No. 1 Connecticut Does Just Enough

Its offense sputtered and the opposition dictated the tempo. But the No. 1 team in the nation used a stifling defense and still found a way to win.

Swin Cash and Svetlana Abrosimova each scored four points during a late 8-0 run and top-ranked Connecticut held No. 10 Rutgers to 19 second-half points in rallying for a 49-45 victory Saturday at Piscataway, N.J.

“I said to the kids in the locker room, I’m not sure we did anything right today other than play good defense and win the game,” Connecticut Coach Geno Auriemma said after the Huskies, 22-1 overall and 11-0 in the Big East, narrowly avoided their second loss in 10 days.

There was a lot that went wrong for the Huskies against Rutgers (16-5, 8-3).

Connecticut was held to season lows in points, field goals made (19), free throws made (7), free-throw percentage (39.8%) and assists (11). The Huskies’ 49 field-goal attempts tied a season low and the 38.8% shooting from the field was just better than the low of 37.9% against Kentucky early in the season.

However, Connecticut, which trailed by 11 in the first half, held Rutgers to eight points in the final 9:05 to stage a second come-from-behind victory over the Scarlet Knights this season.

No. 4 Louisiana Tech 93, Western Kentucky 72--Tamicha Jackson made five three-point baskets and scored 23 points at Ruston, La., as the Lady Techsters (19-2, 10-0 Sun Belt) built a 31-point halftime lead on the way to a rout of the Hilltoppers (15-8, 9-3).

No. 5 Notre Dame 94, St. John’s 51--Alicia Ratay scored 28 points as the Fighting Irish (21-2, 12-0 Big East) routed the Red Storm (8-14, 3-9) to extend its winning streak to 18 games.

No. 7 Louisiana State 68, Arkansas 51--Marie Ferdinand scored 13 of her team-high 24 points in the first 10 minutes of the second half at Baton Rouge, La., as the Tigers (19-4, 8-2 Southeastern Conference) handed the Razorbacks (14-9, 4-6) their biggest defeat of the season.

No. 9 Texas Tech 58, Texas A&M; 44--Plenette Pierson scored 15 points and sparked an 11-2 run to open the second half as the Red Raiders (19-3, 8-3 Big 12) routed the Aggies (10-11, 2-9) at Lubbock, Texas.

No. 16 Arizona 81, Washington State 52--Elizabeth Pickney scored 21 points as the Wildcats (20-3, 9-2 Pacific-10) continued their best start with a victory over the Cougars (4-17, 1-10) at Tucson.

No. 17 Oklahoma 93, Oklahoma State 69--Stacey Dales scored 25 points to lead four Sooners in double figures as Oklahoma (20-4, 10-1 Big 12) cruised past the Cowgirls (12-11, 4-7) at Stillwater, Okla.

Villanova 60, No. 19 Boston College 59--Brandi Barnes scored 22 points, including the final six of the game, and had 12 rebounds to help the Wildcats (14-8, 7-4 Big East) upset the Eagles (19-6, 8-3) at Villanova, Pa.

No. 24 Stanford 58, Oregon State 54--Jamie Carey hit two three-point baskets as part of an 11-0 Cardinal run late in the second half to lead Stanford (15-6, 8-3 Pac-10) past the Beavers (10-13, 6-5) at Corvallis, Ore.

No. 25 Tulane 87, South Florida 66--Grace Daley scored 29 points and Janell Burse added 22 as the Green Wave (21-3, 10-3 Conference USA) used a 19-2 run in the second half to pull away from the Bulls (11-13, 2-11) at New Orleans.