In Tampa, Fla., UConn’s Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd played pivotal roles in steering the Huskies to an 85-51 triumph over UCLA, securing their place in the national championship game of the women’s NCAA Tournament on Friday night. The dynamic duo shone brightly, with Strong contributing 22 points and Fudd delivering all 19 of her points in the first half. This win brings the Huskies within reach of their 12th national championship, which would be their first since their streak from 2013-2016, spearheaded by Breanna Stewart. This marked the end of an eight-year championship drought, the longest since the school’s first title in 1995.
Paige Bueckers, a key player, emphasized the team’s focus on upholding the UConn basketball tradition rather than dwelling on past achievements. “We aren’t worried about the past. Every single day you walk into the gym and live up to the standard of playing UConn basketball,” she commented. “We want to fill their shoes and make them proud.”
The Huskies now prepare to challenge defending champions South Carolina on Sunday for the title, a rematch of the 2022 championship game, which South Carolina won. Earlier this year, UConn unexpectedly defeated South Carolina on the road by 29 points. Coach Geno Auriemma reflected on the enduring excellence of both teams, remarking on UConn’s history of multiple national championships and their current position to potentially secure another back-to-back win.
Bueckers, expected to be the top pick in the upcoming WNBA draft, added 16 points to the scoreboard, despite previous standout performances where she averaged over 30 points per game. Coach Auriemma acknowledged this, stating that Bueckers’ contributions were pivotal to their journey to the Final Four.
UCLA’s Lauren Betts, an All-America center, scored 26 points, but her efforts were insufficient against UConn’s onslaught. The Huskies quickly established dominance, leading 23-13 at the end of the first quarter, and continued to widen the gap to a 42-22 halftime lead. Bueckers’ assist to Kaitlyn Chen, resulting in a layup, was a highlight of the half.
In the second half, UCLA struggled to catch up despite Betts’ presence on the court. UConn set a record for the largest margin of victory in a Final Four or national title game, surpassing their own benchmark set in 2013 against Louisville.
For UCLA, this marked the end of a remarkable run to their first NCAA Final Four. They had won a national title in 1978 before the NCAA era of women’s basketball. This season, they aimed to become the first Big Ten team to win a championship since Purdue in 1999. Despite their hopes, they were unable to replicate their regular-season success in the tournament.
Reflecting on the season, UCLA coach Cori Close noted the unique position of having no seniors on the roster, highlighting the opportunity for growth and improvement in the coming year. “We’ve obviously gone to new heights this year, but we got to let the pain of this hopefully teach us to go to new heights next year,” she said. Close remains hopeful for the future, recognizing the potential for a more connected and experienced team to emerge from this experience.