Women's Basketball Hangs Tough with No. 1 UConn

Sunday, February 14

McGonigle Hall

12:00 p.m.

Temple University

17-8, 11-3AAC

UConn

24-0, 13-0AAC

UConn

Temple

Photo by: Joseph V. Labolito/Temple University

Women's Basketball Hangs Tough with No. 1 UConn

2.14.16 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA — The Temple women's basketball team hung tough with top-ranked UConn, but in the end the three-time defending champions proved to be too much, as the Owls fell 85-60 on Sunday afternoon. The largest-ever crowd (3,392) for a women's basketball game at McGonigle Hall was on hand as UConn won it's 61-straight game to move to 24-0 overall, 13-0 in conference play. Temple falls to 17-8, 11-3 in The American.

Temple held the latest lead for any team against the Huskies since UConn faced a two-point third-quarter deficit in a win over No. 6 Maryland on December. But despite the Owls forcing a season-high 18 turnovers for the Huskies, UConn shot 58.7% (37-63) from the field to finish out the victory.

The Owls were paced by 15 points, six rebounds, and two blocks from sophomore Donnaizha Fountain, while classmate Alliya Butts finished with 14 points. Junior Feyonda Fitzgerald had 10 points and a team-high four assists, while sophomore Tanaya Atkinson had nine points, six rebounds and four steals. Wrapping up the highlights for the Owls, senior Erica Covile ended with seven points, eight rebounds, and four steals.

Temple led with just under seven minutes, as Atkinson picked up six early points to put the Owls ahead, 8-6. UConn quickly turned things around, scoring 13 unanswered, including a four-point play from Moriah Jefferson, to go up 19-8. Temple countered with an 8-4 run to close the frame, cutting into the UConn lead of 23-16.

After two quick free throws from UConn to start the second quarter, the Owls used a 12-2 run to take a 28-27 lead with 6:39 on the clock. UConn answered with three-straight, but a Covile bucket tied the game at 30-30 with 4:08 left. Temple appeared to have UConn stopped on the next possession, but the Huskies got a second chance after what looked to be a travel, and Katie Lou Samuelson nailed a 15-footer. That bucket sparked UConn to a 10-run to close the frame with a 40-30 edge.

Atkinson and Butts each had eight points at the break to lead Temple, while Fountain had seven points and four boards. UConn was paced by 13 from Breanna Stewart and 10 from Jefferson, as the Huskies out-shot Temple 47.2% (17-36) to 25.6% (10-39).

A 13-7 surge by Temple to start the third quarter had the Owls trailing by just six (49-43) with 6:47 on the block. Again UConn answered, bringing their advantage back to double figures with a 6-2 run. From there, the teams traded buckets until a 9-3 Huskies run made it a 14-point game (64-50) after three.

Berger nailed a three to open the fourth quarter scoring for Temple, making the UConn lead 64-53. However, a 10-0 run from UConn proved to be the final surge the Huskies needed to put the game out of reach. The Owls got the lead to under 18 points on two occasions, but UConn closed the game with a 9-2 run to set the final to 85-60.

Jefferson finished with 25 points, eight assists, and eight steals, while Stewart had 24 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and six blocks. Gabby Williams rounded out the double-digit scorers for UConn with 19 points.

Temple next hits the road, traveling to Memphis to take on the Tigers on Thursday at 8:00 p.m. EST.

Box Score (PDF) | Press Conference