The UConn Huskies stormed out to a ten-point first-quarter lead, nearly doubled up the UCLA Bruins by halftime, and sauntered their way to the biggest beatdown in women’s Final Four history by way of an 85-51 victory.
With South Carolina defeating Texas in their own semifinal game, the stage is set for a rematch of the 2022 national championship game in which Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks triumphed over the Huskies 64-49. When the two teams met earlier this season, however, UConn took home a decisive 87-58 road win.
On Sunday, Staley will seek the fourth title of her career, while on the opposite sideline, UConn coach Geno Auriemma is looking for number nine. While he has plenty of experience dominating the field, he was downright astounded by his group’s thorough demolition of the Bruins in the tournament’s penultimate round.
UConn Huskies Continue Annihilation in Final Four Vs Bruins
Closing as 7.5-point overdogs against the country’s top-ranked team, the Huskies (36-3) have been considerable favorites to win the title since USC’s Juju Watkins suffered an ACL injury that altered the tournament landscape, giving UConn an easier path to the title game than anticipated. Before that, they shared roughly similar odds with South Carolina (35-3). Since then, they have also fortified their resume by destroying the competition, winning every round by double digits. For the championship game, the Huskies are favored by 6.5 points.
Friday night, they proved beyond a shade doubt that they deserve recognition as top dogs. “When you go in there, you don’t expect, ‘Hey, we’re going to win by 35 points tonight,'” Auriemma said postgame. “I mean, that’s, oh my god. That is just so, so unrealistic.”
In her quest to end her college career with a championship, UConn guard Paige Bueckers finished with 16 points, 5 rebounds and 3 steals. Coming off three straight 30-point games, it was if anything an underwhelming performance–but it was more than enough.
Fellow senior Azzi Fudd began the game on a white-hot heater, scoring all of her 19 points in the first half. Freshman Sarah Strong led the team with 22 points and 8 rebounds on 9-13 shooting. It isn’t just UConn’s starpower. It’s their wealth of it, and the depth below, that has made them such an unstoppable force since their midseason return to dominance. Their last loss? February 6. In fact, each of their 36 wins this season has come by at least 11 points.
All-Timer Ahead?
The most successful program ever in women’s college basketball, UConn has seen its title drought reach 7 consecutive tournaments since capping off a four-peat in 2016. It’s not like the Huskies haven’t been in the mix. In that interval, in addition to their loss in the final to South Carolina, they have lost in the Final Four five times, falling another time in the Elite 8.
As for the Gamecocks, Staley has steered them to their fifth Final Four in a row. Each time they have reached the championship stage under Staley, they have cut down the nets. Despite being the clear second-best squad in the nation, though, this year’s team should not be confused with the world beaters of seasons past.
A testament to the school’s incredible run, the Gamecocks’ 3 losses, following a 38-0 2023-24, is their most in four years. In the tournament, they struggled with Indiana (64-53), squeaked by Maryland (71-67) and edged out Duke, 54-50, in a game the Blue Devils had for the taking.
But Auriemma knows that the rematch could be one for the ages. “It does feel like the two most prominent programs right now in women’s college basketball are playing for the right to be national champions,” he said. “And we both deserve it.”
The heavyweight fight on Sunday might end up a classic. Certainly the narratives are there. Rematch between two legendary programs. Auriemma versus Staley. Bueckers’ last dance. If viewers get what they’re hoping for, the clash will be a banger. Or, if the script follows a familiar plot this tournament, the Huskies might just bark their opponents out of the building.
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