Dec. 5, 2003
Box Score
By JOHN NADEL
AP Sports Writer
MALIBU, Calif. - Diana Taurasi, cheered on by family and friends, had 17 points, eight rebounds and four assists Friday night to lead No. 1 Connecticut to an 84-53 victory over Pepperdine.
Taurasi, the national player of the year while leading UConn to its second straight NCAA championship last season, grew up in Chino - about 60 miles from the Pepperdine campus.
Taurasi was playing in her home state for just the second time as a collegian and received a loud ovation when introduced with her fellow starters before the game.
Taurasi's father, Mario, said more than 100 supporters from Chino were among the announced crowd of 3,121 that attended the game at Firestone Fieldhouse.
The Huskies (5-0) took command by scoring 25 straight points for a 34-15 lead. The Waves (2-3) weren't closer than 15 points after that.
Taurasi left the game for good with 10:05 remaining and the Huskies leading 70-43. She shot 5-of-12 from the floor, including 1-of-5 from 3-point range, and 6-of-6 from the line.
Barbara Turner had 16 points and 11 rebounds, and Ann Strother added 14 points for the Huskies, who shot 51.9 percent and outrebounded Pepperdine 50-33.
Shanell Law scored 14 points and Shandrika Lee added 11 for the Waves, who shot 28.4 percent.
Taurasi, a 6-foot senior, was held scoreless while playing 20 minutes in Connecticut's 98-63 victory at Pepperdine three years ago in the second game of her career.
That was the only UConn game her family had watched in person with the exception of the last three Final Fours.
There will be another opportunity Sunday when the Huskies face Southern California (1-2) at the Los Angeles Sports Arena.
Taurasi missed her first two shots - both 3-pointers - before scoring her first points on a layup.
The Waves took a 15-9 lead in the opening 5½ minutes by making five 3-pointers in six attempts including two each by Lee and Law.
Taurasi then made a pair of layups to trigger UConn's 25-0 run that featured 3-pointers by Maria Conlon, Taurasi, Strother and Turner.
The Waves missed 12 shots and didn't score for 8½ minutes as the Huskies went ahead for good.
UConn led 46-30 at halftime, and outscored the Waves 13-4 to begin the second half for a 59-34 lead.
The Huskies have a 113-4 record during Taurasi's career and have won their five games this season by an average of 33.2 points.
The Huskies faced Pepperdine and USC at home last season, beating the Waves 109-48 and the Trojans 68-44.
All three of Pepperdine's losses this season have come to Top 25 teams - No. 6 Stanford (69-61), No. 16 Oklahoma (95-77) and UConn.
