Boston College hands reeling UConn third defeat of season

Huskies without services of four key players in loss to Eagles

"Maybe this brings everybody back to reality a little bit," said Geno Auriemma, whose last four UConn teams had a total of just eight losses. "I don't have a real good read on this team."

Connecticut (9-1 Big East, 16-3 overall) has split its last six games, but the other two losses were to No. 2 Tennessee and No. 5 Louisiana Tech.

Boston College (7-3, 15-3) was ranked 21st before dropping out of the poll after two losses last week.

AP PHOTO The Connecticut women's basketball team suffered its third loss in its last six games on Saturday, losing 78-66 to Boston College. "Maybe this brings everybody back to reality a little bit," UConn coach Geno Auriemma said.

"I said to the kids when they broke into the top 25, 'Don't be content. We've got to continue to move forward,'" said Boston College coach Cathy Inglese.

The Eagles won despite the absence of their third leading scorer, Cal Bouchard, who suffered a knee injury.

UConn was missing four of its top nine scorers after two were hurt Wednesday against Miami.

"Every year everybody's been talking about how great our bench has been," said Connecticut's Stacy Hansmeyer. "Then you come out and perform like this. It's very disappointing."

BC's Alissa Murphy led all scorers with a career-high 32. During pregame warmups, she talked with Bouchard and said she felt pretty good.

"I think I missed one shot," Murphy said. "I told her I think it's going to be a good day."

It was very good as the biggest crowd in Massachusetts women's basketball history, 8,606 fans, watched the Eagles take the lead for good less than five minutes into the game.

Boston College stayed in front by at least nine points after a 46-28 halftime lead.

"When we're great, we're great, and when we're not, we look pitiful," said Tamika Williams, who led the Huskies with 20 points. "They lost 16 straight (to UConn). They wanted to prove something to Connecticut and they did."

The Huskies, averaging 97.8 points, made several runs in the second half but were held 10 below their previous season low, which they set in a 90-76 loss at Louisiana Tech last Monday.

The Eagles celebrated after the game "just because they're UConn," Boston College's Brianne Stepherson said. "I was hoping we'd go out and play the game we did."

UConn played without Shea Ralph, Swin Cash, Amy Duran and Sue Bird.

The Huskies' leading scorer and rebounder, Svetlana Abrosimova struggled all game, making just 4-of-20 shots and scoring 10 points with seven turnovers. Asjha Jones added 11 points.

The Eagles took the lead for good on Whitney Steele's basket and finished the half with a 3-pointer at the buzzer by Murphy, whose previous high was 20 points Jan. 5 against Syracuse.

"Alissa's been our most underrated player all year," Inglese said. "Am I surprised what she did? Absolutely not."

The Huskies scored the first seven points of the second half, cutting the lead to 46-35. But Boston College responded with a 10-2 run to take their biggest lead of the contest, 56-37.

UConn drew within nine points as consecutive baskets by Williams made it 66-57 with 4:54 left.

Boston College called a timeout and proceeded to score the next four points afterwards on baskets by Murphy and Becky Gottstein, who had 14 points.

The Huskies never came closer than nine points after that.

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