By John Altavilla, The Hartford Courant
STORRS – UConn women’s basketball history tends to crisscross the senses, especially on days when a big event is preceded by another and followed by something just as potentially noteworthy.
And there was a lot of emotion to process Sunday at Gampel Pavilion.
It began with a ceremony honoring the national champions of 2003 and 2004 that preceded the tip of UConn’s first game as a charter member of the American Athletic Conference.
Then the current UConn team took the stage and things suddenly … slowed … down.
So effervescent this season, the Huskies didn’t sizzle as consistently as they usually do. In fact, they looked unresponsive at times against a Cincinnati team that just would not quit, a quality its coach, Jamelle Elliott, displayed as a UConn player.
Eventually, but not without more stress than expected, the Huskies completed its roll through 2013 by outlasting the feisty Bearcats, 67-34, before 9,872, the biggest campus crowd of the year.
The Huskies were led by Breanna Stewart, who registered her fourth straight double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. But the sophomore was 4 of 15 from the floor in 28 minutes.
Bria Hartley added 12 points, but she shot 4 of 10. Moriah Jefferson also had 12 points. But everyone struggled from the floor and UConn’s points seemed more compiled than scored.
Cincinnati was led by Janise Randolph’s double-double. She scored a game-high 15 points with 10 rebounds.