Friars Hang with #5 UConn on Girls and Women in Sports Day

The Providence College women’s basketball team gave No. 5/4 Connecticut all it could handle on Wednesday night in BIG EAST action at Alumni Hall, but the Huskies managed to escape with a 64-54 win. UConn improved to 21-2 (13-0 BIG EAST), while the Friars dropped to 13-11 (4-9 BIG EAST). Olivia Olsen paced the Friars with 13 points and four blocked shots, while Janai Crooms recorded her fourth double-double of the season on 11 points and 11 rebounds.

1ST QUARTER:
• UConn held a 13-8 lead at the media timeout (4:55).
• Nariah Scott hit a three as the shot clock expired with 3:30 left to get Providence within two (13-11).
• The Huskies answered with a 5-0 spurt to go ahead 17-11 with 1:29 to play.
• Meghan Huerter halted the Huskies’ run with a triple from the right win (17-14), but UConn answered with a three of their own to close the scoring.
• Connecticut led 20-14 at the intermission.

2ND QUARTER:
• UConn started the second quarter with a 6-0 run, forcing a Providence timeout at the 8:06 mark (26-14).
• Providence used a 6-2 scoring advantage out of the timeout to inch within eight (28-20).
• UConn closed the quarter with an 8-6 edge to take a 37-26 lead at halftime.
• Olsen paced the Friars with seven points, four rebounds, two assists, two steals and one blocked shot.

3RD QUARTER:
• UConn’s Aubrey Griffin converted the only made field goal through the opening five minutes of play in the third quarter.
• Ayanna Patterson added a free throw to give Connecticut a 40-26 lead at the media timeout (4:33).
• Grace Efosa scored the first points of the quarter for Providence from the free throw line coming out of the break (40-28).
• Trailing by 15, the Friars went on a 9-0 run during a two-minute span to trim the deficit to six (45-39) and force a UConn timeout.
• The Friars remained within single digits heading into the fourth quarter (48-39).

4TH QUARTER:
• UConn outscored the Friars 10-2 through the opening 2:08 of the frame (58-41).
• Providence answered with an 11-2 run on the strength of its defense to get within eight (60-52) with 3:13 to play.
• Connecticut held on for a 64-54 victory.

NOTES:
• Olsen finished the game with a team-high 13 points and added four rebounds, two assists, two steals and a game-high four blocked shots.
• Janai Crooms recorded her fourth double-double of the season on 11 points and 11 rebounds. She also contributed two assists, three steals and one block.
• Scott reached double figures in the scoring column for the second-straight game, with a career-high 11 points. In Providence’s previous game against Xavier on Jan. 28, Scott scored in double figures for the first time in her career (10 points).
• Scott was 3-5 from three-point territory and 2-2 from the free throw line.
• Kylee Sheppard dished a team-high five assists. It marked the third game this season with five-or-more assists.
• Each of the two games held at Alumni Hall, since UConn’s return to the BIG EAST Conference, have been decided by 10 points or less.
• Dorka Juhasz registered 19 points and 17 boards to lead the Huskies.
• Nika Muhl added 14 points and dished a game-high nine assists.
• Lou Lopez Senechal and Aubrey Griffin rounded out the double-digit scorers with 13 points each.
• The Friars forced Aaliyah Edwards to the bench with foul trouble, ultimately holding her to four points and four rebounds in the game.

UP NEXT:
• The Friars will travel to South Orange, N.J. to face Seton Hall in BIG EAST play on Saturday, Feb. 4. The game will be played at Walsh Gymnasium and is slated to tip-off at 1:00 p.m.