University of Connecticut Athletics
No. 2 Huskies Run Past Rutgers, 94-66
3/5/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
DONNA TOMMELLEO
AP Sports Writer
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| Connecticut's Diana Taurasi and Tamika Williams cheer as they leave the floor at Gampel Pavilion at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Conn., at the end of the first half of the Connecticut-Rutgers Big East Conference tournament. (AP Photo/Bob Child) |
The Huskies (27-2) advanced late Monday night with 94-66 win over Rutgers in the semifinals. They play No. 1 Notre Dame in Tuesday's championship.
Swin Cash led UConn with 20 points, and Diana Taurasi added 17.
Play was halted about 90 minutes to repair a leak in the roof on the 11-year-old Gampel Pavilion. UConn was up 41-20 with 3:31 left in the first half when water started dripping near midcourt.
UConn ran away with this one early, using a quick transition game and dominating post play. Forwards Cash and Asjha Jones combined for 19 points in the Huskies' opening 26-3 run in the first 10 minutes of the game.
The Huskies had a 23-6 rebounding edge and a 50-23 lead going into the break.
Tasha Pointer led Rutgers (22-7) with 18 points.
UConn played without point guard Sue Bird, who sat out with back spasms.
The championship game is the second meeting this season between UConn and Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish beat UConn 92-76 in South Bend on Jan. 15.
About 5,000 fans braved the elements, despite an earlier plea from Gov. John G. Rowland to stay off the roads. One of the loudest cheers went up for Bill Sehl, the building engineer who was hoisted 100 feet inside the arena to fix the leak.
