The Associated Press

HARTFORD, Conn. - All season, Diana Taurasi has done her best to get everyone involved for Connecticut. Now it's time for her to take over.

So even if two more assists will make Taurasi the career leader for UConn, the two-time Naismith Award winner probably won't be passing up too many open shots.

And that's just fine with Geno Auriemma, the coach of the NCAA champions the last two years.

"She understands that it's winning time now, and I think she understands it better than anybody," Auriemma said. "The kids recognize she has her game face on. Hopefully, they can feed off that."

The second-seeded Huskies are two victories from becoming the first team to reach five straight women's Final Fours.

They play UC Santa Barbara - at No. 11, the lowest-seeded team left in the field - today in the East Regional in Hartford. The other regional semifinal is top-seeded Penn State against No. 5 Notre Dame.

"Right now, everyone is willing to give themselves up for the good of the team," Taurasi said. "Sometimes it takes five months to get people to do that, like it did last year."

She certainly did that a year ago in the NCAAs. Taurasi averaged a tournament-high 26.2 points, along with 5.7 rebounds and three assists.

This season, Taurasi leads Connecticut in scoring (15.6) and assists (5.1).

With 158 assists, the 6-foot guard lifted her career total to 636.

Taurasi's teammates know what to expect from her now: If Taurasi has the ball, be ready for it. A pass could whiz through waves of defenders and find a teammate on the wing, or a court-length heave could loft perfectly to a teammate streaking to the basket.

"Her passing ability and her court vision are unbelievable," guard Maria Conlon said.

Opponents know they have to find Taurasi and slow her if they want to beat the Huskies.

Against UC Santa Barbara, Taurasi can provide her team with more than passes and points. As a Californian, she's familiar with the opponent.

She's 18-1 over her career in the NCAA Tournament, the lone loss being in the 2001 national semifinals against eventual champion Notre Dame.

Taurasi averaged 17.5 points and eight assists in the Huskies' victories over Pennsylvania and Auburn in the first two rounds.

Four more outings like that might just give Connecticut - and Taurasi - another title.