USA sharpshooter Mosqueda-Lewis enters record books

USA sharpshooter Mosqueda-Lewis enters record books

STORRS (NCAA) - The three-point shot can be an awesome weapon for a basketball team.

Thanks to Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, the University of Connecticut have had the deep threat in their arsenal for the past four years.

A member of the USA Basketball youth teams and a sure bet to represent the senior team one day, possibly as soon as the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, Mosqueda-Lewis has now connected on more shots from behind the arc than any player in NCAA women's basketball history.

In the Huskies' 91-70 regional final win over Dayton, the 21-year-old senior guard went into the clash with 388 and set the all-time mark with her fifth three-ball.

Laurie Koehn of Kansas State had set the previous record of 392 three-pointers in 2005 and Heather Butler of Tennessee-Martin tied it last season.

Now Mosqueda-Lewis, who buried two more in the win over Dayton, is alone at the top with 395 made three-pointers in her career.

"It's definitely something that means a lot to me," she said.

'' It's something I feel like I worked really hard for - Mosqueda-Lewis

Mosqueda-Lewis also said she can now concentrate on helping UConn win important games.

"Now I only have one thing to worry about - a national championship," she said.

Geno Auriemma, the coach of UConn and theUSA senior women's national team, is happy that his player broke the record in a meaningful game.

"When somebody asks K about the record, it won't be in a 120-40 game," he said.

"It was a game when we needed all seven of those."

Auriemma says that his sharpshooter has improved during her time with the Huskies.

"I don't know if she could have done that when she was a freshman," he said.

"K wouldn't have been looking to knock them down. She would have been looking for someone else to do it.

"That's how far she's come. She wanted the ball every time down the floor."

'' She has become a really good basketball player -Auriemma

UConn will now take on Maryland in Tampa, Florida, at the Final Four on Sunday, with the winner to face either South Carolina or Notre Dame in the title game.

That means more opportunities for Mosqueda-Lewis to bury three-pointers.

After the season, she will launch her professional career and then attempt to earn a spot in Auriemma's USA Olympic squad.

One thing is certain.

She is assured of legendary status with UConn, something that will only be enhanced if the Huskies go on to capture another championship.