UConn easily beats Xavier 73-37 without ailing Auriemma
UConn forward Aubrey Griffin (44) drives against Xavier's Fernanda Ovalle (10) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean) Credit: AP/Jeff Dean
CINCINNATI — Aubrey Griffin scored 19 points and injury-riddled UConn, playing without coach Geno Auriemma due to illness, beat Xavier 73-37 on Thursday night for its sixth straight victory.
Dorka Juhasz added 18 points for the fifth-ranked Huskies (13-2, 6-0 Big East), who finished the game with only seven available players when forward Aaliyah Edwards sustained a foot injury in the first half and did not return after halftime.
Edwards finished with four points and three assists. Lou Lopez Senechal had 15 points for UConn, which has been ranked in the AP poll for 554 straight weeks.
Taylor Smith scored 13 points for Xavier (7-8, 0-6), which dropped its fifth straight.
NO. 1 SOUTH CAROLINA
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Kamilla Cardoso scored 16 points and Aliyah Boston had 13 points and nine rebounds to lead South Carolina to its 13th straight win over Auburn.
The Gamecocks (15-0, 3-0 Southeastern Conference) won their 21st straight overall, dating to their successful run to an NCAA Tournament title last season.
Victaria Saxton had 12 points and Zia Cooke was the fourth South Carolina player in double figures with 10 points.
Aicha Coulibaly had 16 points to lead Auburn (10-5, 0-3), which hasn’t beaten the Gamecocks since a 53-49 win at home in January 2012.
NO. 9 VIRGINIA TECH 74, VIRGINIA 66
BLACKSBURG, Va. — Georgia Amoore scored 22 points to lift Virginia Tech past Virginia.
Amoore shot 7 of 15 from the floor and made four 3-pointers to help the short-handed Hokies (13-2, 3-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) win beat Virginia for the fifth time in six games.
Virginia Tech was without Elizabeth Kitley, who suffered an ankle injury in Wednesday’s practice. The 2021-22 All-American and last year’s ACC Player of the Year is the team’s leading scorer (18.3 points) and rebounder (10.9).
Camryn Taylor paced the Cavaliers (13-2, 2-2) with 18 points.
BOSTON COLLEGE 79, NO. 10 NORTH CAROLINA STATE 71
RALEIGH, N.C. — Dontavia Waggoner had 23 points and 10 rebounds to help Boston College beat North Carolina State.
Maria Gakdeng added 17 points for the Eagles (12-5, 2-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), who stopped a 10-game losing streak in the series and earned their first win against the Wolfpack since February 2015. The school said it also marked the program’s first win against a top-10 opponent since beating Florida State in 2010.
Jada Boyd scored 20 points to lead the Wolfpack (12-3, 2-2), while Diamond Johnson had 18 points in her return from a four-game absence due to an ankle injury.
NO. 19 DUKE 60, WAKE FOREST 50
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Celeste Taylor scored 16 of her 18 points in the first half and Elizabeth Balogun had 12 points and 10 rebounds to lead Duke.
Reigan Richardson finished with 12 points for Duke (14-1, 4-0).
Jewel Spear scored 13 points and Elise Williams had 12 points and four steals for Wake Forest (10-6, 1-4). Olivia Summiel grabbed 10 rebounds.
MIAMI 62, NO. 22 NORTH CAROLINA 58
CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Haley Cavinder scored 16 points, Jasmyne Roberts had 10 points and nine rebounds in her first career start and Miami beat North Carolina.
Miami (9-6, 2-2 ACC) beat a team in the AP Top 25 for the first time this season. North Carolina (9-5, 0-3) has started 0-3 in conference play for the first time since the 2018-19 season.
Deja Kelly finished with 19 points, reaching 1,000 for her career, for North Carolina.
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AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
