RUSTON, La. (AP) -- Louisiana Tech slowed top-ranked
Connecticut's fast-break offense, broke its press and limited the
defending national champions to their lowest scoring output of the
season.
|  | | Connecticut's Kennitra Johnson picks Brooke Lassiter's pocket as she drives to the basket. |
Still, that wasn't enough.
Swin Cash had 19 points and 14 rebounds as Connecticut won its
28th straight game, beating No. 8 Louisiana Tech 71-55 Sunday
night.
"Sometimes we're going to be forced into playing a different
type of game, and that's what happened tonight," UConn coach Geno
Auriemma said. "The good thing is we found other ways to win
tonight."
Svetlana Abrosimova scored 12 and Asjha Jones 10 for UConn
(11-0), which went ahead for good midway through the first half.
Tech (12-4), which had won five in a row, held its only lead at
14-13 on Ayana Walker's putback 7 1/2 minutes into the game.
Takesha Lewis led Tech with 16 points, Walker added 11
points, while Cheryl Ford and Kenya Bibbs each had 10.
Tech coach Leon Barmore, who had his jersey retired before the
game, was pleased with an effort that kept his team close to a
UConn squad that was averaging 94.8 points and a victory margin of
39.5 points.
"I thought our defense was outstanding," Barmore said. "Our
offense is just not executing."
Down by 10 points midway through the first half, Tech went on a
12-4 run highlighted by Brooke Lassiter's 3-point field goal to
pull within 30-26.
But Cash hit a 15-foot jumper and UConn took a 37-29 halftime
lead.
Tech pulled back within six points three times in the second
half, the last time at 51-45 after Ford converted offensive
rebounds on consecutive trips down the floor.
"If we could have gotten it down to at least four, I felt very
good about our chances, but we never could get over the hump,"
Barmore said "They just kept coming back and getting key
buckets."
Connecticut pulled away with a balanced attack that produced
scoring from nine players, and was in control when Diana Taurasi
hit a 3-pointer to make it 61-49 with 4:40 left.
"The good thing about our team is we always seem to have
somebody different stepping up," Auriemma said. "It's good to
know you can go to other people beside your regulars."
Barmore also was impressed with UConn's depth.
"Connecticut just keeps running in good players. You don't see
much difference between their first and second teams," he said.
Connecticut outshot Tech from the floor 45.5 percent to 32.1
percent. UConn also outrebounded Tech 53-30.
"We just couldn't get off consistently good shots," said
Walker. "Their defense is very tough, the best we've played this
year."
At halftime, Louisiana Tech retired Barmore's No. 12 jersey in
honor of his playing days in Ruston.
Barmore scored 1,168 points in three seasons, and ranks 23rd on
the school's career list. He is one of only three players in Tech
history to score more than 1,000 points in only a three-year career
-- the other two are Karl Malone of the Utah Jazz and Jackie
Moreland, who played for the Detroit Pistons.
In 19 years as a women's coach, Barmore's all-time record is
532-81.
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ALSO SEE
Women's College Basketball Scoreboard
Connecticut Clubhouse
Louisiana Tech Clubhouse
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Svetlana Abrosimova drives into the lane and gets the Huskies' hoop.
avi: 596 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Ayana Walker takes a pass in the lane for a La. Tech hoop.
avi: 696 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Swin Cash shows off her game in the first half of the Huskies' game against La. Tech.
avi: 928 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Ayana Walker denies Sue Bird's attempt at a score.
avi: 572 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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