The Huskies (39-0) completed only the second perfect season in school history and won their second national title in three years. The Huskies went 35-0 and won the program's first national championship in 1995.

UConn's 39 victories ties the 1998 Tennessee team for most wins in a season.

"It was without question the most difficult game that we have had to play," coach Geno Auriemma said. "Oklahoma was unbelievably good. ... I'm so proud of my team right now."

What Oklahoma needed most, it didn't get: its best performance of the season. And despite that, the Sooners were within six with 2:19 remaining in the game.

Its big three of senior guards Stacey Dales and LaNeisha Caufield, and junior forward Caton Hill entered the game combining for 60.2 percent of the offense, but they struggled early.

Dales fouled out with 1:31 remaining with 18 points and three rebounds.

What Connecticut needed, it got: a standout effort in transition, dominating defense, particularly on the boards, and double-figure scoring from its five starters.

Auriemma said it wasn't his team's best effort of the season, but it was enough.

The Huskies led 42-30 at halftime, shooting 60 percent from the field, while holding the Sooners to 37.1 percent and just 2-of-9 from 3-point range.

UConn led 33-24 with under four minutes remaining in the first half before a 6-1 Oklahoma run pulled the Sooners within four with 2:28 remaining.

But UConn's mainstay all season has been its ability to make runs that opponents can't stop. Sudden, stifling runs that make other teams seem like they aren't even playing.

The Huskies had one of those runs at the end of the first half.

Leading 34-30, UConn went on an 8-0 run in the final two minutes, including back-to-back baskets off turnovers, to earn its 12-point halftime lead.

"If we had hit a few more shots in that stretch ... I think that might have been the difference in the game," Oklahoma coach Sherri Coale said. "We might have had them on the ropes, in a position they weren't used to."

UConn took a 12-4 lead by dominating the boards early, scoring eight of its first 12 points via offensive rebounds. Oklahoma was outrebounded 23-11 in the first half, including 18-7 on the defensive end.

In the first five minutes of the game, the Huskies shot 55 percent, while Oklahoma hit 1-of-5 (20 percent) from the field.

The Huskies' interior defense forced Oklahoma into poor outside shooting and errant passes that led to seven first-half turnovers and 12 points for the Huskies.

Between them, the Sooners and Huskies were widely considered to have the best backcourts in the nation with Dales and Caufield and UConnn's Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi. Auriemma said before the game that if both tandems brought their best, it would be a phenomenal game for fans to watch.

It didn't quite play out that way. Dales and Caufield combined for 14 points in the first half. Dales was 3-for-9 from the field, Caufield 3-for-8 in the first 20 minutes. They recovered to combine for 32 points in the game.

Bird and Taurasi combined for 10 first-half points and six assists, but on a team with five All-Americans, that was more than enough.

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