Jones Does Her Share for Connecticut

Asjha Jones of Connecticut knew when starter Swin Cash was injured last week, she would be asked to help.

When her name was called to replace Cash on Saturday at Hartford, Conn., she contributed 12 points, eight rebounds and three assists to the top-ranked Huskies’ 116-71 Big East Conference victory over West Virginia.

“It’s no different. I have to play hard whether I come off the bench or start,” said Jones, one of seven Huskies in double figures.

Connecticut, 11-0 overall and 4-0 in conference play, got its eighth 100-point game of the season with a lot of help from Jones and freshman Tamika Williams, who had 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Rebecca Burbridge and Maria Tchobanova led the Mountaineers (5-6, 1-3) with 15 points each.

No. 6 North Carolina 100, Wake Forest 75--LaQuanda Barksdale scored 26 points in front of a hometown crowd at Winston-Salem, N.C., to lead the Tar Heels in the Atlantic Coast Conference game. The Demon Deacons (5-8, 1-2) used a 12-0 run to take an 18-12 lead in the first half, but North Carolina (16-1, 3-0) responded with a 10-0 run and never trailed again.

No. 7 Notre Dame 93, Georgetown 61--The Irish made 53% of their shots and scored many baskets in transition while holding the Hoyas to 27% shooting--only 19% in the first half--in a Big East game at Washington.

Notre Dame (10-2, 2-2) shut down Georgetown (6-5, 0-3) guard Katie Smrcka-Duffy, among the nation’s scoring leaders with a 22.0 average. She scored 12 of her 15 points in the second half.

No. 8 Texas Tech 51, Baylor 49--Keitha Dickerson made a 17-foot jump shot at the final buzzer to give the Lady Raiders (12-1) the victory over the Bears (8-4) in the Big 12 Conference opener at Waco, Texas.

No. 22 Virginia 67, No. 10 Clemson 66--Monick Foote made two free throws with 22.4 seconds left in overtime, lifting the Cavaliers (8-3, 2-0) over the Tigers (11-1, 2-1) in an ACC game at Clemson, S.C.

Clemson’s Itoro Umoh had two chances to tie the score, but she missed a pair of foul shots with 7.3 seconds to play.

After Virginia missed at the foul line, Umoh drove the length of the court, but her last-second shot missed.

No. 11 Colorado State 83, Wisconsin Green Bay 69--Becky Hammon had 21 points and 10 assists and Heather Haanen, who made her first six shots and had 20 points helped the Rams improve to 15-1.

Colorado State forced 27 turnovers in its final tuneup for Western Athletic Conference play. Chari Nordgaard had 25 points for Wisconsin Green Bay (3-7).

No. 16 Virginia Tech 78, Fordham 61--Freshman reserve Nicole Jones did not miss a shot in scoring 22 second-half points to lead the Hokies over the Rams in an Atlantic 10 game at Blacksburg, W.Va.

Jones scored eight points to spark a 13-4 run that gave Virginia Tech (12-0, 2-0) a 45-35 lead over the Rams (5-7, 1-1) with 12 minutes left.

No. 17 Duke 90, Maryland 61--The Blue Devils (10-4, 2-0), who have won five in a row and nine of 10, shot 52% and outrebounded the Terrapins (2-10, 0-3) by 48-30 in an ACC game at College Park, Md.

No. 18 Iowa State 81, Oklahoma 60--Stacy Frese scored 26 points, including nine of 10 free throws, to help the Cyclones (9-1) beat the Sooners (6-5) in a Big 12 opener at Norman, Okla.

No. 21 Kansas 67, Texas A&M; 59--Lynn Pride had 29 points and 11 rebounds at College Station, Texas, as the Jayhawks (11-3) beat the Aggies (5-6) in a Big 12 opener.

St. Joseph’s 62, No. 25 George Washington 59--Susan Moran, a freshman from Ireland, scored 26 points, including the last five of the game, to lead the Hawks (7-5, 2-0) over the Colonials (7-4, 1-1) in an Atlantic 10 game at Philadelphia.

Stanford 83, Oregon State 63--Bethany Donaphin scored 20 points as the Cardinal won a Pacific 10 Conference opener at Corvallis.

AROUND THE NATION / Drexler Will Allow Malone Jr. to Leave

Clyde Drexler, facing his first player crisis since taking over the coaching job at Houston, his alma mater, has agreed to allow guard Moses Malone Jr. to seek a scholarship elsewhere. Malone has played in nine of the Cougars’ 11 games, but started only one and is averaging a little more than 10 minutes a game. “I think everyone was concerned about his future,” Drexler told the Houston Chronicle in Saturday editions, two days after the son of NBA great Moses Malone Sr. bitterly criticized the coach and the Houston program. “We want nothing but the best for him and want him to succeed. It was a mutual parting, and we wish him nothing but the best.”