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In the final game of the regular season, the UConn Huskies blew past the USF Bulls, 96-68. The Huskies finish 29-0 (16-0), marking their ninth undefeated regular season.
Katie Lou Samuelson passed the 1,000-point mark for her career, joining Kia Nurse and Gabby Williams as the third Husky to reach that milestone on the team this season, 44th overall. With 64 games under her belt, Samuelson is the sixth-fastest player to reach the mark. The sophomore posted 16 points but has seen better nights from the field, shooting just 6-of-19.
Samuelson wasn’t the only sophomore to reach a career milestone, however. In fact, Napheesa Collier earned two in the victory effort. With a block in the first quarter, she surpassed the 100-block mark in her career. She also scored a career-high and the fourth highest single-game total in program history.
The Bulls focused on protecting the paint early on so UConn responded by finding open shooters on the perimeter. The Huskies went on a 12-0 run in the first quarter sparked by some hot shooting from deep. In the first quarter, four different Huskies hit four three-pointers.
Crystal Dangerfield had one of her best games at the point this season, dishing out nine assists without turning the ball over once. She also scored 12 points and led the team with 38 minutes.
Despite the large lead, head coach Geno Auriemma left his starters in the game well into the fourth quarter. Collier made a run at the school record of 46 points in a game, set by Nykesha Sales in 1997, but at 39 went to the bench with four minutes to go and did not return.
Gabby Williams finished with 18 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. She ends the regular season as the team’s leader in assists-per-game (5.4), the first forward to do so in program history.
With the regular season all wrapped up, the Huskies turn their focus to the AAC Tournament next weekend at Mohegan Sun Arena. As the No. 1 seed, UConn will play the winner of No. 8 Memphis vs No. 9 Tulsa.
Tip-off is set for Saturday at 2 p.m. on ESPN3.