STORRS -- The UConn women's basketball team had passed each challenge it had faced through the first four games this season. Their biggest challenge to date came in the form of No. 4 Oklahoma and its three-time All-American center Courtney Paris and the vast supply of talent around her.
This was the game that would provide the No. 1 Huskies with a good idea as to just where they stand compared to the other elite teams in the nation. They left no doubt who the top team is at this early point in the season.
All-American Renee Montgomery had career-highs of 30 points and 13 assists and keyed an dominating second-half run to lead UConn to a 106-78 victory before 9,688 at Gampel Pavilion. Three players had double-doubles for the Huskies, who shot 54.5 percent from the field and made 12 3-pointers on 23 attempts.
``I thought Connecticut was fabulous,'' Oklahoma coach Sherri Coale said. ``And I told Geno (Auriemma) after the game, `If you play like that and shoot like that you might win the men's national championship.' They shot the ball extraordinarily well. We didn't contest well. We gave them too many open 3s. There were times when we looked silly.''
Montgomery added six rebounds, one short of her career-high, and tied the team single-game record for assists shared by Laura Lishness (vs. Seton Hall Jan. 12, 1991) and Susie Sturman (vs. Vermont Feb. 24, 1980).
UConn improved to 7-0 all-time against Oklahoma, winning by an average of 17.9
The Huskies (5-0) led by as many as 22 points in the first half. Oklahoma closed to within 61-53 on a 3-pointer by Amanda Thompson with 15:11 left in the game, but UConn answered with a 22-6 run to take a commanding 83-59 lead with 9:44 left.
Montgomery delivered 13 points in the run and the Huskies made 9 of 10 shots in a span of 5:11.
``It's amazing,'' UConn sophomore Maya Moore said. ``I think that's one of the reasons people come to Connecticut is to attempt to get that feeling. And when everybody is on like that you feel like you can do anything. It's just great feeling to be able to be in that zone as a team and not just have one player be that way because it's definitely contagious.''
UConn led by as many as 31 down the stretch.
Moore added 27 points, 12 rebounds and four assists for the Huskies in her third double-double this season. Freshman Caroline Doty finished with 18 points on a team single-game record 6-of-6 from 3-point range.
Tina Charles had 18 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks.
``I just think we're a good team that played a really good team and we played exceptionally well,'' Auriemma said. ``If we could put together a string of games like this, even though that's difficult to do, to try to make this the standard by which we're going to play then I think we'll be as good as anybody. I didn't expect this (Sunday) to be honest with you. This was really totally unexpected.''
Paris, who was scoreless in the first half and missed her first eight shots, extended her NCAA record with her 98th straight double-double (14 points, 14 rebounds).
Danielle Robinson led the Sooners (4-2) with 19 points. Ashley Paris added 17 points and 13 rebounds.
Both of Oklahoma's losses this season have been to Top 5 teams. It lost to then-No. 4 North Carolina 80-79 at home Nov. 23. But as far as Coale is concerned the gap between the Tar Heels and the Huskies is considerable.
``I sat there in the second half and I said this is the best we've ever played against them and we're down 25,'' Coale said. ``And we played them with (Diana) Taurasi and (Sue) Bird and the whole crew. I don't know that I've seen them play better than they did (Sunday).''
NOTE -- UConn freshman Heather Buck was examined by team medical personnel Saturday.She has been cleared to begin light activity and remains one to two weeks away from practicing. She has missed all five games due to mononucleosis.




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