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Site: First Union Center, Philadelphia

Tournament MVP: Shea Ralph, Connecticut

Coach Geno Auriemma enjoyed a sweet homecoming as his Huskies blew past the team that had handed them their only loss of the year. Auriemma, who grew up in the Philadelphia suburb of Norristown, watched his top-ranked club cap a tremendous 36-1 season by knocking off Tennessee for the national title. No team in the tournament came within 15 points of the Huskies. Ralph led UConn with 15 points, seven assists and six steals.

Leading Scorer: Oklahoma's LaNeisha Caufield averaged 23.7 points over three games.

They Said It: "Shea Ralph is the hustle player of the year on that team," Tennessee coach Pat Summitt said. "She gives them so much energy. She's a great leader by example."

Surprise: Connecticut's victory over Tennessee wasn't all that surprising, but the ease with which the Huskies did it was. The Lady Vols connected on just five-of-27 first-half shots and hit only 31.4 percent for the game.

Interesting Fact: The event drew more reporters -- 669 -- than any previous women's Final Four. The crowd of 20,060 at the semifinals was the second-best for a national semifinal and the largest crowd ever to witness a college basketball game, men's or women's, in Pennsylvania.

Never Gets Old: Tennessee in the Final Four. This marked the Lady Vols' 12th Final Four appearance under Summitt. With nearly all its starters set to return, championship expectations would remain high.

SI's Take: "It wasn't the game that had been expected from the two giants of women's basketball. As rivalries go, this one has earned a place among the classics, such as Duke vs. North Carolina and Ali vs. Frazier. It is, in the world of famous Philly cheesesteakeries, the equivalent of Geno's vs. Pat's."

Record-Setters: UConn's Kelly Schumacher, a 6-foot-5 junior center, set a championship game record with nine blocked shots against Tennessee.

All-Tournament Team: Shea Ralph, Connecticut; Sue Bird, Connecticut; Svetlana Abrosimova, Connecticut Asjha Jones; Connecticut; Tamika Catchings, Tennessee.