UConn wins share of AAC title with 74-31 rout of Tulane

Anna Makurat and Megan Walker each scored 18 points and No. 6 UConn secured a share of its seventh straight American Athletic Conference regular-season title Wednesday with a 74-31 rout of Tulane

HARTFORD, Conn. —
Anna Makurat and Megan Walker each scored 18 points and No. 6 UConn secured a share of its seventh straight American Athletic Conference regular-season title Wednesday night with a 74-31 rout of Tulane.

Olivia Nelson-Ododa recorded her sixth double-double of the season, her first since December, scoring 10 points and grabbing 11 rebounds for the Huskies (22-3, 12-0 American).

UConn, which this week fell from Top 5 in the ranking for the first time since February, 2007, has won all of its 114 regular-season conference games since the formation of the AAC and all six conference tournaments.

Krystal Freeman and Irina Parau each scored seven points to lead Tulane (12-14, 7-6), which has lost five in a row and six of its last seven.

The Green Wave started strong, hitting their first three shots from behind the arc and taking an early 9-7 lead.

The Huskies made just eight of their 19 shots in the first 10 minutes, but led 19-13 after a quarter.

The Huskies went on a 16-0 run in the second period to control of the game. Walker (14 points) and Anna Makurat (11) were both in double digits by halftime and UConn went into intermission up 44-21.

The Huskies took their first 30-point lead at 51-21 when Makurat stole an errant pass from Sierra Cheatham was fouled while making a layup on the breakaway and hit the free throw.

They led 59-26 after the third quarter.

UConn held Tulane to 20% shooting, including just four baskets on 35 shots (11%) in the second half.

The Huskies also dominated the inside game, outscoring Tulane 36-10 in the paint.

BIG PICTURE:

Tulane: The Green Wave ran off six straight AAC wins to start conference play, but have now lost six of their last seven.

UConn: The Huskies have won either a conference regular season or tournament title in all but one season since 1993. In 2013, Notre Dame won both Big East trophies, but the Huskies ended up winning the national championship.

UP NEXT

Tulane: The Green Wave, who began a three-game road trip in Hartford, will be in Cincinnati on Sunday afternoon.

UConn: The Huskies host UCF on Saturday.

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