2025 NCAA Women’s Tournament: UConn, Paige Bueckers are national champions

UConn is back on top of women’s basketball, winning its 12th national championship by routing defending champion South Carolina, 82-59, on Sunday behind 24 points from Azzi Fudd.

Sarah Strong added 24 points and 15 rebounds while Paige Bueckers — the expected first overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft next week — had 17 points in her final game at UConn (37-3).

“It’s amazing to have three players, three people like that on the same team,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “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 title drought for the team. That was the longest for Auriemma and his Huskies since the team won its first championship in 1995.

Here were the highlights from Sunday’s game!

No. 2 seed UConn dominates top-seeded South Carolina to capture its 12th title

Auriemma subbed Bueckers, Fudd and Strong out with 1:32 left in the game. Bueckers and Auriemma had a long hug on the sideline, having finally gotten that championship that he so wanted for her.

“They’ve all been gratifying,” he said. “Don’t get me wrong, 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.”

UConn then put the game away in the third quarter behind Fudd, who was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four, Strong and Bueckers. The trio combined for 23 of the team’s 26 points in the quarter. UConn was up 50-39 with 3:21 left in the period before closing with a 12-3 run.

UConn went into halftime up by 10 points, 36-26. Fudd had a game-high 13 points, while Strong had a game-high 11 rebounds, two steals and two blocks. UConn shot 48.4% from the field, while South Carolina shot 31.3%.

South Carolina got to within three points in the second quarter, but the close game was short-lived. UConn’s offense got back on track and led 29-22 with 3:50 left until the break. In what was the Huskies’ second bucket of the second quarter, Bueckers got the ball inside to Fudd, who made a contested shot.

Continuing to build on their lead as things continued, the Huskies led 19-14 at the end of the first quarter.

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. UConn led 15-13 at the first TV timeout, assisted by a 7-0 run and big plays from Fudd, Kaitlyn Chen and Jana El Alfy.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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