UConn game up next for high scoring New Haven product

Unless Tonya Cardoza lands a commitment from another New Haven area prospect, I would say that my itinerary the day before UConn's games at Temple will go back to normal.

In each of the last four seasons I would get into Philadelphia early enough to catch up with New Haven's Tanaya Atkinson since she was a double-digit scorer beginning with her freshman season.

Now Atkinson is so much more. She will head into today's game against No. 1 UConn leading the American Athletic Conference in scoring (23.1 points per game) and rebounding (10.0) so naturally a story on the former Career High star served as my advance.

Atkinson is one of Division I women's basketball players hailing from Connecticut to average at least 10 points per game. Not only is Atkinson the top scorer among Connecticut natives but fellow New Haven native Alissa Alston's 14.6 scoring average is tied for the second best mark.

Here's a list of the top Division I women's basketball scorers hailing from Connecticut

Alissa Alston JR Ole Miss (New Haven)        14.6 PPG, 19 steals, team leading 76 assists, 87 free throw attempts
Tanaya Atkinson SR Temple (New Haven)        23.1 PPG, 10 RPG, 49 assists, 23 steals
Shaquana Edwards FR LaSalle (Hartford)        8.6 PPG, 51 assists, 22 steals, 23 3-pointers
Tiana England FR St. John's (Stamford)        10.7 PPG, 109 assists, 23 steals       
Carly Fabbri SR Quinnipiac (Stratford)        8.6 PPG, 79 assists, 39 steals, 29 3-pointers
Maura Fitzpatrick JR Marist (Cheshire)        10.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 48 assists, 23 steals, 9 blocked shots
Janelle Harrison, SR Hartford (Cromwell)    11.4 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 46 steals
Abby Laszewski SO Wisconsin (Hartford)        7.2 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 20 blocks
Sadie Edwards SR USC (Meriden)            14.2 PPG, 41 assists, 23 steals
Sydney Lowery, FR Boston College (Shelton)    7.0 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 10 steals, team-leading 51 free throw attempts
India Pagan FR Stony Brook (New London)        5.7 PPG, 3.3 RPG
Pika Rodriguez, FR Pitt (Hartford)        5.6 PPG, 24 3-pointers, 44.1 3-point percentage
Sarah Veilleux JR Saint Joseph's (Hebron)    14.6 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 31 assists, 33 3-pointers, 45.2 3-point percentage
Alyssa Velles SR Saint Peter's (Franklin)    8.1 PPG, 3.2 rebounds, 40 3-pointers
Corrine Williams, SR BU (Bloomfield)        9.1 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 37 assists, 21 steals, 13 blocked shots