Dallas — The film of last season's game between UConn and Mississippi State in the NCAA regional semifinals has earned a great deal of mileage over the past year. Both teams have watched the Huskies' 98-38 victory for various reasons, with the common theme being that both teams are completely different at this point.

All-Americans Moriah Jefferson, Breanna Stewart and Morgan Tuck are no longer wearing a UConn uniform. Senior Saniya Chong, juniors Gabby Williams and Kia Nurse and sophomores Napheesa Collier and Katie Lou Samuelson have since assumed significant roles for the Huskies. And Mississippi State returns its top eight players.

UConn coach Geno Auriemma watched the film one final time Thursday morning. He then again reminded his players that last season has no bearing on Friday's crucial rematch in the national semifinals at American Airlines Center (10 p.m., ESPN2).

"There's nobody on this team right now that had anything other than 'I was at that game' to do with that score," Auriemma said. "This is not the same Mississippi State team we played. And we're not the same team by any stretch of the imagination. If those three seniors were here I would have a tough time convincing them. But it won't be tough with this team."

The Huskies, who have won 111 straight games, are appearing in their 10th straight Final Four and 18th overall.

South Carolina (31-4) and Stanford (32-5) will meet in the first game at 7:30 p.m.

"Everyone knows why we're here," Williams said. "But we're really locked in on Mississippi State right now and we know how tough of a team they're going to be."

UConn (36-0) scored the first 13 points and led 32-4 at the end of the first quarter and 61-12 at halftime in Bridgeport last March. It was the largest margin of victory in the Sweet 16.

The loss is something that the Bulldogs (33-4) have not forgotten. It is one that has served as motivation during their run to their first Final Four.

"Coming back to school from the tournament last year, honestly, I didn't even want to go to class the next day," Victoria Vivians said. "Just going back to work out again, we walked in the weight room and there was a big 60 on the glass. Just seeing it or hearing about it all the time has been a reminder for us, 'Don't let it happen again.'''

Not only are the Bulldogs a different team right now, they have made a significant jump offensively during the NCAA tournament.

Mississippi State is averaging 92.8 points through the first four games, an increase of 18.0 over the first 33 games this season. Vivians (15.5), Blair Schaefer (13.5), Teaira McGowan (13.3) and Morgan William (13.0) are each averaging in double figures.

Schaefer's scoring is up 9.4. McGowan is up 5.1 and William is up 2.4, but she scored a team single-game NCAA record 41 points in a 94-85 win over Baylor in overtime in the Oklahoma City regional final.

"I think a big thing that went into the change is the two-week break we had coming out of SEC play,'' guard Dominique Dillingham said. "We just worked a lot on our offense, executing offensively, setting better screens, coming off those screens better.''

Looking to feed the hot hand, coach Vic Schaefer altered the starting lineup at the outset of the tournament. This move included sitting Vivians, a junior guard, for the first three games of her career over the first three rounds. He also benched Dillingham, Chinwe Okorie and Breanna Richardson in wins over Troy, DePaul and Washington.

Schaefer returned all four players to the lineup against Baylor.

"I think Vic should have been Coach of the Year,'' Auriemma said. "He did some things that were a little bit different than they did last season, and it showed in their play. They're an unbelievably good team.''

Similar to Mississippi State, UConn also has something to prove tonight. Stewart (22), Tuck (19) and Jefferson (7) combined for 48 points last season, including 30 of the team's 32 in the first quarter.

"We definitely do because throughout the whole year we've been trying to prove everybody wrong and I think that so far that's what we've been doing,'' Chong said.

Both teams are different. Both teams know what is at stake. UConn is chasing perfection. Mississippi State is looking to prove exactly how much it has changed in one year.

"We know what's in front of us,'' Schaefer said. "We've had to deal with it before. Obviously, we dealt with it last year and it wasn't a real good experience. But I think we've grown from that day. We've learned from it.''

NCAA TOURNAMENT / NATIONAL SEMIFINALS

UConn vs. Mississippi State

Location: American Airlines Center, Dallas

Tip: 10 p.m. (ESPN2).

Records: Mississippi State 33-4 overall; UConn 36-0.

Last game: Mississippi State beat Baylor 94-85 (OT) in the Oklahoma City Regional final Sunday; UConn beat Oregon 90-52 in the Bridgeport Regional final Monday.

Probable starters: Mississippi State, 5-5 Jr. G Morgan William (10.9 ppg, 4.6 apg), 6-1 Jr. G Victoria Vivians (16.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg), 6-7 So. Teaira McCowan (8.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg), 6-1 Sr. F Breanna Richardson (7.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg), 5-9 Sr. G Dominique Dillingham (6.7 ppg).

UConn, 5-8 Sr. G Saniya Chong (8.2 ppg), 6-0 Jr. G Kia Nurse (12.9 ppg), 6-3 So. G/F Katie Lou Samuelson (20.3 ppg), 5-11 Jr. F Gabby Williams (14.1 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 5.2 apg, 2.7 spg), 6-1 So. G/F Napheesa Collier (20.6 ppg, 9.1).

Noteworthy: Perhaps the talk of the NCAA tournament thus far was the 41-point performance by 5-foot-5 Mississippi State junior point guard Morgan William in the Bulldogs' regional final victory Sunday over Baylor, 94-85 in overtime. William, who averages just 10.9 points per game, finished with a career-high 41 points. Prior to that in the 2017 NCAA tournament she scored 6, 0 and 5 in three games. “It was certainly one of the more remarkable performances that I've seen in the NCAAs, especially by a kid that isn't necessarily used to those kind of performances,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “So for her to have the kind of game she had in the biggest spot she's ever been in, obviously her game is way bigger than her size. It was fearless. That's the best way I can describe it. She played the game fearlessly. I was riveted to the TV the entire game.” Mississippi State coach Vic Schaefer said obviously UConn is not going to let William play a game of H-O-R-S-E on Friday night and shoot at will, but believes the Bulldogs are well-rounded enough the Huskies will have to defend more than one player. “Obviously, she typically isn't someone we depend on to get 41,” Schaefer said. “But again, that's how unique and special our team is right now. You've got to prepare for a number of different weapons offensively that we have. … Morgan obviously had a great ballgame the other night. She obviously is an explosive guard.” … UConn also matched up with Mississippi State in last year's NCAA tournament, knocking the Bulldogs from the Sweet 16 in Bridgeport by a 98-38 margin. Said Schaefer of that game: “Listen, there's not a more humbling thing than getting beat by 60 … and knowing you're going to the WBCA convention the next week and they've asked you to speak about defense to your colleagues. I remember calling Danielle, the president of the WBCA and going, 'Danielle, it's coach Schaefer at Mississippi State. Are you sure you want me to give a presentation at the Final Four about defense?” … UConn's Kia Nurse is 20-for-26 from 3-point range since the start of the NCAA tournament, including nine in the Huskies' second-round game against Syracuse. The 20 3-pointers ties her for first in NCAA tournament history with Betsy Harris (Alabama, 1994), Diana Taurasi (UConn, 2003) and Maya Moore (UConn, 2010). … Get them early: UConn is 11-6 all-time in national semifinals, but has never lost a national championship game, going 11-0.

— Vickie Fulkerson