UConn dominated South Carolina 82-59 to claim a record-extending 12th national championship in NCAA women¡¯s basketball on Sunday, the first title for the team since 2016.
A dream showdown between two of the sport¡¯s marquee programs quickly turned sour for defending champion South Carolina against a suffocating UConn defense, as the Huskies ended their longest title drought since their first triumph in 1995.
The Gamecocks were unable to slow down freshman Sarah Strong, who put up a double-double with 24 points and 15 rebounds, and guard Azzi Fudd, who added another 24 points and was later named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four.
¡°You just never know if you¡¯ll be back in this situation again,¡± said UConn coach Geno Auriemma, the winningest coach in college basketball who became emotional in his postgame remarks. ¡°We kept hanging in there and hanging in there.¡±
The Huskies had a 10-point lead through two quarters after a clutch three-pointer from guard Ashlynn Shade to close out the first half, in which UConn sharpshooter Fudd led the way with 13 points.
They heaped on more pressure in the second half, and South Carolina¡¯s hopes of a third title in four years evaporated as the Huskies were up by 32 points with four minutes left in the game.
The win gave guard Paige Bueckers, the presumed first pick in the upcoming WNBA Draft, the accolade she craved most in her final collegiate game, and she wept as she stepped off the court and embraced Auriemma.
¡°Unreal,¡± said Bueckers, who put up 17 points on Sunday after overcoming injuries to become one of the collegiate game¡¯s biggest names. ¡°Just so much gratitude for everything this program has meant to me.
¡°I can¡¯t even put into words what¡¯s happening right now.¡±
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.