Thanks to big games by Diana Taurasi and Tiffany Hayes, three of the four teams advancing to the WNBA conference finals feature former UConn stars.

Taurasi had 18 points, five rebounds, 10 assists and two steals as the Phoenix Mercury defeated the Los Angeles Sparks 78-77 in a wild winner take all game in the Western Conference semifinals while Hayes had nine of her 18 points in the fourth quarter including four straight free throws in the final 40 seconds as Atlanta defeated Washington 80-72 in game three of the Eastern Conference semifinal series.

With Charde Houston (one block in game 3) and Taurasi both on Phoenix and MVP runner-up Maya Moore on Minnesota, it is guaranteed that at least one former Husky will be in the WNBA championship series. It is the 11th straight season that at least one former UConn player will play in the WNBA finals.

Here is the breakdown
2012: Indiana def. Minnesota (Maya Moore)
2011: Minnesota (Maya Moore, Charde Houston) def. Atlanta
2010: Seattle (Sue Bird, Swin Cash, Svetlana Abrosimova) def. Atlanta
2009: Phoenix (Diana Taurasi, Ketia Swanier) def. Indiana (Jessica Moore)
2008: Detroit (Kelly Schumacher) def. SA
2007: Phoenix (Diana Taurasi, Kelly Schumacher) def. Detroit (Swin Cash)
2006: Detroit (Swin Cash) def. Sacramento
2005: Sacramento def. Connecticut (Nykesha Sales, Asjha Jones)
2004: Seattle (Bird) def. Connecticut (Nykesha Sales, Asjha Jones)
2003: Detroit (Swin Cash) def. LA
2000: Houston (Jen Rizzotti) def. NY
1999: Houston (Jen Rizzotti, Kara Wolters) def. New York (Rebecca Lobo-injured and did not play)
1997: Houston def. New York (Rebecca Lobo)