Womens Basketball Falls, 74-59, at #8/6 Connecticut

Feb. 25, 2006

STORRS, Conn. - Svetlana Kovalenko had 12 points and Krystal Ellis 11 as Marquette dropped a 74-59 decision at #8/6 Connecticut. Kovalenko scored 10 of her 12 in the first half, connecting on 5-of-9 from the floor, while also adding eight rebounds, two assists and two steals in 30 minutes of action.

Marquette struck first to start the game, as Kovalenko -- in her second start of the season -- connected on a three-pointer at the top of the key. The sophomore forward tallied eight of MU's first 10 points of the half, burying her second trey 4:21 into the game as the Golden Eagles took a 10-8 lead. A Jasmine McCullough jumper with 12:55 to play gave Marquette its biggest lead of the half - four points - at 15-11.

UConn would answer with a 6-0 run, to go up 21-15, before Ellis connected on her second trey of the half, making it 21-18 with 9:57 to go. But the Huskies would respond with another 6-0 push, connecting on back-to-back threes, going up 27-18 with 8:43 to play.

"To be successful against a team like Connecticut, you really need to know personnel." said head coach Terri Mitchell. "They can score at every position and on all areas of the court. With our zone, we needed to recognize the shooters while also guard the paint."

"Offensively, we had to attack and I think we did that well in spurts." Mitchell added.

Marquette would put on a run of its own, outscoring the Huskies 12-7, including a 6-2 run capped by a steal by McCullough while led to a fastbreak layup by Ellis. That basket made it 34-30, with 3:25 to go. But Connecticut would again counter with a run, outscoring MU 7-0 to close out the first 20:00 and take a 41-30 lead into the half.

"Marquette basketball is about not giving up. We never give up and we're fighters." said Mitchell. "We never go out on the court thinking or expecting to lose."

After Christina Quaye connected on two free throws to start the half, Connecticut went on a 6-0 run, taking a 48-32 advantage with 16:41 to go. But Marquette would go on a 13-6 push over the next 8:00, capped by an Erin Monfre trey, which cut the UConn lead to single digits at 54-45. The Golden Eagles got no closer as, again, UConn scored seven unanswered points, taking a 61-45 advantage with just over seven minutes in regulation. The Huskies led by as many as 19 points - 72-53 with 1:13 to play.

Carolyn Kieger and Danielle Kamm came off the bench for Marquette tonight. For Kieger, it was the first time in her career that she did not start a game in which she appeared. For Kamm, it was the first time since Feb. 7, 2005 - a 33-game span - since she was not in the first five.

Ellis tallied career-bests with eight assists and five steals. Quaye had eight points and Marissa Thrower chipped in with seven. McCullough grabbed eight rebounds. Kieger added six assists.

For the game, Marquette shot 40.4% (23-57), including 33.3% (7-21) from beyond the arc. They were outrebounded 38-27 and committed 21 turnovers.

"Our mistakes we not made out of laziness, we were trying to make runs and make things happen out there." Mitchell said. "Our overall effort tonight was better than it was at home against Rutgers, and now we just have turn all our focus onto our next game at home against a team like Cincinnati who is playing very well right now."

The Golden Eagles close out the 2005-06 regular season on Tuesday at the Al McGuire Center, when they host Cincinnati at 7 p.m. It will mark the final regular season appearance for the senior trio of Carolyn Kieger, Tierra Shirley, and Amber Johnson.