Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, April 3, 1995 TAG: 9504040052
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: MINNEAPOLIS LENGTH: Long
With its final victory in a magical season, Connecticut achieved something rare in NCAA Division I women's basketball - perfection.
Top-ranked UConn erased any doubts it had fattened up on a weak regular-season schedule by winning the national championship and doing it against the team that has won more women's titles than any other.
The Huskies capped an unbeaten season by defeating three-time champion Tennessee 70-64 on Sunday to claim their first national title. The victory puts UConn (35-0) alongside Texas as the only undefeated teams in 14 years of NCAA Division I women's play. Texas won the 1986 crown with a 34-0 record.
``This is just a picture-perfect way for someone to end their career,'' said UConn senior Rebecca Lobo, voted the outstanding player in the Final Four. ``We're undefeated, we're national champions and I did it with the people I love.''
The Huskies pulled it off despite the foul problems of their leading scorers Lobo, Kara Wolters and Jennifer Rizzotti and despite trailing by nine points early in the second half.
Lobo's strong second half was a key after she played only eight minutes in the first half. So was UConn's second-half defense, which limited third-ranked Tennessee to three field goals in the final 10 minutes. And so was Rizzotti's spectacular layup with just under two minutes left.
The Vols (34-3) scored only three meaningless points after taking a 61-59 lead on Tiffani Johnson's three-point play with 4:09 left.
``My players were really given the opportunity to show what kind of character they had,'' said UConn coach Geno Auriemma, who took a congratulatory call from President Clinton. ``It would have been very easy for us to fold and feel sorry for ourselves and we never did that.
``And I hope this puts what we've done in perspective this year, and I hope that everybody gives these kids the credit and the recognition that they deserve. It couldn't happen to a nicer group of kids.''
The loss ended a season that began with immense promise for Tennessee, which was ranked No.1 until losing to UConn 77-66 in mid-January. But the Vols couldn't take control when Lobo was on the bench in the first half and couldn't make the key shots down the stretch.
Tennessee likes to get the ball inside, but UConn prevented that from happening, forcing the Vols to shoot from the perimeter, where they aren't as comfortable.
``Their defense was great,'' said Tennessee center Dana Johnson, who was held to nine points. ``They packed it in inside and we couldn't get anything inside. Then we tried to go outside, but couldn't hit the jumpers.''
Lobo, the national player of the year, led UConn with 17 points, 11 in the second half. Rizzotti also scored 11 second-half points to finish with 15. Jamelle Elliott scored 13 points and Wolters had 10.
Latina Davis had 11 points to lead Tennessee. All-American Nikki McCray, who left the game briefly after twisting her right knee early in the second half, was held to seven.
``In the second half, Connecticut controlled the boards, which takes away a good percentage of our offense off transition,'' said Pat Summitt, the Vols' coach. ``Unfortunately, what got us to this point, our defense and rebounding, could not get us to the level of a championship.''
UConn missed two chances to tie the score after Tiffani Johnson's three-point play, before Elliott scored on a double-pump layup with 2:20 left to make it 61-61.
Then, Rizzotti made one of the game's outstanding plays, taking a long rebound and heading for the Huskies' basket. Tennessee's Michelle Marciniak was waiting near the free-throw line, but Rizzotti faked right, then drove to her left around Marciniak and made a layup to give UConn a 63-61 lead with 1:53 to play.
``I didn't think she'd have the position to get an offensive foul on me, so I took it in,'' Rizzotti said. ``I just wanted to be aggressive with it. When we're aggressive, that's when our game is at its best.''
The Huskies then wrapped up the title at the free-throw line, Lobo making four and Rizzotti and Carla Berube sinking two each. After Berbue made her first shot with 9.9 seconds left, Summitt slammed her hand on the scorer's table and groaned, ``I really hate this.''
Moments later, the UConn players were hugging each other and crying at midcourt and Tennessee was walking dejectedly to its dressing room.
``We're a very close team. We've been through a lot together,'' Summitt said. ``Because of our senior class and its commitment to get to the Final Four and win the national championship, my heart goes out to this team.''
``It's really hard for me to express how I feel,'' said Auriemma, who was the top assistant at Virginia before becoming the Huskies' coach. ``To play that game the way it was played and to beat the team that I thought going into the game was as good a team as I've ever seen in college basketball, to win that game - it's the greatest feeling I've ever had.''
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
by CNB