| |
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Top-ranked Connecticut had so many weapons, it seemed as though the school brought two teams to the Final Four.
|  | | Sue Bird drives for two of her 19 points for UConn. |
As if their incredible depth wasn't enough, the Huskies had three of the biggest stars from their glorious past on hand, too.
With Rebecca Lobo, Kara Wolters and Jennifer Rizzotti in the
stands, UConn beat Penn State 89-67 Friday night to advance to the
national championship game against archrival Tennessee.
"Anyone who follows women's basketball has been waiting for
this game," UConn's Shea Ralph said.
UConn (35-1) gets a chance to repeat its title run of 1995 in a
rematch Sunday night with the Lady Vols, who beat Rutgers 64-54.
Wolters, Lobo and Rizzotti -- part of the UConn team that went
35-0 and beat Tennessee for the 1995 national title -- were at the
First Union Center to inspire the Huskies.
Sue Bird responded by leading UConn with 19 points, hitting five
crucial 3-pointers and running Penn State (30-5) ragged all night.
Swin Cash had nine points, all in the second half, when UConn went
on a dizzying 20-6 run that sealed their rematch with the Lady
Vols.
"It could have been Rutgers too," Bird said. "It doesn't
really matter to us. The fact that it's Tennessee -- we split games
earlier in the year, they won on our floor, we did the same. So I
think it's going to be a battle."
Svetlana Abrosimova had 14 points and 10 rebounds and joined
three other players in holding point guard Helen Darling scoreless.
"We didn't get a great game from Svet or Shea," UConn coach
Geno Auriemma said. "That just shows the quality of our depth."
UConn's bench outscored Penn State's 32-21 and made it seem as
though an NCAA investigation were in order. How many great players
is Auriemma hiding over there on the bench anyway?
"We got contributions from everybody," Bird said.
While UConn's victory set up what could be another memorable
grudge match with Tennessee, it ended Penn State coach Rene
Portland's dramatic run to the Final Four in the city where her
coaching career began.
Portland coached at nearby St. Joseph's, won three national titles as a player at Immaculata and even had a contingent of nuns cheering for her in the stands. Against UConn and its incredible depth, not even divine intervention was enough.
"Certainly, there were tears after the game," Portland said. "But I'm extremely proud of this team."
Abrosimova, Ralph, Ashja Jones and Bird took turns hounding
Darling, who was 0-for-4 and had nine assists.
"I don't think it was very frustrating at all," Darling said.
"It was just an off-night for me. There was nothing I could do
about it but play hard, and that's what I did."
Bird played brilliantly with five assists and no turnovers.
"Sue Bird hasn't gotten too many awards this year, but I
wouldn't take any other point guard ahead of her. Without her, we
wouldn't be here," Auriemma said.
After UConn opened a 12-point lead in the first half, Penn
State's two Philadelphia-area players tried to pull off another
upset. The Lady Lions had already knocked off third-seeded Iowa
State and top-seeded Louisiana Tech on the way to their first Final
Four.
Andrea Garner had 19 points, and fellow Philly native Rashana
Barnes had eight. They got the Lady Lions within four points with
11 minutes left before Cash and Bird slammed the door with some
help from the rest of the Huskies' deep arsenal.
"Every time they punched, we punched back," Ralph said. "We
did a wonderful job of that all season."
Maren Walseth, who ended up at Penn State after UConn recruited
her, cut it to 57-53 on a three-point play with 10:58 left. UConn
scored eight of the next 10 points, getting five of them from Cash.
Cash made a layup off a gorgeous backdoor cut and bounce pass
from Bird to highlight the run and make it 62-53. She capped it
with another layup on a smooth pass from Abrosimova for a 65-55
lead.
Cash broke down Barnes in the open court for a 69-57 lead, and
UConn got a putback basket from Tamika Williams, two free throws
from Shea Ralph and a steal and layup by Kennitra Johnson to blow
it open, 75-59, with 4:29 left.
Williams scored inside to make the run 20-6 and give the Huskies a 77-59 lead. Sheperd finally ended it with a jumper, but it was much too late.
The only blemish on the Huskies' record this year was a 72-71
loss to Tennessee on Feb. 2. They'll get a chance to avenge that
one, as well as losses to the Lady Vols in the '96 national
semifinals and '97 regional final.
UConn built a 12-point lead in the first half by pushing the
tempo and feeding off Bird's 3-point shooting. Bird, who hit 5 of 7
from beyond the arc, drew Darling's second foul and hit two free
throws to give the Huskies a 31-23 lead with 2:43 left in the half.
Bird then fed Asjha Jones for a breakout layup that made it 37-25 with a minute left. Penn State cut it to 37-28 at halftime on Garner's 3-pointer. Even with Abrosimova missing six of nine shots and Cash going scoreless, the Huskies were in good shape.
Or so they thought. The Lady Lions found their shooting touch in
the opening minutes of the second half and cut the lead to five.
Walseth hit a jumper, Garner scored easily inside and Sheperd hit a 3-pointer to cut UConn's lead to 41-37 with 17:26 left. Bird answered with a 3-pointer from the corner to make it 44-37 UConn. A free throw by Sheperd and two by Garner cut it to four again, 44-40, with 15:47 to play.
| |
ALSO SEE
Womens College Basketball Scoreboard
Penn State NCAA Team Report
Connecticut NCAA Team Report
Vols, Huskies make for a dream final
Six-minute spurt dooms Rutgers, puts Lady Vols in final
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Sue Bird drains the 3-pointer.
avi: 756 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Svetlana Abrosimova goes coast-to-coast for the basket.
avi: 656 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Helen Darling feeds Andrea Garner for the layup.
avi: 645 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Bird makes the nice dish to Swin Cash, who scores.
avi: 679 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
 Shea Ralph liked the way her team battled.
wav: 58 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Coach Geno Auriemma cherishes the victory.
wav: 163 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
|
