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 made a tiebreaking three-pointer with less than three minutes left to propel top-seeded UConn past the second-seeded Scarlet Knights 66-56 Tuesday night in the Greensboro Regional championship game.

Renee Montgomery and Ketia Swanier each scored 15 points to lead the Huskies (36-1), who rallied from a 14-point deficit to win their 15th consecutive game and reach their ninth Final Four — but first since winning the 2004 national championship.

"I would say maybe it's our turn," UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. "Also, I think the price some of these kids have paid, the last four years and this year in particular, they were destined and due. They've risen to every challenge they've faced, and I couldn't be prouder."

All-American Moore finished with seven points — her second single-digit performance of the season — but her final basket couldn't have come at a better time. With the score tied at 49, she took a feed at the top of the key and, with Essence Carson — a two-time Big East defensive player of the year — sagging off her, pulled up and swished a three to put UConn ahead to stay.

The Huskies were perfect on 14 free throws in the final two-plus minutes to snap their absence from appearing on the biggest stage in the women's game.

"When you think about, what's a Final Four mean to me?" Auriemma said. "I don't care if I never go to another one. But for these kids to get to their first, that's what coaching is all about."

Connecticut will face Stanford in a national-semifinal game Sunday in Tampa, Fla. The Huskies beat the Cardinal 66-54 in the Paradise Jam tournament in the Virgin Islands in November.

Matee Ajavon scored 18 points on 8-of-23 shooting to lead Rutgers (27-7), the defending Greensboro Regional champion.

Carson finished with 12 points and 12 rebounds but was held scoreless in the second half, and Kia Vaughn added 11 points for the Scarlet Knights, who gave UConn its only loss of the season two months ago — before the Huskies beat them by 20 points in the regular-season finale.

Moore had trouble getting touches while being swarmed by defenders Brittany Ray and Heather Zurich and managed seven shots, making three.

Montgomery, who scored at least 20 points in each of the teams' two previous meetings, was 4 of 14 from the field, including 1 of 9 on threes. But twice in the second half she knocked down tying jumpers, including one with 7 ½ minutes left that was part of a 15-5 run that gave UConn its first lead.

Kaili McLaren, whose layup less than a minute later put the Huskies ahead for the first time, finished with 10 points, and Tina Charles added 12 rebounds.

Rutgers raced to a 25-11 lead after a 17-5 run, and the Scarlet Knights largely did it with their trademark tough defense: They held the Huskies to two baskets during an eight-minute stretch, and during that span they forced UConn into 2-of-9 shooting and generated six turnovers with their half-court trap.

Note

• Moore is the second freshman to make The Associated Press women's All-America team; the only other is Oklahoma's Courtney Paris, who is on the team for the third consecutive season.

Joining Moore and Paris on the squad are Candace Parker of Tennessee, Sylvia Fowles of Louisiana State and Candice Wiggins of Stanford.