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There are kids who can read or write who don’t know a world where the UConn Huskies aren’t in the Final Four. They may be waiting for a while. The Huskies took down the No. 10 Oregon Ducks, 90-52, clinching their 10 straight trip to the Final Four.
With the win, Geno Auriemma surpasses Pat Summitt for most NCAA Tournament wins all-time with 113. His program will appear in its 18th Final Four, tying Tennessee for the all-time record.
After a 6-4 start, the Huskies ripped off an early 9-0 run to start to pull away. Oregon called a timeout to try and stop the bleeding, but it was to no avail as the onslaught continued.
UConn scored eight straight points after the break and then the Huskies held Oregon without a point for nearly five minutes as the lead grew to over 20 points.
In the second quarter, UConn began to slow down a bit offensively with Saniya Chong on the bench. She was quickly inserted back into the game and with the senior back at the point, UConn mounted a 13-0 run where the Ducks failed to score for another 5:10.
Between the two scoring droughts, Oregon did not score for more than 50 percent of the first half.
The Ducks offense struggled to hang on to the ball. In the first half alone, they turned the ball over 17 times, which the Huskies converted into 28 points. In the second half, Oregon limited the damage to just five, but by then the deficit had grown too large.
After being named First Team All-Americans earlier in the day, Katie Lou Samuelson and Napheesa Collier broke the school record for the most combined points between two players in a season, surpassing the mark previously held by Maya Moore and Tina Charles. Collier finished with a game-high 28 points while Samuelson added eight.
Coming into the game, Oregon’s gameplan was to force Gabby Williams to take mid-range jumpers, as she struggled to hit those most of the season. But Williams made them pay, scoring 25 points on 9-of-13 shooting.
After the win, Williams and Chong were named to the All-Tournament team while Napheesa Collier earned the Most Outstanding Player in the Bridgeport Regional.
With the game well in-hand in the fourth quarter, Tierney Lawlor checked in for her final appearance in her home state of Connecticut.
Next, the Huskies prepare to head to Dallas to face off against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. The game is set for Friday on ESPN 2 with tip-off time to be determined.
Geno Auriemma, Kia Nurse, Gabby Williams Postgame:
Saniya Chong, Katie Lou Samuelson, Kia Nurse, Napheesa Collier, Gabby Williams Postgame: