UConn returns to top of women's
basketball, dominates South Carolina 82-59 to capture its 12th title
[April 07, 2025]
By DOUG FEINBERG
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — During the final sweet moments of UConn’s 12th
national title, Geno Auriemma and Paige Bueckers embraced after the
star guard departed her final game with the Huskies.
It was the moment they wanted all along.
“They’ve all been gratifying, don’t get me wrong," Auriemma said.
“But this one here, because of the way it came about and what’s been
involved, it’s been a long time since I’ve been that emotional when
a player has walked off the court.”
Bueckers, Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong led the way as UConn returned
to the top of women's college basketball by rolling to an 82-59
victory over defending champion South Carolina on Sunday.
Fudd, who was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four,
scored 24 points. Strong had 24 points and 15 rebounds, and Bueckers
scored 17 points for UConn (37-3).
“Well, it’s amazing to have three players, three people like that on
the same team,” said the 71-year-old Auriemma, who became the oldest
coach in major college basketball to win a championship. “And Sarah,
you would think Sarah was graduating the way she plays, right? All
three of them complement each other so well. They all have such
unique skill sets.”
Bueckers capped her stellar career with the Huskies' first
championship since 2016, ending a nine-year drought for the team.
That was the longest period for Auriemma and his program without a
title since Rebecca Lobo and Jen Rizzotti led the Huskies to their
first championship in 1995.
Since then the Huskies have had dominant championship runs,
including in the early 2000s led by Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi,
2009-10 with Maya Moore and finally the four straight from 2013-16
with Breanna Stewart. All were in attendance in Florida on Sunday to
see the Huskies' latest title.
“You just never know if you’ll ever be back in this situation
again,” Auriemma said. “And there were so many times when I think we
all questioned, ‘Have we been here too long? Has it been time?’ And
we kept hanging in there and hanging in there and that’s because
these players make me want to hang in there every day.”
Bueckers, the expected No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft on April 14,
delivered for the Huskies throughout their championship season.
Winning a title was the only thing missing from an incredible UConn
career that was slowed by injuries. She was the first freshman to
win AP Player of the Year before missing a lot of her sophomore
season with a tibial plateau fracture and meniscus tear. She then
tore an ACL before the next season.
“It’s been a story of resilience, gratitude of overcoming adversity
and responding to life’s challenges,” Bueckers said. “I wouldn't
trade it for the world.”
[to top of second column] |
UConn players react late in the second half of the national
championship game against South Carolina at the Final Four of the
women's NCAA college basketball tournament, Sunday, April 6, 2025,
in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
UConn closed the first half up 10 points and then
put the game away in the third quarter, with Fudd, Strong and
Bueckers combining for 23 of the team’s 26 points in the period.
UConn was up 50-39 with 3:21 left before closing with a 12-3 run.
Fudd and Strong got it started with back-to-back 3s, and the rout
was on. Auriemma subbed Bueckers, Fudd and Strong out with 1:32 left
in the game.
UConn's leading trio finished the tourney with 368 points, including
an NCAA freshman record 114 for Strong. It was the highest point
total for three teammates in a single NCAA Tournament, according to
Stats Perform. Chamique Holdsclaw, Tamika Catchings and Semeka
Randell scored 363 points for Tennessee in the 1998 women's
tournament, and Glen Rice led the way for a trio of Michigan men
that had 366 points in 1989.
The UConn trio proved to be way too much for South Carolina.
Dawn Staley’s team was trying for a third title in four years and
fourth overall. It would have tied her with Kim Mulkey for third
most behind Auriemma and former Tennessee Hall of Fame coach Pat
Summitt, who had eight.
“Our kids gave it all they had. When you can understand why you lost
and when you’ve been on the other side of that three times, you
understand it,” Staley said. “You can swallow it. We lost to a very
good basketball team.”
UConn had reached the title game only once during its drought since
2016. The Huskies had been eliminated by heartbreaking last-second
losses in the Final Four on buzzer-beaters. The Huskies’ last title
game appearance came in 2022 when Staley’s team beat UConn to start
the Gamecocks’ current run of success, a game that ended Auriemma’s
perfect record in title games.
There seemed to be no nerves early for either team as the game got
off to a fast start. The teams traded baskets for the first few
minutes before the defenses started to clamp down. The Huskies led
19-14 after one quarter and then extended the advantage to 36-26 at
the half. Fudd had 13 points and Strong added eight points and 11
rebounds.
All contents © copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved
 |
