Magnificence That Lacked a Storybook Ending

Wednesday, January 26

Chicago, Ill.

7:00 P.M. CT

DePaul University

16-5,8-2Big East

Connecticut

12-4,7-0Big East

UConn

DePaul

1/26/2022 10:47:00 PM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

DePaul lets one get away in Wednesday night's 80-78 loss to No. 10/9 Connecticut

CHICAGO – What a crying shame that such a magnificently played game resplendent with the kind of heart and guts that wins championships came down to a few defensive lapses in crunch time.

Despite being the more physical and aggressive team for 40 minutes as Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma reluctantly pointed out, Caroline Ducharme's layup with 1.5 seconds left turned the South Loop into Heartbreak City Wednesday night after No. 10/9 UConn's 80-78 victory over DePaul.

"It felt like we gave them this game," said Sonya Morris who scored 19 points on some big-time shots. "We didn't get stops at the end of the game.

"That's a really tall and talented team (three players at 6-5), so it came down to heart over height. We all know we had this game and let it get away."

Aneesah Morrow was a warrior among the tall timber, finishing with 30 points and 14 rebounds. Part of her complete effort included fouling out UConn's 6-5 center Olivia Nelson-Ododa.

Lexi Held and Darrione Rogers each contributed 12 points with Held all over the court defensively drawing charges, disrupting shot attempts and being an overall nuisance for the visiting team.

The Wintrust Arena partisans let out a collective roar and sigh of relief when Morrow came jogging out of the locker room after taking a nasty spill in the third quarter and being helped off the court.

Her two free throws at the outset of the fourth quarter gave her team a 55-54 lead. Connecticut's 8-0 run put the visiting team in front 62-55 as coach Doug Bruno called timeout.

Kierra Collier launched an 11-2 Blue Demon surge, and a Rogers basket gave the home team a 67-64 lead. Morrow's four points upped the narrow lead to 73-69.

Five in a row for the Huskies and DePaul (16-5, 8-2 BIG EAST) was down 74-73. Morris hit a clutch jumper. Christyn Williams (17 points) scored twice for a 78-75 UConn lead. Morrow's free throw with 44 seconds left followed by two more with 8.6 on the clock tied it at 78-78.

That's when Ducharme (19 points) plunged in the dagger for Connecticut (12-4, 7-0).

"We're in a place where we have a chance to be a very good team," Bruno said. "But to win games against really good teams, you have to make stops in crunch time. The best part of tonight was we came back twice when in the past, we might have walked away."

Bruno needed his team to maintain the red-hot momentum ignited at the end of the first half in coming from down 29-19 to leading 40-31---a 21-2 run.

"DePaul came at us in the second quarter, gave us a punch and we took a step back," Auriemma said. "Our players were surprised they were going to fight back.

"They were the more aggressive and physical team and drew a lot of fouls. We couldn't guard them man-to-man so that's why we went to a zone.

"Aneesah Morrow is incredibly good at everything. I don't know if there's another player in our league that is playing any better."

The third quarter started out fine as a Morrow score and two Deja Church foul shots maintained the nine-point advantage. Seven unanswered Huskies points prompted Bruno to call timeout with his lead down to two.

What a show these two rivals were putting on for an SNY-TV audience. Morrow was ferocious in a physical battle down low. Her bank shot along with a Rogers jumper made it 48-44 at the second media timeout.

Then the Wintrust Arena crowd turned totally silent as Morrow was helped odd the court after being knocked down hard. Bruno replaced her with Kierra Collier and the much-smaller, all-guard Blue Demon five went to-to-toe with Goliath.

Held's three-pointer brought her team within 54-53 heading into the final 10 minutes.

Plagued by some slow starts this season, DePaul came out ready from the opening tip on a beastly frigid night on the South Side.

Morris nailed a jumper and Morrow scored twice in a row for an early lead. The talented freshman went straight at 6-5 WNBA draft prospect Nelson-Ododa and scored in a layup.

Connecticut answered with a seven in a row to lead 9-6 at the first quarter media timeout.

The Huskies' run had extended to nine when Morrow converted a three-point play and Held hit a jumper, bring their team within 13-11.

Back came UConn in closing out the quarter with another 9-0 burst to lead 20-11.

The deficit was 11 when Morris knocked down a three. The Huskies' lead was back up to 10 when Held swished a three-pointer and Morrow scored yet again down low.

It was 29-24 at the second quarter media timeout.

The 6-1 freshman was doing a marvelous job frustrating Nelson-Ododa in the paint, knocking the ball out of her hands and refusing to surrender inside positioning. On offense, she was beginning to impose her will on players four inches taller.

A Rogers swish from behind the arc and next thing you know, it's a two-point game.

Auriemma calls timeout.

What transpired next warmed the souls of every Blue Demon fan who braved single-digit weather to see this game in person.

Morrow and Morris sparked a resounding 21-2 run to close out the first half. Their team came from down 10 to a 40-31 halftime lead. Rogers scored five-straight and then watched Morris and Morrow score the next 10 points.

It was easily DePaul's best stretch of the season.

Morrow had 17 points and six rebounds at the break while Morris added 10 and Rogers eight.

DePaul's is right back at Wintrust Arena Friday night for a BIG EAST matchup against St. John's that will be televised nationally on FS1.

Postgame Notes

The Blue Demons came in leading the country in scoring and assists, putting up 1,329 points in their last 14 games---an average of 94.9 per game. They have reached the century mark eight times to set a new school season record.
The record of six was set in 2014-15 (Brittany Hrynko, Jess January, Chanise Jenkins, Megan Rogowski & Co.) and matched by the 2016-17 team featuring January, Brooke Schulte, Jacqui Grant and Amarah Coleman.
Morrow came into the game leading the nation in double-doubles and offensive rebounds per game, was second in rebounds and field goals, fourth in points, ninth in steals and 10th in blocks. She has 13 consecutive double-doubles and 16 on the season.
The 6-1 freshman has 312 points and 181 rebounds in her last 13 games---an average of 24 points and 13.9 rebounds. This as er third-straight 30-point game.
Morris came into the game third in the nation in field goals and Held was 9th in assists.
Morris is now No. 19 on the all-time scoring list with 1,502 points. Megan Podkowa is No. 20 with 1,481. Held (1,438 points) is No. 21. Jessica January (1,530) is No. 18.
Dee Bekelja has played in 137 games, tying Brooke Schulte and Chante Stonewall for fourth all-time. Ashton Millender holds the record with 144 games.
The Blue Demons are 3-5 against seven NCAA tournament teams---beating then No. 14/14 Kentucky, Northwestern and Rutgers and falling to then-No. 23/17 Texas A&M, No. 4/8 Arizona, No. 20/17 Notre Dame, Marquette and No. 10/9 UConn.
They are 3-1 against Wildcat teams---beating Kentucky, Northwestern and Villanova and falling to Arizona.
Held is the BIG EAST's active career scoring leader in conference games with 843 points.
Morrow has scored in double figures 20 of the first 21 games of her collegiate career.
The Blue Demons have won the battle of the boards in 15 of 21 games including over Arizona featuring 6-5 Lauren Ware and 6-3 Ariyah Copeland. UConn won out on Wednesday 34-32.