Connecticut Pours It On to Reach Final

Second-ranked Connecticut was off to a quick start against eighth-ranked Rutgers in a Big East semifinal game Monday night when a major winter storm nearly gummed up the works.

Play was delayed 90 minutes to repair Gampel Pavilion’s roof after it sprung a leak with 3:13 to play in the first half with Connecticut leading by 19 points.

But the Huskies didn’t miss a beat when they returned and posted a 94-66 victory to advance to their eighth consecutive Big East tournament title game.

The top spot in the nation is at stake when Connecticut (27-2) takes on top-ranked Notre Dame (28-1) in tonight’s final at Storrs, Conn.

Notre Dame advanced with a 67-49 victory over Virginia Tech (21-8) in the opener, getting 14 points each from Alicia Ratay and Kelly Siemon.

Swin Cash led Connecticut with 20 points and Diana Taurasi, a freshman from Chino Don Lugo High, scored 17.

“I told the players that’s probably the best we’ve played the whole 40 minutes in a long time,” Connecticut Coach Geno Auriemma said.

Actually, the entire game took more than three hours. The Huskies watched the movie “The Kings of Comedy” in the interim and planned to spend the night in Gampel Pavilion because of the storm.

“It gave us something to do,” said Shea Ralph, who had a team-high seven rebounds. “We were laughing and staying awake. Our spirit was high in the locker room and it was our job to make it stay that way.”

Tasha Pointer led Rutgers (22-7) with 18 points.

The final is the second meeting this season between Connecticut and Notre Dame. The Irish defeated the Huskies, 92-76, at South Bend, Ind., on Jan. 15.

Notre Dame, which regained the No. 1 ranking Monday, advanced to its fourth championship game since joining the conference six years ago. The Irish have lost all three finals to Connecticut.

About 5,000 fans braved the elements, despite an earlier plea from Gov. John G. Rowland to stay off the roads.

OTHER TOURNAMENTS

Atlantic Coast--Freshman Alana Beard scored 18 points to lead fourth-ranked Duke (28-3) to its second consecutive ACC tournament title with a 57-45 victory over No. 21 North Carolina (20-10) at Greensboro, N.C.

Atlantic 10--Reetta Piipari made six three-point shots and scored 20 points to lead No. 12 Xavier (28-2) to an 81-56 victory over George Washington (22-9) at Philadelphia in a rematch of last year’s tournament final, also won by Xavier.

Conference USA--Sarah Goree scored 18 points and Tulane (22-9) used a 13-0 run in the final minutes of a 63-50 victory over Cincinnati (22-9) at Milwaukee that gave the Green Wave its third consecutive conference tournament title.

Sun Belt--Ayana Walker scored 17 points to lead six players in double figures as sixth-ranked Louisiana Tech (25-4) rolled to a 74-57 victory over North Texas (19-10) in the conference tournament semifinals at Mobile, Ala.

The Lady Techsters have won 15 consecutive games and 20 of 21, and will chase their sixth consecutive Sun Belt title tonight against Denver, a 78-67 winner over Florida International.

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USC announced that it has signed Coach Chris Gobrecht to a new five-year contract through the 2005-06 season.

Gobrecht’s new agreement replaces one that was set to expire after next season. Financial terms weren’t disclosed.

USC is 11-15 this season, 6-10 in the Pacific 10 Conference.

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NCAA Women Qualifiers

Schools that have gained NCAA women’s tournament automatic bids by virtue of conference tournament championships, with exception of the Ivy League and Pacific 10--the only conferences that don’t conduct tournaments:

School: Conference

Austin Peay: Ohio Valley

Chattanooga: Southern

Duke: Atlantic Coast

Georgia: Southeastern

Iowa: Big Ten

Liberty: Big South

Long Island: Northeast

Pennsylvania: Ivy League

St. Mary’s: West Coast

Siena: Metro Atlantic Athletic

Tulane: Conference USA

Xavier: Atlantic 10