HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -- Connecticut quickly shook off the rust of a long layoff and once again cruised into the second round of the NCAA tournament.
Renee Montgomery scored 19 points and Charde Houston added 15 to help top-seeded UConn rout UMBC 82-33 on Sunday night in the Fresno Regional.
The Huskies (30-3), who hadn't played since losing the Big East championship game to Rutgers on March 6, were ahead just 6-5 three minutes into the game, before Houston led them on a 10-3 run.
The Retrievers (16-17) had no answers for Connecticut's inside game. Houston had 15 first-half points and hit seven of her first nine shots.
When UMBC decided to collapse on her, she kicked the ball outside to Montgomery, or to Tina Charles and Kalana Greene on other side of the post. Greene finished with 12, and Charles had 10. The easy looks resulted in the Huskies shooting 60 percent from the floor.
UMBC managed to stay close at 29-20, but UConn ended the half with a 12-0 run and scored the first nine points of the second half. They coasted from there to the program's 14th consecutive first-round win.
The Retrievers tried to stay in the game by shooting 3-pointers, but hit just three of their first 17, and 5-of-24 for the game. They shot just 25 percent from the field.
Sharri Rohde, UMBC's leading scorer, picked up her third foul 2:22 before intermission. She finished with just seven points. Brittnie Hughes had nine.