Strong and Popovic combine for 49 as UConn pulls away from Texas

Sarah Strong and Jovana Popovic gave UConn a promising first look at its scoring partnership against a national contender, combining for 49 points in an 83-61 exhibition win over Texas on Monday night in Hartford.

Strong, a junior forward, scored 27 points on 12-for-21 shooting. Popovic, a freshman guard, had 22 points, seven rebounds and five assists, making all three of her attempts from beyond the arc. Their production helped the Huskies pull away from a 37-37 halftime tie at PeoplesBank Arena.

The separation came on defense. UConn held Texas to two field goals in 14 attempts in the third quarter and won the period 19-8. Madison Booker still finished with 23 points on 11-for-17 shooting for the Longhorns, but Texas could not sustain its first-half offense.

Strong said afterward that the Huskies increased their pressure and communication while trying to contain Booker through Texas' moving screens. Geno Auriemma credited better movement for opening up an offense that had struggled with the Longhorns' size and length early.

Popovic's efficiency gives UConn another way to punish that pressure. She went 7-for-11 from the floor and 5-for-6 at the foul line. Ashlynn Shade added 11 points and made three 3-pointers, while Allie Ziebell scored eight off the bench. UConn finished 10-for-18 from long range after going 3-for-22 in its previous exhibition against Syracuse.

There was plenty left to clean up. The Huskies committed 17 turnovers, including five by Popovic, and Texas turned those mistakes into 21 points. In his Hartford Courant report, syndicated by Yahoo Sports, Dom Amore noted that UConn cut its turnovers from 11 in the first half to six in the second. That improvement helped its shooting translate into a comfortable lead.

Texas coach Vic Schaefer said his team was still building defensive chemistry with new players. Breya Cunningham supplied 11 points, six rebounds and four steals, giving the Longhorns production alongside Booker despite the difficult second half.

This was a preseason exhibition, so both teams remain 0-0. UConn hosts Army in its final exhibition on Sunday, October 25, at 4 p.m. Eastern. The regular season opens November 2 against Cornell, followed by a road game at Michigan on November 5 and a home meeting with Iowa on November 8.