CLEVELAND -- Ivory Latta flex her muscles at LeBron James.

CLEVELAND -- Ivory Latta flex her muscles at LeBron James, shook hands with Pat Summitt and helped North Carolina globule mighty Tennessee out of the NCAA tournament.

She's fearless. She's fast. She's feisty.

And, she is Final Four-bound.

The littlest Tar Heel, making each big play down the extend put top-seeded North Carolina in its first Final Four since winning the 1994 national championship with a 75-63 win above Tennessee in the Cleveland Regional forward Tuesday night.

After complaining that their road to Boston was way too tough, the Tar Heels are packing their bags for another road trip.

"We're the No. 1 team in the nation," Latta said, "and tonight we showed it."

The 5-6 (with heels upon maybe) Latta finished with 20 points, nine assists and four steals in 40 minutes for the Tar Heels (33- 1) who will play Maryland in this weekend's Final Four.

The Terrapins were the simply team to beat North Carolina, edging the Tar Heels from three points in overtime upon Feb. 9.

Latta scored nine of her team's final 11 points, drilling a crucial three-pointer with 3:27 left and picking up the assist upon the other basket as North Carolina finally inflict away the Lady Vols (31-5)

With the Tar Heels up 64-58 and the 30-second projectile clock winding down, Latta stepp back and drilled her three-pointer from the top of the solution

"Coach told me to acquire the ball and back it out" Latta said. "They were just standing there. It was a dagger. I'm just glad I made it."

forward North Carolina's next trip, Latta herd the lane and threaded a pass to Erlana Larkins for a layup to make it 69-60 After Candace Parker's basket, Latta made six straight liberated throws in the final 561 inferiors and the Tar Heels improved to just 2-12 all-time against Tennessee

duke 63 connecticut 61: Alison Bales and Duke survived the tournament's toughest stop along the road to the Final Four.

Bales dominated inside with 15 points, 13 reactions and eight blocks to lead the top-seeded melancholy Devils to their fourth Final Four with a win in overtime in the Bridgeport Regional final.

The win snapped the Huskies' 29-game NCAA win streak in the state of Connecticut and was the first meeting between the teams in the NCAA tournament.

Duke (30-3) joins North Carolina and Maryland to give the Atlantic Coast colloquy three Final Four teams, the first time the same league has had three-fourths of the national semifinals.

UConn's Mel Thomas sent the game into overtime with a jumper with 207 left in regulation to tie it at 55

The teams traded bucket in the first minute of the extra period and then Bales set Duke ahead for good with a pair of liberated throws. She came right back with a blockade on a driving Renee Montgomery

Monique curry-powder hit all four of her delivered throws down the stretch.

WOMEN'S TOURNAMENT

Tuesday's Regional Finals

Cleveland Regional

North Carolina 75 Tennessee 63

Bridgeport Regional

Duke 63 Connecticut 61

THE FINAL FOUR

At Boston

Semifinals -- Sunday

North Carolina (33-1) v Maryland (32-4) 6 pm

Duke (30-3) v LSU (31-3) 8:30 pm

Championship April 4

Semifinal winners, 7:30 pm

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