South Carolina and UConn secure spots in NCAA championship with dominant Final Four wins

In a thrilling night of women’s basketball, the championship matchup for the Final Four is set. Top-seeded South Carolina and second-seeded UConn each delivered dominant performances, cruising past Texas and UCLA, respectively.

Sunday’s title game will showcase two of the sport’s most prestigious programs. South Carolina, the defending champions, will aim to become the first team since UConn (2013-2016) to successfully defend its national title. Meanwhile, UConn is pursuing its 12th NCAA Tournament championship and its first since 2016.

This game marks a rematch of the 2022 championship, where South Carolina triumphed 64-49. The teams previously met in February, with UConn stunning South Carolina with a 29-point road victory.

UConn, who played the late game on Friday, jumped out to a commanding lead against UCLA and never looked back, cruising to an 85-51 victory. The Huskies’ win was driven by Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd, who helped lead UConn to its 13th national title game appearance. Superstar Paige Bueckers, typically the focal point, contributed a solid 16 points, but didn’t need to carry the load alone. Strong finished with 22 points, while Fudd scored all 19 of her points in the first half. The win ends UConn’s eight-year championship drought.

For UCLA, star center Lauren Betts scored 26 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome UConn’s offensive firepower.

Earlier in the evening, South Carolina dominated Texas, winning 74-57 behind a well-rounded team effort. Te-Hina Paopao led the Gamecocks with 14 points, and freshman Joyce Edwards contributed 13 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists. South Carolina’s depth and poise were on full display as they weathered an early deficit to take control of the game. The Gamecocks outscored Texas 40-22 in the paint and had three players in double figures, including Bree Hall with 11 points.

Texas, who was making its first Final Four appearance since 2003, struggled to keep pace. Madison Booker led the Longhorns with 11 points, but foul trouble, particularly for Booker, hindered their efforts. Despite a strong showing from Jordan Lee off the bench with 16 points, Texas couldn’t match South Carolina’s rhythm, especially in the second half.

South Carolina, who went undefeated last season to capture the championship, has faced more challenges this year. Lacking stars like A’ja Wilson, Aliyah Boston, and Kamilla Cardoso, the Gamecocks have relied on a balanced rotation to reach their third championship game in four years. Their bench depth has been a key factor, and they got 35 points from reserves in the win over Texas, including 9 from Tessa Johnson and 7 from Milaysia Fulwiley. Former South Carolina greats, including Wilson, Boston, and Allisha Gray, cheered them on from the stands.

In what was their fourth meeting this season, South Carolina seized the lead in the second quarter after Booker went to the bench with two fouls. With her absence, South Carolina outscored Texas by 13 points to take a 38-35 halftime lead. Texas had no answer for South Carolina’s offensive onslaught, especially after the Gamecocks surged in the third quarter with an 11-0 run that was sparked by Edwards’ layup. Texas never managed to pull closer than 10 points after that.

Sunday’s game promises to be a highly anticipated rematch, as two powerhouse programs collide for the national championship.