UConn 70
Tennessee 61
NEW ORLEANS – Connecticut, the state of Euphoria, today celebrates the greatest dual triumph since the creation of Adam and Eve. Joined back at the hip are two national champion college basketball teams from the state university in the same year.
After the men blew away Georgia Tech Monday night, UConn’s female gender rendered their arch-rivals from Tennessee once again into also-rans last night, tying the Lady Vols’ record of three straight titles (1996-98) with a 70-61 victory.
“It’s just an unbelievable accomplishment,” said coach Geno Auriemma, “for a school whose programs have come a long way in a short time. There aren’t any words to describe it.”
He could try “dynasty.” It was the Huskies’ fifth title, one short of Tennessee’s all-time record, and the fourth in five years. It was also the Huskies’ sixth straight win, regular and post-season combined over the pained, but game, Lady Vols who, down 30-13 in the first half, fought back repeatedly, getting the lead down to two with 9:51 to play, answering every Connecticut spurt that seemed to put it away.
Diana Taurasi had 17 points in her final game of one of the best careers ever in the sport, but the Huskies really won it on determined down low work by center Jessica Moore and forward Barbara Turner, each of whom grabbed nine rebounds.
“They are just a great passing team,” said Tennessee coach Pat Summit, and Moore’s six field goals were convered off multiple dump-off passes off drives, providing a good portion of the offense as Ann Strother cooled off from a sizzling (4-for-5) first half.
UConn nailed four of its first six 3-point attempts in racing to that huge lead. With the Huskies were shooting 64 percent to the Lady Vols’ 26 at that point, the rout appeared on. But Tennessee still was enjoying a significant advantage on the boards and, patiently working the ball into Shyra Ely and Ashley Robinson, the Lady Vols dominated the paint in holding UConn scoreless for the final 6:29 of the half to get it back to 30-24 at the intermission.
When Ely limped to the bench to have her ankle taped and Shanna Zolman hit another 3-pointer to cut the lead to four, Moore scored again off Lady Vol breakdowns down low and Taurasi hit a three.
But Zolman stayed hot, nailing another three, and Tennessee was refusing to go away. Turner drove on Ely for a short bank, then hit a runner, and when Taurasi hit her third three, UConn had opened it up to 10 again with 13:02 to play.
Still, Ely came back to hit two free throws off a foul by Moore and Zolman hit two free throws, and finally Brittany Jackson’s three trimmed the lead to two.
But again Moore scored off a dump-off and a lay-in boosted the lead to 54-48 with seven minutes remaining.