January 29, 2002

Virginia Tech nearly shocked the basketball world Tuesday night, but in the end, the Hokies came up just short, falling to No. 1-ranked UConn 59-50 in front of 6,069 fans at Cassell Coliseum - the eighth-largest crowd ever to see a women's game at Cassell.

The loss marked Tech's third straight and the Hokies are now 15-5 on the season, including a 6-3 mark in the BIG EAST. UConn ran its record to 23-0, 9-0 in league play.

But the Huskies, whose average margin of victory was more than 37 points per game coming into the contest against Tech, earned this one. This game marked the closest game the Huskies have played all season (they beat three teams by 14, their previous closest games).

Tech - playing its third game in six days - battled UConn down to the wire and the Hokies ended up tying the game at 48 when Diana Taurasi intentionally fouled Chrystal Starling on a breakaway lay-up with 3:10 to go in the game. Starling made both free throws and Tech got the ball back as a result of the intentional foul with a chance to take the lead.

Unfortunately, the Hokies ran out of gas at that point. Tech turned the ball over on that possession - one of 20 on the night. After UConn's Swin Cash missed a shot on the Huskies' next possession, Tech again failed to take the lead as Sarah Hicks missed a 3-pointer with about two and a half minutes left in the game.

UConn then took the lead for good on a short jumper by guard Sue Bird with 1:58 remaining. Tech turned it over again on its next possession and Taurasi gave the Huskies a 52-48 lead on two free throws with 1:20 left.

Tech came no closer. Forced to foul from then on out, the Hokies sent the Huskies to the line and UConn made 9-of-10 the rest of the game, including 7-of-8 by Taurasi. Tech's final points in the game came on two free throws by Starling with 28.4 seconds left. UConn never led by more than the final margin.

"It's a shame when we go on the road that we don't an opportunity to play in more games like this, in this kind of environment against a team that plays really physical and really hard." UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. "I think it was a great opportunity for us to be in that kind of game, with the scored tied with three minutes to go. It was a welcome opportunity for us.

"I thought Tech did everything right to win the game. But in the last three minutes, when we had to make some plays, we did. We don't get that opportunity often, so I'm glad we did tonight."

After getting pummeled by the Huskies 90-38 the last time the teams met, the Hokies came out smoking. Tech jumped out to a 14-8 lead and actually led the first 9:54 of the game - only Tennessee has lead for a longer stretch against UConn this season.

The Huskies used a 16-3 run to take the lead midway through the first half. But they never pulled away. UConn led only by three at halftime, 28-25, and the 28 points marked the fewest they had scored in any half this season.

"They're as good as any team we've played," said Auriemma, whose team has played Oklahoma, ODU, Tennessee and Vanderbilt this season. "They're tough. They're bigger than we are and they played hard the whole game. And I'm not surprised because that's the way Bonnie coaches."

"I thought for 35 or 36 minutes we put ourselves in a situation to be successful, but we didn't finish," Tech head coach Bonnie Henrickson said. "We talked before the game that we couldn't feel sorry for ourselves [for losing two straight] and that we had to battle and we had to compete. Last year, it was never a ball game.

"I'll give them credit for finishing. But I'll give our kids credit for taking a hit and giving a hit and making some plays. We'll take some momentum and pride from this, but it'll be balanced because we put ourselves in a situation to win and didn't."

Tech perhaps showed its fatigue, shooting just 38.6 percent from the floor. Ieva Kublina led the Hokies with 17 points and 11 rebounds. UConn, which shot just 41.7 percent, got 19 points and eight rebounds from Ashja Jones. Taurasi and Bird finished with 13 each.

Tech now gets some time to recuperate before its next BIG EAST game. The Hokies take on Miami on Feb. 5 at Cassell Coliseum. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m.