COL BKW: Connecticut 70, Tennessee 61

NEW ORLEANS, April 7 (UPI) -- Diana Taurasi capped her collegiate career with a third straight championship as second-seeded Connecticut defeated top-seeded Tennessee, 70-61.

Taurasi scored 10 of her 17 points in the second half to help the Huskies (31-4) hold off a number of charges by the Lady Vols and improve to 5-0 in the championship game, including 4-0 against Tennessee.

After the Lady Vols (31-4) came from 17 points down in the first half to cut the score to 36-33 early in the second, Taurasi connected on a 3-point field goal with 4:08 expired to change the momentum. She added another 2:43 later to extend the lead for Connecticut to 48-38.

The Most Outstanding Player of the tournament, Taurasi shot 6-of-11 from the field with three 3-point baskets. In eight career meetings against Tennessee, she finished with a 21.6 average and a shooting percentage from 3-point range of 48.

The Huskies, who became just the second team to win three straight NCAA women's championships, have gone 7-1 in those games.

Connecticut's Geno Auriemma also became the third coach to win five NCAA Division I basketball championships, joining John Wooden of UCLA and the Lady Vols' Pat Summitt.