Tennessee Rallies Into Final Four

At halftime, Tennessee Coach Pat Summitt told her players how wonderful the Final Four was going to be and how much she wanted them to be part of it.

Then the Lady Vols made sure they got there, rallying from a 27-14 halftime deficit Monday to defeat Virginia, 52-46, in the East Regional final at Charlottesville, Va.

“Pat told us ‘We’re going to win. We’re going to win,’ ” point guard Michelle Marciniak said after the Lady Vols earned their ninth Final Four berth. “We’ve been listening to her all year, and we weren’t going to stop now.”

Held to 19% shooting and 14 points in the first half, Tennessee (30-4) limited Virginia (26-7) to 21% shooting and 19 points in the second half.

MIDEAST REGIONAL

Defending national champion Connecticut earned a repeat trip to the Final Four with a 67-57 victory over Vanderbilt at Rosemont, Ill.

The second-ranked Huskies (34-3) got big games from Jamelle Elliott, Nykesha Sales and All-American Kara Wolters. The victory set up a semifinal meeting with Tennessee, a rematch of last year’s championship game.

Wolters led Connecticut with 17 points, while Elliott and Sales each scored 16. Connecticut is trying to become the second team in 15 years of NCAA women’s play to win consecutive national titles. USC did it in 1983 and 1984.

MIDWEST REGIONAL

Saudia Roundtree scored a career-high 37 points and led a second-half surge that carried Georgia to a 90-76 victory over Louisiana Tech at Nogodoches, Tex., and a spot in the women’s Final Four.

“We were playing against a team that I really thought was the No. 1 team in the country,” Georgia Coach Andy Landers said. “Louisiana Tech is a very good basketball team. I can’t help but feel for them. I’ve been there.”

The Lady Bulldogs (27-4) overcame an 11-point deficit in the second half. Top-seeded Louisiana Tech (31-2) had won 15 in a row.

“I don’t believe in giving up and our basketball team doesn’t believe in giving up,” Roundtree said. “When I had the ball I just kept pushing and pushing it up the court.”