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In a game many expected to be close, UConn delivered a statement. The Huskies crushed top-seeded UCLA 85-51 in the Final Four, riding the hot hands of freshman sensation Sarah Strong and sharpshooter Azzi Fudd. While all eyes were on Paige Bueckers, it was Strong's 22 points and Fudd's electric first-half performance that fueled UConn's runaway victory.
The 34-point win is UConn's largest ever in a Final Four or national title game-and a bold message ahead of Sunday's showdown with undefeated South Carolina.
Bueckers stays steady, title dream alive
After three straight 30-point games, Paige Bueckers didn't need to carry the Huskies this time. She finished with a solid 16 points and orchestrated the offense with veteran poise. Her best moment? A mid-air touch to Kaitlyn Chen for an effortless layup that brought the crowd to its feet.
Now, Bueckers is one win away from the championship that's eluded her, and she'll have to go through the same team that crushed her title hopes in 2022: Dawn Staley's Gamecocks.
A long-awaited rematch with everything on the line
South Carolina handed UConn a brutal 64-49 loss in the 2022 title game. Since then, the Huskies have rebuilt, endured injuries, and battled their way back to the final. This time, they bring firepower and depth-including a freshman who's making her mark at just the right moment.
"It's all about defense and intensity now," Bueckers said. "Everything we did earlier doesn't matter. It's 0-0 going into the final."
UConn also holds a psychological edge-beating South Carolina by 29 earlier this season. But as Bueckers reminded everyone: that was then, this is now.
UCLA's magical season ends in heartbreak
Lauren Betts put up 26 points, but the Bruins never found rhythm on either end. After a historic season that included a No. 1 national ranking and a 23-game win streak, UCLA fell short in its first-ever NCAA Final Four appearance.
Despite the loss, the Bruins' future looks bright. But Friday belonged to UConn-its veterans, its rising stars, and a chance for one of college basketball's biggest names to finally claim her crown.