The Big East Sends Two More Teams Into The Sweet 16

By Mike D'Avino: SPM Managing Editor
Posted Wednesday, March 26, 2008

ABOVE: Louisville's Patrika Barlow looks to penetrate against Kansas State. BELOW: Connecticut's Maya Moore is guarded by Texas' Brittainey Raven while looking to inbound.

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – Four teams took to the court at the Arena at Harbor Yard for this year’s Women’s NCAA Tournament second-round games; the winners advanced to the Sweet 16. Ironically, both games pitted teams from the Big East Conference against teams from the Big 12 Conference.

#4 Louisville and #5 Kansas State met for the first time ever, competing to move on to the Regionals in New Orleans. In the nightcap #1 Connecticut took on #8 Texas for their fourth meeting and a chance to advance to the Greensboro Regional.

Louisville has taken part in four NCAA Tournaments but has never advanced past the second round. Kansas State has participated in 10 NCAA Tournaments, the last of which was in 2005.

The Cardinals from Louisville came out with a game plan to pound the ball inside. The Cards took a 10-5 lead heading into the first timeout scoring all of their points in the paint as center Chauntise Wright connected on all three of her attempts for six points.

With their inside game established, Louisville then started nailing shots from outside the lane, as well as continuing to do what they does best -- rebound. Holding a 2-to-1 edge on the boards the team quickly propelled themselves to a 14-point lead,19-5, with 12 minutes left in the first half.

Over the next four minutes the two teams exchanged baskets before sloppy Cardinals play proved to be Kansas State’s final grasp at getting back into game. Louisville would commit three turnovers and a foul while the Wildcats scored seven-straight points on a free throw by Shalee Lehning and three-point baskets from Kelsey Nelson and Carolyn McCullough.

This run was K-State’s last hurrah as the Wildcats narrowed the lead to six at 25-19 with 6:20 remaining before intermission.

Patrika Barlow ended the run with a 3-pointer of her own off a Candyce Bingham assist, starting a 10-0 Louisville run and putting the game in hand before the end of the half. By halftime Louisville was up 41-28 over Kansas State.

The Wildcats tried mounting a comeback, coming within 10 three minutes into the second half, but Louisville would have none of it. They scored, and scored at will -- reaching a peak on an Angel McCoughtry layup with 9:22 to play. Final score: Louisville 80, Kansas State 63.

Big East All-First Team player Angel McCoughtry paced Louisville in scoring with a game-high 24, making her the first player in Louisville history to score over 800 points in one season. McCoughtry scored over 20 for the ninth straight game and the 26th time this season.

Bingham recorded her eighth double-double of the season with 12 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. Wright and Barlow also scored in double-figures with 13 apiece.

Kansas State, who had defeated Chattanooga on Sunday to snap the nation’s longest winning streak at 24, was led by Ashley Sweat’s team-high 16 points. Kelsey Nelson came off of the bench to chip in with 12.

Louisville will butt heads with #1 North Carolina in New Orleans this weekend. Kansas State ends it season with a record of 22-10.

Connecticut started its game against Texas by connecting on five straight layups and a 3 from Renee Montgomery to jump out to a 13-4 lead. Texas narrowed the lead to seven with 15:13 remaining in the half.

Maya Moore, the Big East Conference Player and Freshman of the Year, ended the Longhorn stampede, lassoing Texas over the next two and a half minutes with four 3-pointers.

The UConn lead was now at 14, and then escalated to 21 before settling in at 18 at the half as Connecticut went into the locker room with a 48-30 advantage.

The Huskies played a near flawless half, connecting on 67 percent of their shots. They were 5-of-10 from beyond the arc, had a six-rebound advantage and dished out 11 assists. The only drawback might have been their 10 turnovers.

Unfortunately for first-year Texas head coach Gail Goestenkors, the second half wasn’t any prettier for her team.

Connecticut’s lead would continue to swell as various players made keys shots, dished out great feeds, grabbed thunderous rebounds, swatted away open shots and stole the ball seemingly at will.

The Longhorns had no answers for the Huskies. UConn built a 37-point lead before closing out the victory, 89-55.

Maya Moore played a brilliant game, recording a double-double and notching the game-highs in points (24) and rebounds (12). Renee Montgomery added 17 points and five assists while swiping the ball three times -- also a game high.

Sophomore Tina Charles -- a Wade Trophy candidate who did not start for the second straight game --- came off the bench for 15. Senior Brittany Hunter scored 10 points in only 13 minutes of action.

Carla Cortijo paced Texas with a team-high 18 points and dished out six assists.

Texas ended its season at 22-13. They are 0-4 lifetime against Connecticut.

Auriemma was named the WBCA Coach of the Year for the fourth time recently, and he avenged his only loss at the Arena at Harbor Yard with this victory over coach Goestenkors. When Goestenkors was a Duke, her Blue Devils defeated the Huskies 63-61 in overtime during the 2006 Bridgeport Regional Finals.

Connecticut’s sweet victory sends them to the Greensboro Regionals in North Carolina where they will face Colonial Athletic Association winner Old Dominion on Sunday, March 30th.

With last night's victories, the Big East Conference has five teams heading to the Sweet 16. Connecticut, Rutgers, Louisville, Notre Dame and Pittsburgh each defeated a school from the Big 12 Conference to advance.

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