Connecticut Extends Winning Streak to 53
Diana Taurasi helped No. 3 Connecticut extend its winning streak to 53 games Sunday.
The junior All-American scored 18 points in a 69-57 victory over Virginia Tech at Storrs, Conn.
The victory moves Connecticut within two consecutive wins of making history. The Huskies, 14-0 overall, 2-0 Big East, have the nation’s longest active winning streak and need to win their next game to match Louisiana Tech’s record of 54 consecutive victories, set from 1980-82. The Hokies are 10-4 overall and 1-2 in conference.
No. 2 Louisiana State 71, Mississippi 54 -- With the victory at Baton Rouge, La., the Tigers (14-0, 2-0 in the Southeastern Conference) matched their best start, set in the 1996-97 season. Coach Sue Gunter, who has 665 victories overall, is one win away from 400 at LSU. The Rebels (11-3, 1-1) are 0-5 in SEC road openers under Coach Ron Aldy.
No. 5 Tennessee 81, Auburn 72 -- The Lady Vols (11-3, 1-0) used a 15-0 run to take control in the second half and beat the Tigers (12-3, 0-2) for the seventh consecutive time while also extending their conference winning streak to 41 at home.
Lady Vol Coach Pat Summitt got career victory No. 799. On Tuesday against DePaul, she will try to join five men as the only college basketball coaches with 800 victories.
No. 7 Purdue 69, Michigan 52 -- The Boilermakers (13-2, 2-1 in the Big Ten) raised their 2002 Big Ten championship banner before the game and played like a team capable of winning a third consecutive conference title. They dominated the Wolverines (9-5, 0-3) from the start and never trailed.
No. 9 Minnesota 94, Iowa 65 -- Lindsay Whalen had 23 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds to lead the Gophers (14-1, 3-1 in Big Ten) at Minneapolis. The Hawkeyes (8-5, 0-2) lost for the third consecutive time on the road to a ranked opponent.
No. 10 North Carolina 74, Florida State 53 -- Coretta Brown scored 28 points to lead the Tar Heels (14-1, 4-0 in Atlantic Coast Conference) at Tallahasee, Fla. The victory extended their winning streak to 11. Tasheika Morris led the Seminoles (10-4, 2-1) with 14 points.
No. 11 Arkansas 67, No. 13 South Carolina 58 -- Dana Cherry and Ruby Vaden each scored 14 points to lead the Razorbacks (14-2, 1-0 in SEC) at Fayetteville, Ark. Jocelyn Penn scored 19 points for the Gamecocks (13-2, 1-1).
No. 14 Mississippi State 78, No. 14 Vanderbilt 75 -- The Bulldogs (12-3, 1-1 in SEC) and Commodores (10-4, 0-1) exchanged the lead 13 times and tied the score 17 times at Starkville, Miss. They were tied in the latest AP poll with 445 points.
No. 17 Penn State 79, Northwestern 63 -- Kelly Mazzante scored 31 points to lead the Nittany Lions (13-3, 4-0 Big Ten) at Evanston, Ill. Sarah Kwasinski led the Wildcats (6-9, 1-3) with 16 points.
Indiana 54, No. 23 Ohio State 50 -- The Hoosiers (9-4, 2-1 in Big Ten) limited the Buckeyes (11-3, 2-1) to nine points in the final nine minutes at Bloomington, Ind.