Second-ranked UConn women wallop No. 10 North Carolina

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Tiffany Hayes scored 29 points to help No. 2 Connecticut roll past 10th-ranked North Carolina 83-57 on Monday, routing the Tar Heels for the third straight season.

Maya Moore added 26 for the Huskies (17-1), who scored the first eight points of the game to give themselves a comfortable margin and then scored the first 12 of the second half to blow the game open.

The Huskies shot 49 percent despite cooling off late, knocking down seemingly every early open look -- and there were plenty -- and even the ones when North Carolina (16-2) managed to get a hand in the shooter's face.

UConn also shut down the Tar Heels' attack, keeping them from running out in transition and forcing them to operate in the halfcourt. North Carolina shot 31 percent, including 9-for-39 (23 percent) after halftime.

The Huskies have won four consecutive meetings, with the last three coming by a combined 97 points.

Hayes' performance was an especially welcome sight for coach Geno Auriemma. Her status was in doubt after she suffered an apparent concussion in a collision with Moore while going for a loose ball in the first minute of Saturday's win against Louisville.

Former Centennial High School standout Italee Lucas scored 13 points to lead the Tar Heels.