COLLEGE BASKETBALL / NCAA POSTSEASON TOURNAMENTS : USC Moves One Game Closer to the Final Four : Women: Trojans quell second-half run, pull away to 85-66 victory over Virginia.

The USC women’s basketball team squandered a 15-point halftime lead but got it all back and then some in an 85-66 victory over Virginia on Thursday night in the NCAA Mideast Regional semifinals.

The Trojans, one victory away from the Final Four next week in Richmond, Va., advanced to the Mideast championship game Saturday night against Louisiana Tech, an upset winner over No. 1-ranked Tennessee, 71-68, Thursday.

Cheryl Miller’s team, winning its sixth in a row and raising its record to 26-3, let Virginia (27-5) back in the game during the first eight minutes of the second half Thursday, but then 6-5 Lisa Leslie and point guard Nicky McCrimmon went to work inside and at the foul line.

Before 3,857 at 19,200-seat Bud Walton Arena, Leslie was in customary early foul trouble and wound up playing only 33 minutes, but that was enough against the Cavaliers, regular-season Atlantic Coast Conference champions and runners-up in the ACC postseason tournament.

Trailing 45-30 at halftime, Virginia went on a 17-2 run to start the second half, tying the score at 47-47 with 13:50 left.

But at that point, McCrimmon, the senior from New York, took over. She scored on a drive to put the Trojans ahead again--and for good--and then made a baseline jumper.

And just as Leslie picked up her third foul, Karleen Shields stepped up to sink two baskets and Leslie scored on a drive for a 57-48 lead. Virginia never really challenged after that.

Leslie finished the game with four fouls--as did freshman forward Tina Thompson. Thompson and Leslie each had 18 points and Leslie had 16 rebounds, Thompson 10.

USC made 15 of 22 free throws.

“We dug ourselves a big hole, and then Leslie and Thompson totally dominated the boards,” Virginia Coach Debbie Ryan said afterward. “SC is extremely talented and well-coached. They hit some unbelievable shots on us.”

Miller, who had been unhappy with her team over the last two weeks, seemed pleased.

“We played very aggressively at the beginning, got our transition game going . . . and then got a little passive in the post when we let Virginia come back,” she said.

McCrimmon, who came to USC as a junior college transfer last year, had one of her best games. She scored 12 points, had five assists, two blocks and two steals. But she finished the game with an icepack on her mouth.

With 50 seconds left, she was accidentally kicked in the teeth by Virginia’s Tora Suber, and fell, semiconscious, to the floor.

Louisiana Tech 71, Tennessee 68--The upset was sweet revenge for Coach Leon Barmore, who watched the Lady Vols trounce his team in Knoxville on Dec. 22, 94-60.

Since then, his team won 23 in a row. During most of that streak, Tennessee (31-2) has been ranked No. 1, Louisiana Tech in the second 10.