Blue Demons Fall at Connecticut 84-60

Friday, February 11

Storrs, CT

6:00 P.M. CT

DePaul University

19-7,11-4Big East

Connecticut

16-5,10-1Big East

DePaul

UConn

2/11/2022 8:22:00 PM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Morrow comes through with 20 points and 16 rebounds on Friday night

STORRS, Conn. – Talk about a battle of attrition---if you added up the number of healthy players for both DePaul and No. 8/8 Connecticut---you might have enough for a full roster.

Both BIG EAST rivals were dealing with their own personnel issues Friday night during Connecticut's 84-60 victory over DePaul.

Despite all the adversity, both teams made the best of a tough situation.

All-American candidate Aneesah Morrow led DePaul (19-7, 11-4 BIG EAST) with 20 points and a game-high 16 rebounds---her 18th consecutive double-double.

Deja Church came through with 17 points and five assists. But the Blue Demons only shot 33.3 percent from the field including 7-of-31 from three-point range. They were also victimized by UConn's 62 points in the paint.

Trying to overcome a 13-point halftime deficit was quite a hill to climb for coach Doug Bruno's team. The Blue Demons would need to shoot much better than the 28.6 percent in the first two quarters.

A Kendall Holmes three, Morrow's tough basket inside and a Church Euro-step layup made it 54-40 after UConn (16-5, 10-1) had led by 19. The Huskies scored twice more to lead 58-40 at the third quarter media timeout.

It was 64-42 when Church scored. Two more Huskies baskets raised the DePaul deficit to 23 points until Morrow scored down low as the Blue Demons were down 67-46 at the second media timeout.

Rogers hit a three near the end of the third quarter as her team trailed 69-49 heading into the final 10 minutes.

Holmes' rebound basket was countered by a pair of Connecticut scores as the visiting team from Chicago trailed 75-51 at the fourth quarter media timeout.

A Morrow three-pointer followed by a pair of Church free throws provided a 5-4 lead after the opening tip.

Connecticut fired back with an 8-0 run to lead 12-5 at the first quarter media timeout. It was obvious coach Geno Auriemma was targeting the DePaul interior and working the ball inside to 6-5 Dorka Juhasz (22 points) and 6-3 Aaliyah Edwards (19 points).

Morrow's score inside and Kierra Collier's three-pointer tied the game at 14-14. That's when UConn closed out the first quarter on an 11-2 run to lead 25-16 after the first 10 minutes.

DePaul shot 28.6 percent from the field---the Huskies 63.2 percent.

UConn went up by 12 early in the second quarter when Darrione Rogers connected from behind the arc and Held buried a pair of free throws. The home team had restored an 11-point margin when Morrow converted a three-point play.

A Church reverse layup brought her team within 32-26 when the Huskies took a 35-26 lead at the media timeout. Two more UConn scores and it was 39-26 with 2:30 left in the second quarter.

Church finally ended her team's scoring drought with a three-pointer as the Blue Demons trailed 42-29 at halftime.

Morrow already had her 18th consecutive double-double and NCAA-leading 21st in the first 20 minutes. Church had seven points and three assists. DePaul shot just 28.6 percent in the first half compared to Connecticut's 52.8 percent. Auriemma's team only committed two turnovers in the first half.

DePaul flew out right after the game for Washington, D.C. in preparation for its BIG EAST matchup on Super Bowl Sunday at Georgetown.

Postgame Notes

Kierra Collier made her first start in a Blue Demon uniform after transferring from Drake.
The Blue Demons lead the country in scoring and assists, and have put up 1,724 points in their last 19 games---an average of 92.7 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, rebounds, rebounds per game and offensive rebounds per game and was second in field goals, third in points and eighth in steals. She now has 18 consecutive double-doubles and 21 on the season.
The 6-1 freshman has 195 points and 131 rebounds in her last eight games---an average of 24.4 points and 16.4 rebounds.
Morris came into the game third in the nation in field goals and ninth in points while Held was sixth in assists.
Morris is now No. 16 on the all-time scoring list with 1,570 points. Mfon Udoka (1,569) is No. 17 and Melanie Ehrhardt (1,552) is No. 18. Jessica January (1,530) is No. 19. Held (1,515) is No. 20. Keisha Hampton (1,574) is No. 15. Debra Robinson is No. 14 with 1,592 points.
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 3-6 against nine 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.8/8 UConn twice.
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 910 points.
Morrow has scored in double figures 25 of the first 26 games of her collegiate career.
DePaul is 18-8 outrebounding opponents including Arizona featuring 6-5 Lauren Ware and 6-3 Ariyah Copeland. Connecticut won the battle of the boards 47-37 on Friday.