STORRS, Conn. (AP) - Geno Auriemma has put together a tough schedule for his UConn Huskies for the next week. They might be without Katie Lou Samuelson for those game.
Samuelson injured her left foot in the second quarter of No. 1 UConn’s 82-47 win over 20th-ranked California on Friday night.
“According to Janelle (the trainer), it’s something called a mid-foot sprain, whatever that is,” Auriemma said. “We’ll find out more tomorrow. Do some treatment on her, get some X-rays, make sure nothing’s broken in there.”
Samuelson, who scored 12 points before she got hurt, was wearing a walking boot on her left foot after the game.
The Huskies play No. 15 Maryland on Sunday before heading out west to face eighth-ranked UCLA on Tuesday.
“We like that Friday-Sunday, Saturday-Monday deal for NCAA Tournament preview kind of stuff,” Auriemma said. “Now we’re throwing a whole (different) layer on it. i like the fact we’re going to be tested, be on the road for a long time want to see how we handle it.”
“Now on top of that we got a kid that may or not play, we rely on heavily. All of a sudden now this isn’t like normal Connecticut go on the road walk in the arena blow someone out and go home. Not like that. I’m anxious to see how we respond to that.”
Crystal Dangerfield, Kia Nurse and Napheesa Collier all scored 14 points to lead UConn (2-0).
The Huskies trailed 4-3 early before scoring 23 of the next 25 points to take command of the game. Gabby Williams got the run started with consecutive layups. Later in the burst she made a layup while falling that gave UConn a 22-6 advantage. Sara Anastasieska hit a 3-pointer with 1:41 left in the opening period to end a string of 17 consecutive points scored by the Huskies.
UConn led 30-11 after one quarter and wasn’t really challenged by Cal (1-1) the rest of the way.
Kristine Anigwe scored 14 points to lead the Golden Bears, who will play UConn the next three years.
“This will help us in so many different ways,” Cal coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “We talked about it that it exposes what our weaknesses are and shows a lot of good things about us. Right now there’s UConn and then everybody else. If we can get close to the top of the pack of everyone else, that’s what we want.”
TIP-INS
California: Cal had won 17 straight non-conference games, including going 12-0 last season. The team’s last loss to a non-Pac 12 team was against Saint Mary’s on Dec. 5, 2005. … Cal was missing Mi’Cole Cayton, who tore her ACL in the Bears season opener. The sophomore guard scored 13 points in that game.
UConn: The last time the Huskies lost a home-opener was in 1990 to Iowa, which was coached by C. Vivian Stringer. … Auriemma has 993 wins now as he closes in on becoming the third women’s coach to get 1,000 victories.
HONORING LOBO
The Huskies unveiled a banner for Rebecca Lobo before the game. The former Huskies star was enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame in September. UConn already has banners up for Auriemma and Jim Calhoun, who are also both in the Hall of Fame. She got a long warm ovation from the crowd.
“The fans here are special,” Lobo said.
UP NEXT
California: Will play at Brown on Sunday in a homecoming game for Gottlieb who played at the Ivy League school.
UConn: Hosts No. 15 Maryland on Sunday before heading west for a three-game swing in California, Oregon and Nevada.
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