By BILL LEVY Click here to see other photo’s of the game
It is safe to count University of Connecticut women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma as one of the thousands of visitors from out of town who enjoyed their visit to Southwest Florida during the Thanksgiving holidays. Auriemma, who has guided the Huskies to nine National Championships, was in town as number 3 ranked UCONN participated in the eight-team Gulf Coast Showcase at Germain Arena on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.
“My time was great (in Southwest Florida),” he said. “I always enjoy coming down here (to Florida). We had a great hotel. I was able to get some golf in. It was great weather that seemed to warm up every day. He said “I see why people like coming down here.” “There was also some pretty good competition too.”
It also didn’t hurt that the Huskies (5-1) captured the championship of the tournament by virtue of their 89-53 victory over the University of Wisconsin-Green on Sunday night in front of 3,217. For the tournament, UCONN outscored their three opponents (College of Charleston, Vanderbilt and Green Bay) by a combined score of 265-129.
“Every game someone has done something they didn’t know they could do,” Auriemma said. “We are leaving here as a better team.”
One player who found out what she could do was Huskies freshman guard Kia Nurse, who had 43 points and 14 assists over the three days and was selected as the tournament MVP. Those numbers included her 16 points and three assists in the championship game.
“We worked hard as a team and moved the ball around,” the Hamilton, Ontario native said about the clinching game.
It was Green Bay (5-2) however who jumped out to an early 9-3 lead which was highlighted by two 3-pointers for the Phoenix from Tesha Buck and Mehryn Kraker.
After UCONN went on a 10-0 run of their own to go ahead 13-9, Green-Bay got a bucket each from Megan Lukan and Kraker to tie the game at 13. UCONN then scored the next four points to go up 17-13, but again, Green bay was able to tie the score at 17. After Moriah Jefferson gave UCONN a 19-17 lead with her field goal, Kraker countered with a 3-pointer to put Green Bay up 20-19 with just over eight minutes left in the half. It would be the last lead of the game for the Phoenix. UCONN then built leads of 24-20 and 26-23. Though Green Bay did tie the score at 26 on Moriah Monke’s 3-pointer, the Huskies closed the half on a 13-2 run to go ahead 39-28, and take control of the game.
“They (Green Bay) will not quit,” Auriemma said. “You really need to knock them out.”
UCONN delivered that punch by outscoring Green Bay 14-2, with five straight points coming from Breanna Stewart, at the start of the second half to take a commanding 53-30 lead.
“With their style of play, we figured they may miss some shots,” Auriemma said. “I think their legs may have given out and you saw that at the end of the first half and in the second half.”
Joining Nurse on the All-Tournament was the Phoenix’s Kraker and Lukan along with UCONN’s freshman forward Morgan Tuck and senior guard/forward Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis.
“Our young kids grew up and our older guys showed leadership,” Auriemma said.
Some trips will have that effect.