TAMPA, FLORIDA – APRIL 04: Paige Bueckers #5 of the UConn Huskies looks on in the third quarter against the UCLA Bruins in the Final Four game of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Amalie Arena on April 04, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
The UConn women are headed to the NCAA championship game after a 85-51 win over No. 1 overall seed UCLA.
The Huskies led the Bruins for practically the entire game.
Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd didn’t even need much help from superstar Paige Bueckers to propel UConn into the national title game, leading the Huskies to a remarkably easy 85-51 victory over UCLA on Friday night in the Final Four of the women’s NCAA Tournament.
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WATCH HEREStrong finished with 22 points and Fudd scored all of her 19 points in the first half for the second-seeded Huskies, who are one win away from their 12th national championship and first since the team won four straight from 2013-16 led by former great Breanna Stewart. The eight-year title drought is the longest for the Huskies since they won their first in 1995.
Bueckers finished with 16 points after topping 30 in each of the previous three games for the Huskies (36-3).
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SIGN UP Star center Lauren Betts scored 26 points for the top-seeded Bruins (34-3).
No. 2 UConn will take on defending champion South Carolina in the championship game, which is set for Sunday at 3 p.m. ET.
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It’s a rematch of the 2022 championship game, which the Gamecocks won 64-49. The teams met in February and UConn shocked South Carolina with a 29-point road victory.
