Published: April 06, 2009 12:24 am      

Connecticut, Louisville reach women’s final

ST. LOUIS — One more game, and Connecticut has the perfect finish.

All those others who would stand in their way? They’re not even close.

Renee Montgomery scored 26 points, Maya Moore added 24, and unbeaten UConn cruised to its first title game in five years with an 83-64 victory over Stanford on Sunday night.

The outcome never in doubt, Connecticut overwhelmed and dismantled Stanford, crushing the latest challenger to the Huskies’ bid for a third undefeated season and sixth national championship.

UConn (38-0) will face Louisville for the title Tuesday night, setting up the first all-Big East final in NCAA women’s basketball history.

Jayne Appel scored 26 points to lead Stanford (33-5), but she had little help.

In the first semifinal game, Angel McCoughtry and Louisville played the second half like they belonged in their first Final Four.

McCoughtry scored 14 of her 18 points in the second half and added 11 rebounds, helping Louisville crawl out of an early hole to beat Oklahoma 61-59 in the national semifinals Sunday night and end Courtney Paris’ stellar career.

Oklahoma’s Nyeshia Stevenson had a good look on a 3-point attempt in the final seconds that rattled out.

Paris promised to pay back the cost of her four-year scholarship if the Sooners failed to win the title. She had 14 points and 16 rebounds, and left the court in tears after exchanging hugs with McCoughtry and huddling with her team for a final time.