BULL-DOZERS

HARTFORD - The postgame mood was somber, dejected. Guard Renee Montgomery was notably irritated while answering questions about the team's "worst game of the year." After watching his team commit numerous turnovers, UConn head coach Geno Auriemma found a way to speak of the game with measured perspective.

"I'm pissed at them for not working hard," Auriemma said. "But after the game they got their meal money. It's a great country - whether you win or you lose, you get paid."

Such is life for the No. 1 team in the country following a sloppy effort.

Despite Auriemma's mockery - and 18 turnovers, their fourth-highest total of the year - the top-ranked Huskies (20-0, 7-0 Big East) grinded out a 71-48 victory over South Florida Wednesday night in front of 12,445 at the XL Center.

"We did a lot of bad things on defense on offense," Montgomery said. "This win wasn't a win to celebrate, and we have a lot of work to do."

Apart from the turnovers, Auriemma harped on the fact that the bigger, stronger, more talented Huskies were out-rebounded, 39-36 by USF. Brittany Denson, a forward who scored five points for the Bulls, pulled down nine boards. The Bulls notched 20 offensive rebounds as a team.

"They miss 40 shots, and we get six points [on the fast break]?" Auriemma said. "Come on. That's not asking a lot is it. [You're] 20 years old, a shot goes up - jump for the rebound."

In the past, UConn has shown it can dominate teams inside. On defense in the first half, at least, the Huskies did just that, holding South Florida (11-7, 1-6) to 3-of-23 shooting inside the 3-point arc. Tina Charles and Brittany Hunter had a pair of blocks each in the first few minutes.

In spite a rash of first-half turnovers that resulted in a fairly ugly stretch of basketball, the Huskies jumped out to a 42-22 lead. UConn shot 60 percent from the field in the opening period.

But, according to Montgomery, the effort was not there Wednesday night.

"On the offensive end, if we miss shots, that's fine," the guard said. "But we were turning it over. On defense, we weren't getting out on shots. When you don't do the things you can control, it's a bad things."

"Since when did talent mean more to us at Connecticut than hard work?" Auriemma said. "That's not how we won five national championships. You want to win a game because you worked harder ... we won tonight because we have better players than South Florida."

Showing his lack of confidence in his post players, UConn went small in the second half. For a time, the Huskies featured a lineup in which 6-foot forward Moore was the tallest player on the court.

"Maya was good, but she's always good," Auriemma said. "She's good by accident. She had a sterling one offensive rebound tonight."

As a contrast to that relatively glowing praise, the UConn coach made his displeasure known with Charles, the starting center who played just 13 minutes and rode the bench for most of the second half.

"Maya wants to be great," Auriemma said. "That's the difference. Tina hopes someone comes down from heaven and says, 'you're great.'"

South Florida was never truly in striking distance, though. The closest USF could get was within 16; a 10-0 run midway through the second half extended UConn's lead to 54-28.

"If they had made a few free throws and a few shots, it'd have been a close game," Montgomery said. "I think this is one of the worst games we've played this year."

A majority of the Huskies' scoring came from two players - Moore and Montgomery.

Montgomery scored 21 points, her sixth straight game in double figures and 14th this season. Montgomery became the team's full-time shooting guard four games ago, following the season-ending injury to Mel Thomas.

Montgomery also scored 13 of UConn's last 15 points in the first half, as part of a run that extended the lead from five to 20 over 8:51.

Moore led the Huskies with 23 points, scoring in double-figures for the 20th consecutive time to begin her career. She made all five of her field goals in the first half, including three from beyond the 3-point line.

"Sure. let's take some good out of it," Moore said of her double-figures streak. "That's great, and I'm proud of that, but I would have rather had a game where we actually play like we know how."

She, along with reserve forward Meghan Gardler, also led UConn in rebounds, with six.

UConn's third-highest scorer was Charles, with eight points.

Contact Kevin Meacham

at Kevin.Meacham@UConn.edu.