CHICAGO (AP) – Breanna Stewart had 29 points and 12 rebounds and Morgan Tuck added 16 points as No. 1 Connecticut won its 42nd straight game, 86-70 over No. 23 DePaul on Wednesday night.
The three-time defending national champion Huskies (5-0) have not lost since Nov. 17, 2014, an 88-86 loss to Stanford.
Stewart was dominant with her double-double, but had plenty of help. Katie Lou Samuelson and Kia Nurse each scored 10 points for the Huskies.
DePaul (5-2) was led by Jessica January, who scored 18 points. Brooke Schulte scored 12 and Chanise Jenkins finished with 10.
DePaul, which hit a season-high 13 3-pointers, got as close as 65-60 with under eight minutes to play on Brandi Harvey-Carr’s putback basket. But Connecticut responded with six straight points to extend the Huskies lead back to double digits.
The Huskies began the second half on a 12-2 run to build a 13-point lead. Stewart, the nation’s top player, capped the run with a three-point play that gave Connecticut its biggest lead of the night.
Stewart finished off another three-point play later in the third quarter to extend the Huskies lead back to nine after DePaul had closed to within six.
Connecticut led 44-41 at halftime behind Stewart, who had 16 points in the first half on 6-of-9 shooting.
DePaul, which suffered its only other loss to No. 5 Baylor, remained close with 3-point shooting. The Blue Demons were 9 of 17 from beyond the arc during the first two quarters, led by January, who hit three of her five first-half 3-point attempts.
TIP-INS
Connecticut: improved to 13-1 all-time against DePaul.The Huskies -point win marked the first time this season they have beaten an opponent by less than 40 points.
DePaul: The 13 3-pointers were the most the Blue Demons have hit in a game this season after connecting on 11 on Nov. 19 in an 84-69 win over Indiana.
UP NEXT
Connecticut: Hosts No. 3 Notre Dame on Saturday.
DePaul: Hosts Illinois State on Saturday.