GREENSBORO, N.C. — Connecticut’s Maya Moore struggled to get open all night against Rutgers’ smothering defense. Then, given a rare open look from long range, the fabulous freshman shot the Huskies back into the Final Four.
Moore hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer with less than three minutes left to propel top-seeded UConn past the No. 2-seeded Scarlet Knights 66-56 on Tuesday night in the Greensboro Regional championship.
The Huskies (36-1) rallied from a 14-point deficit to reach their ninth Final Four — but first since winning the 2004 national championship.
Moore finished with seven points — just her second single-digit performance of the season — but her final basket couldn’t have come at a better time.
“I was being face-guarded all night, and I’ve never been face- guarded the whole night by such an athletic team,” she said.
With the game tied at 49-all, Moore took a feed at the top of the key and, with two-time Big East defensive player of the year Essence Carson sagging off of her, pulled up and swished a 3 to put UConn ahead to stay.
