Projected Top Pick Breanna Stewart Shines in UConn-South Carolina Showdown

The WNBA’s offseason is well underway, as teams look to re-shape their rosters heading into the historic 20th season.

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But on Monday night, eyes shifted to the college game — specifically Columbia, South Carolina, where the top three projected picks in April’s WNBA Draft all took the court. No. 1 Connecticut visited No. 2 South Carolina in the marquee game of the college basketball season so far.

And as has been the case for much of the last three years, one player stood above the rest: UConn forward Breanna Stewart.

The Huskies’ senior superstar came through with one of her best games of the season to lead an emphatic 66-54 victory, posting 25 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks while sinking 3-of-4 from three-point range.

It was her ninth double-double in 23 games as UConn improved to 23-0.

Huskies lead guard Moriah Jefferson, who could potentially follow Stewart as the No. 2 pick come April, chipped in 12 points and six assists — right around her season averages.

Jefferson went head-to-head with South Carolina guard Tiffany Mitchell, who is also expected to hear her name called early in the Draft. Still bouncing back from a back injury suffered last week, Mitchell shot just 4-of-12 en route to 12 points, five rebounds and two steals.

The game served as yet another reminder of how far Connecticut has separated itself from the rest of the country. The Huskies have now won 60 straight games and own a 133-4 record during the four-year careers of Stewart, Jefferson and Morgan Tuck (another first-round prospect).

“I appreciate them more and more every day,” Geno Auriemma said of his seniors after Monday’s game. “Some of the plays that they made are unbelievable. The shots that Stewie makes. The way Moriah gets in the lane. How tough Tuck is on one leg. I just can’t say enough about those guys.”

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