No. 6 Connecticut 96, Providence 53

1/17/2007 8:26 PM

By PAT EATON-ROBB
Associated Press Writer

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) -Tina Charles scored 18 points, Mel Thomas added 17 and No. 6 Connecticut rebounded from its loss to No. 2 North Carolina by routing Providence 96-53 Wednesday night.

Six players scored in double figures for Connecticut (15-2, 5-0 Big East), which put the game out of reach before halftime and led by as many as 45 points in the second half. Ketia Swanier had 14 points, 12 after intermission. Renee Montgomery and Kalana Greene added 12 each, and Kaili McLaren chipped in 10.

Providence won its only other game against a Top-25 team this season, beating then No. 12 Louisville 106-94 in double overtime on Jan. 3.

Chelsea Marandola led the Friars (12-6, 4-1) with 19. She scored her team's first nine points, including a 3-pointer that put Providence up 7-6.

But Thomas answered with two 3s and Connecticut never trailed again.

The Huskies had a 7-0 run later in the half, and scored the final 11 points to lead 57-30 at halftime.

Charles had 15 by the intermission and played just 4 minutes after the break.

Thomas, who scored just five points on 2-of-9 shooting Monday against North Carolina, hit 6 of 10 shots against the Friars, including five from behind the arc. Her three 3-pointers in a 14-1 run early in the second half put Connecticut up 74-37.

Providence shot just less than 41 percent from the field, but hit only 2 of 13 shots from 3-point range.

Connecticut shot 64.5 percent and dominated underneath. The Huskies had 54 points in the paint, and 11 second-chance points, while holding the Friars to just two. Connecticut also scored 23 points off of 17 Providence turnovers.

Connecticut has won 22 in a row against Providence. The Huskies have not lost back-to-back games since 1993, a span of 482 games.

The game was played at the Dunkin' Donuts Center to accommodate the several thousand UConn fans who made the trip from Connecticut.