Scout.com > Scout.com Perfect End for UConn Story URL: http://www.scout.com/2/41644.html TheInsiders.com staff Scout.com Mar 31, 2002 Sue Bird and the Connecticut Huskies had a nearly flawless game in dispatching Tennessee 79-56. They will bid to be the fourth women's team in NCAA history to finish unbeaten. In UConn's way is Oklahoma, which, led by Rosalind Ross' career-high 26 points, advanced to the national championship game with an 86-71 victory over Duke. Photos, schedules and previews here. UConn's Geno Auriemma Oklahoma's Sherri Coale Tournament Coverage (Click on Link) * NCAA Championship: Connecticut 82, Oklahoma 70 * * Connecticut 79, Tennessee 56 * Oklahoma 86, Duke 71 * * Connecticut Preview * Oklahoma Preview * * Duke Review * Tennessee Review * * Full Tournament Results, Photos * Husky Season in Photos * Connecticut 82, Oklahoma 70 It was an inside job for Swin Cash (20 points, 13 rebounds) and her front-line Connecticut teammates. (Allsport) Connecticut Coach Geno Auriemma is overcome by emotion after his third national title and second perfect season. (Allsport) Super soph Diana Taurasi hit some huge shots for UConn. (Allsport) UConn's Diana Taurasi and Asjha Jones (15) snuff Oklahoma's Caton Hill. (Allsport) Sue Bird didn't dominate, but had her moments for UConn. (Allsport) Stacey Dales put up a courageous battle, scoring 18 points before fouling out. (Allsport) Oklahoma's young coach, Sherri Coale, resurrected the Sooner program. (Eric Gay, AP) Caton Hill, left, and Stacey Dales watch Oklahoma's season slip away. (Eric Gay, AP) Oklahoma's LaNeishea Caufield passes over the defense of Sue Bird. (Allsport) Back to Top Connecticut 79, Tennessee 56 Sue Bird's 18 points, including four three-pointers, five assists and four steals led UConn's national semifinal victory over Tennessee. (Eric Gay, AP) Bird's backcourt mate, Diana Taurasi, burned the Lady Vols for 17 points and 10 boards. (Deborah Cannon, AP) The UConn defense was swarming. (Allsport) Like her team's, Swin Cash's form was perfect. (Allsport) Sue Bird holds off Tennessee's Gwen Jackson. (Eric Gay, AP) Pat Summit had a long night, but a young team. (Eric Gay, AP) Back to Top Oklahoma 86, Duke 71 Oklahoma's Rosalind Ross (33), who scored 26 points, joins teammates Caton Hill (10) and LaNeishea Caufield (35) as they celebrate their win over Duke. (Eric Gay, AP) The Sooners' Caton Hill (No. 10) takes on Duke's Iciss Tillis (33) and Alana Beard (20). (Allsport) Oklahoma's bench erupts as victory nears. (Allsport) LaNeishea Caufield launches over the Duke defense. (Allsport) Oklahoma's LaNeishea Caufield (20) welcomes Caton Hill (10) back to the sidelines. (Deborah Cannon, AP) Monique Currie (25) of Duke tries to pass the ball as Stacey Dales (21) and Dionnah Jackson (35) of Oklahoma defend. (Allsport) Alana Beard, center, dives for the ball between Oklahoma's Caton Hill, left, and Stacey Dales. (Deborah Cannon, AP) Back to Top Connecticut Huskies Record: 37 - 0. Seed: No. 1, Mideast. Coach: Geno Auriemma. Diana Taurasi combines with Sue Bird to form maybe the best college backcourt ever. (Jeffrey Phelps, AP) Road to the National Championship Game 1st Round: Connecticut 86, St. Francis (Pa) 37 2nd Round: Connecticut 86, Iowa 48 Sweet 16: Connecticut 82, Penn State 64 Elite Eight: Connecticut 85, Old Dominion 64 National Semifinal: Connecticut 79, Tennessee 56 KEY PLAYERS: The Husky seniors - Sue Bird, Swin Cash, Asjha Jones and Tamika Williams - have one national championship, two Final Four appearances, four Big East championships, a 130-9 record and each have scored 1,000 points during their careers. Bird, the national player of the year, is rolling in the tournament, hitting Penn State and Old Dominion with 24 and 26 points, and tossed in 11 assists against ODU, then dismantling Tennessee with 18 points, including four threes. She and Diana Taurasi are the best backcourt in the country. TEAM OUTLOOK: Statistically and stylistically, UConn is the best offensive and defensive team in the country, and are an uncommonly unselfish team, having set the NCAA record for assists in a season. The Huskies look to push the ball and have lethal inside-outside combinations to choose from in halfcourt settings. Their only potential liability is going only seven or eight deep, but depth usually is a problem in championship settings due to foul trouble. Bird and Taurasi can surgically remove a victory from an opponent and the Huskies are relentless on the boards. Back to Top Oklahoma Sooners Record: 31 - 3. Seed: No. 1, West. Coach: Sherri Coale. Stacey Dales, left, was Big 12 player of the year. (David J. Phillip, AP) Road to National Championship Game 1st Round: Oklahoma 84, Hartford 52 2nd Round: Oklahoma 66, Villanova 63 Sweet 16: Oklahoma 72, Texas Tech 62 Elite Eight: Oklahoma 94, Colorado 60 National Semifinal: Oklahoma 86, Duke 71 KEY PLAYERS: All-American Stacey Dales, who plays for the Canadian National Team, is one of the nation's premier guards and all-around performer, averaging 16.9 points, five assists, five rebounds and two steals. She has size, great vision, is a crafy passer and fiery competitor. LaNeishea Caufield is a perfect complement who averages 17.6 points, five rebounds and nearly three steals. Caton Hill is the leading rebounder, big-shot artist and a three-point threat, as is Rosalind Ross, who put Duke on ice with a career-high 26 points and 10 rebounds. TEAM OUTLOOK: Dales and Caufield accounted for 45 percent of the Sooners' points during the regular season, but Ross had the game of her career in the national semifinals and Hill has been the team's leading scorer in two tournament. The Sooners have great experience, starting four seniors, and are battle tested, having gone 15-3 against ranked teams this season and winning eight straight against Top 25 teams. What they don't have is size, but they overcome it with defense, an uptempo attack and great three-point threats. Back to Top Tennessee Lady Vols Record: 29 - 4. Seed: No. 2, Midwest. Coach: Pat Summit. Pat Summit led the Vols to at least 20 wins for the 26th time. (Charlie Neibergall, AP) Road to the Final Four 1st Round: Tennessee 98, Georgia State 68 2nd Round: Tennessee 89, Notre Dame 50 Sweet 16: Tennessee 68, BYU 58 Elite Eight: Tennessee 68, Vanderbilt 63 NATIONAL SEMIFINAL: Huskies 79, Lady Vols 56 KEY PLAYERS: Summit used 14 different lineups in a challenging season, but Kara Lawson was a constant. Lawson averaged 16 points and five rebounds, joining Tamika Catchings, Chamique Holdsclaw and Bridgette Gordon as the only Tennessee players to accomplish the feat. The Vols have plenty of inside punch, starting with 6-5 Michelle Snow and 6-5 Ashley Robinson. TEAM OUTLOOK: After an uneven season, this has become a typical Summit team, one that deliberately looks to pound the ball inside, really gets after the boards, and plays great defense, especially in the interior. It is a team that goes deeper than most, but a lot of that depth is young. Lawson seems to be a given, but the Lady Vols need the kind of dominating performances from Gwen Jackson that she delivered against Georgia State and Vandy. Back to Top Duke Blue Devils Record: 31 - 3. Seed: No. 1, East. Coach: Gail Goestenkors. Alana Beard, left, and Iciss Tillis, left, are Duke's dynamic duo. (Chuck Burton, AP) Road to the Final Four 1st Round: Duke 95, Norfolk State 48 2nd Round: Duke 76, TCU 66 Sweet 16: Duke 62, Texas 46 Elite Eight: Duke 77, South Carolina 68 NATIONAL SEMIFINAL: Sooners 86, Blue Devils 71 KEY PLAYERS: Dubbed "the female Michael Jordan," Alana Beard doesn't put on the aerial show that MJ used to, but has a similarly all-around game. The sophomore has scored at least 20 points in six straight and averages about five assists, six rebounds and three steals. Another super soph, Iciss Tillis, is the leading rebounder but can also drill the three. TEAM OUTLOOK: The Blue Devils usually start three sophomores, a junior and a freshman, so they're young. They also have only eight players on their entire roster. Still, Duke went unbeaten in the ACC and has been the most relentless and exciting team in the tournament, outside of Connecticut. They will pressure and look to score off turnovers, battle you inside, look to hoist the three (at least one in 145 straight games) or attack the rim. Instead of a liability, their youth so far has stamped them with a can-do attitude. Back to Top Copyright © Scout.com and Scout.com