University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies Surge Into Final Four
3/26/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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| The Huskie bench celebrates another trip to the Final Four. (AP Photo) |
Taurasi, who combines the discipline that UConn coach Geno Auriemma demands with a sleek game honed on the Los Angeles playgrounds, had 17 points, 10 rebounds and four assists as the rematch of the two longtime women's powers turned into a romp.
Tamika Williams added 18 points and 10 rebounds as the defending national champion Huskies (32-2) opened a 23-10 lead and never were pressed in beating the Lady Techsters (31-5) for the second time this season.
The Huskies, winners of 15 in a row even while losing stars Svetlana Abrosimova and Shea Ralph to season-ending injuries, will play either Big East rival Notre Dame or Vanderbilt in the women's Final Four next weekend in St. Louis.
This Eastern Regional final was supposed to be closer - much closer - than UConn's 71-55 victory in Ruston, La., but it wasn't, not with Taurasi knocking down 3-pointers, making beautiful entry passes for layups and shutting down Tech off-guard Brooke Lassiter.
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| Huskie players hug coach Geno Auriemma after beating Louisiana Tech 67-48 to advance to the Final Four. (AP Photo) |
Takeisha Lewis, who had 27 points and 17 rebounds Saturday, also was a non-factor against UConn's relentless man-to-man defense, finishing with seven points on 3-of-15 shooting and only four rebounds.
The Lady Techsters' inability to get its stars open shots led them to shoot only 28.6 percent, 16-of-56.
With Connecticut's tight man-to-man defense forcing Louisiana Tech into a succession of hurried or off-balance shots, the Huskies went on a 12-0 run to open the 13-point with 7:03 left in the first half.
At that point, the Lady Techsters - winners of 19 in a row since losing to UConn - had made only of 4-of-20, and it didn't get much better.
Constantly pushed back into deep 3-point range by UConn's aggressive defense, Lassiter went scoreless and had only one shot in the first half and didn't score until 17:43 remaining in the game.
The Lady Techsters, trying for their 11th trip to the women's Final Four since its inception in 1982, later cut the lead to five at 29-24.
But Taurasi, the star of Saturday's 72-58 semifinal victory over North Carolina State with 24 points, took over in the closing minutes of the half. She started an 8-0 run with a nice pass inside to Williams before ending it with a pair of driving layups to make it 37-24 at the half.
UConn and Louisiana Tech are two of the biggest names in women's basketball, with a combined four NCAA titles, yet were meeting in the NCAA tournament for the first time. Auriemma and Louisiana Tech's Leon Barmore are the only men to coach an NCAA women's championship team.
