Storrs, Conn. ? Diana Taurasi scored a career-high 35 points, leading top-seeded Connecticut to an 81-66 victory Tuesday over stubborn Texas Christian.

The junior guard had 10 points in an 18-2 run to open the second half, erasing a two-point halftime deficit. UConn (33-1) has only trailed three times in the last 87 games and for most of the first half, the Huskies’ home winning streak of 62 games was in jeopardy.

UConn will play Big East rival Boston College in the East Regional semifinal Sunday in Dayton, Ohio.

Against the ninth-seeded Frogs (20-14), UConn ran into a team just as big and fast. Its problems started in the middle against center Sandora Irvin, who led TCU with 19 points and nine rebounds.

The school’s all-time leader in blocked shots, Irvin dominated inside, putting UConn defenders in foul trouble early. The 6-foot-4 sophomore got solid help on the perimeter as Tricia Payne hit a pair of threes and Tiffany Evans added another in the first three minutes of the game.

Taurasi brought the defending national champs back with consecutive threes to tie it at 8, but the Frogs’ hustle and size inside kept the Huskies on their heels, and they stretched the lead to seven twice in the half.

With Irvin out late in the half because of foul trouble, UConn found more success inside. The Huskies tied the game at 33 on a layup by Willnett Crockett with 24 seconds before halftime. That lasted just a few seconds as an inside bucket by Tiffany Evans put TCU up 35-33 at the half.

Taurasi took over in the second half as the Huskies went on their big run. TCU never recovered and trailed by as many as 19.

Ashley Battle finished with 16 points and a team-high 11 boards for UConn.

Mideast Regional

Penn State 77, South Carolina 67

Villanova's Trish Juhline, left, tries to slip past George Washington's Lindsey Davidson. Villanova won, 70-57, in a Mideast Regional game Tuesday night in Norman, Okla.

State College, Pa. — Kelly Mazzante scored 27 points, leading fourth-seeded Penn State over fifth-seeded South Carolina.

The Lions (26-8) advance to the round of 16 and face top-seeded Tennessee on its home court Saturday in Knoxville, Tenn.

South Carolina (23-8) could not handle Penn State’s pressure defense. Kelly Morrone hit a three-pointer to bring the Gamecocks to 46-35 with 12:15 left, but that’s as close as they would get until it was too late.

On the next possession, Mazzante scored off her own steal to start a 12-2 run. Tanisha Wright then stole the South Carolina inbounds pass, feeding Mazzante for another basket. Jessica Brungo’s layup made it 58-37 with 11:58 left.

Wright finished with 16 points, and Brungo had 10. Jess Strom had eight points and eight assists.

Villanova 70, George Washington 57

Norman, Okla. — Katie Davis scored 24 points and Trish Juhline had 14 of her 16 in the second half as Villanova beat George Washington. The second-seeded Wildcats (27-5) reached the round of 16 for the first time in seven NCAA Tournament appearances. They will play Colorado in the regional semifinals Saturday in Knoxville, Tenn.

Villanova, which averages nearly nine three-pointers per game, had a tough time getting good shots from the perimeter in the first half. Then the Wildcats missed their first four shots of the second half before getting six threes in a span of 41¼2 minutes to take control.

Midwest Regional

Duke 65, Utah 54

Raleigh, N.C. — Alana Beard scored a game-high 27 points as top-seeded Duke beat Utah.

Beard shot 10-for-12 against the nation’s top scoring defense, leading the Blue Devils (33-1) to the round of 16 for the sixth straight season. Duke will face No. 5 seed Georgia Saturday.

Iciss Tillis added 12 points and freshman Jessica Foley had 11 for Duke.

Kim Smith scored 20 points and went 4-for-9 from behind the three-point arc to lead the eighth-seeded Utes (24-7), who came into the game allowing just 50 points per game. Shona Thorburn added 12.

West Regional

Louisiana Tech 74, Ohio State 61

Ruston, La. — Cheryl Ford had 25 points and 15 rebounds as Louisiana Tech won its 29th straight game.

Fifth-seeded Tech (31-2) extended the longest winning streak in the nation and improved to 36-0 overall at home in NCAA Tournament games.