March 4, 2002
Box Score
By TOM CANAVAN
AP Sports Writer
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - After going undefeated for 31 games, No. l Connecticut did something scary. It got better.
The Huskies scored the first 19 points and hit 14 of their first 16 shots in blowing out Villanova 83-39 on Monday night in the biggest semifinal victory in the history of the Big East Conference women's tournament.
Diana Taurasi had 23 points and almost single-handedly outscored Villanova (19-10) in the first half in moving the Huskies within a win of earning their ninth straight conference tournament title.
Swin Cash added 13 points and Ashja Jones added 10 points as Connecticut won its 26th straight conference tournament game. The Huskies shot 59 percent from the field.
Trish Juhline had 14 points to lead Villanova, which was limited to 28 percent shooting (14-of-50).
Connecticut will face the winner of Monday night's other semifinal at Rutgers between No. 18 Boston College and Syracuse.
Whoever wins will face a formidable task if the Huskies play like they did in beating Villanova for the 17th straight time.
A day after showing some tournament jitters in beating Seton Hall on Sunday, Connecticut was in complete control, taking leads of 19-0, 24-2 and 31-5 against a team that is very likely to get an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament.
Villanova coach Harry Perretta, who has been battling a sinus infection and flu-like symptoms, should have known he was in for a long day when Cash missed the Huskies' first shot and got the rebound.
It was all downhill for the Wildcats after that.
Tamika Williams drove the lane for a basket and then scored on a layup on a nice pass from Jones, starting a string of 11 consecutive shots made. Taurasi made four in the run, Cash had three and Jones two.
The only mistake was a turnover by Taurasi, who finished the half with 16 points, one less than Villanova.
The Wildcats, who fell behind 19-0 on a jumper by Taurasi with 13:59 to play, finally got on the scoreboard when Katie Davis hit a baseline jumper with 13:39 left in the half.
Jones hit a 10-foot jumper and Cash converted a three-point play, ending the run of 11 shots and giving the Huskies a 24-2 lead 7:38 after the opening tip.
A 3-pointer by Juhline gave Villanova five points for the game, but Maria Conlon answered with a 3-pointer for Connecticut and Taurasi hit a jumper and a layup for a 31-5 lead.
The only thing that would have made the night easier for Villanova was a mercy rule.
Connecticut pushed its lead to 32 at the half, at 49-17, and the final margin was its largest lead.
The statistics bore out Connecticut's first-half brilliance. It hit 20 of 30 shots, getting assists on 16 baskets. It was 3-of-4 from 3-point range, made all six free throws and outscored the Wildcats 24-4 in the paint.
Defensively, the Huskies limited Villanova to 7-of-22 shooting, including 2-of-9 from 3-point range. The Wildcats had five first-half rebounds, the same as Cash.
The old tournament record for largest semifinal win was 83-43 by Notre Dame over Georgetown in 1997.
