabbing a season-high 16 rebounds to go with her 15 points off the bench for No. 5 UConn.

Megan Walker (17 points), Anna Makurat (14), Olivia Nelson-Ododa (12) and Christyn Williams (12) all contributed to the balanced scoring attack for the top-seeded Huskies (27-3).

UConn shot 46% from the floor, despite making just five of their 16 shots in the first quarter. They hit 14 of their 26 shots from 3-point range.

Mia Davis had 21 points and Ashley Jones scored 13 for the eighth-seeded Owls.

Jones hit a 3-pointer to open the game and Temple led 9-2 early.

But a layup by Griffin, who came in after Nelson-Ododa picked up two first-quarter fouls, gave the Huskies a 15-13 lead after 10 minutes.

The UConn freshman had 12 points and 10 rebounds by halftime.

A 3-pointer and three foul shots by Makurat on consecutive possessions gave UConn its first double-digit lead at 33-20. A 3-pointer from Walker gave the Huskies their first 20-point lead at 47-27 and UConn took a 47-28 lead into halftime.

An 8-0 third quarter run from UConn, capped by another 3-pointer from Makurat helped UConn pull away. It was 73-46 after three quarters.

The Huskies are now 19-0 in AAC tournament play after finishing 118-0 during the conference's seven regular seasons. UConn is leaving the conference after this postseason to return to the Big East.

BIG PICTURE

Temple: Temple was coming off a 67-57 win over East Carolina in the tournament's first-round. But the Owls had some recent struggles, losing four straight and six of their final eight regular-season games.

UConn: The Huskies improve to 15-2 against Temple, whom they beat 83-54 in Philadelphia in November. UConn's two losses to the Owls came in 1981 and 1982, long before the Huskies were a power in women's basketball.

UP NEXT

Temple ends the season at 16-15.

UConn: The Huskies play South Florida in the semifinals on Sunday. The Bulls beat Tulane 64-50 in Saturday's first quarterfinal. The two teams met Monday in the regular-season finale, a game won by UConn 80-39.