Tampa, Florida – Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd did not even need a lot of help from the Superstar Paige Bueckers to promote UCONN to the national title game, which leads the Huskies to a remarkably easy victory of 85-51 over UCLA on Friday night in the last four of the NCAA Women’s Tournament.
Strong ended with 22 points and FUDD scored all his 19 points in the first half for the second sown huskies, which are at a victory of his 12th National Championship and first since the team won four consecutive since 2013-16, led by Breanna Stewart. The drought of the eight -year title is the longest for the Huskies since they won the first in 1995.
“We are not worried about the past. Every day you enter the gym and you are up to the standard of playing Uconn,” Bueckers said. “Do not compare with other teams and players before. We want to fill their shoes and make them proud. Use the shirt with pride.”
UCONN will face the South Carolina defender champion on Sunday for the title after the Gamecocks beat Texas 74-57 Earlier Friday night. It is a revenge of the 2022 championship game, which the Gamecocks won 64-49. The teams met in February and UCONN shocked South Carolina with a Victoria on the 29 -point road.
“They have played basketball at an exceptionally high level when you think of the last four that have also been and the consistency in their program,” said Uconn coach, Geno Auriemma. “The ability to win national championships several times and (they) are in a position to win other consecutive.”
Bueckers, the probable superior selection in the WNBA draft on April 14, ended with 16 points after exceeding 30 in each of the three previous games for the Huskies (36-3).
“If Paige had 16 last year, we would not have reached the Final Four,” said Auriemma. “If I had the game that had today the previous year, it would be almost impossible for us to win.”
The All-America Lauren Betts center scored 26 points for the best UCLA general seed (34-3).
Uconn had a hot start with Strong and FUDD leading the way. Even when the shots looked, they found their way. FUDD, one of the best shooters in the country whose career in UCONN has been interrupted by multiple injuries, accumulated in a triple from the top of the key, which leads Auriemma to throw their arms in the air and smile.
“It is very fun to see her play with joy and be at this stage,” Bueckers said about FUDD. “You see all the ups and downs, the bad days, the good morning and be in this place where it is the light at the end of the tunnel and that it acts and is at this stage, it means everything for us.”
The Huskies led 23-13 at the end of the first quarter. They continued the attack behind FUDD to open an advantage of 42-22 in the break. Bueckers had the middle game with a Touch Pass In the air to Kaitlyn Chen for a tray at the end of the second quarter.
Ucla never threatened in the second half, since the 6 -foot 7 Betts had little help. UConn ended up breaking his own record for the margin of victory in the last Final Four or National title game: The Huskies won the 2013 Championship for 33 points on Louisville.
The Bruins fell short in their first appearance in the Final Four of the NCAA. UCLA won a national title in 1978 in the pre-Cana era of female basketball. The Bruins sought to become the first Big Ten team, a conference they joined this season, to win a championship since Purdue did so in 1999.
UCLA sailed during his best regular season, obtaining ranking No. 1 in The AP TOP 25 for the first time and occupying the place for 14 weeks.
The Bruins only lost twice this year before Friday, both Juju Watkins and the USC. UCLA obtained a measure of revenge for win USC to win the Big Ten tournament In his first year in the League after the dismantling of PAC-12. The Bruins established a record of the Victorias program in a season and won 23 consecutive games, including 22 followed by two digits.
“Obviously we have gone to new heights this year, but we have to let the pain of this teach us to go to new heights next year,” said UCLA coach Cori Close. “Learn from this and be better next time. (It is) really unusual to be in this position in the Final Four and have zero older people in their costumes and have the opportunity to become stronger, more connected, learn from this experience and be better next time.”
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