Huskies Seize twelfth Ladies’s Title After Dominant Run Via Prime Seeds

Following nearly a decade of heartache and shut calls, the UConn Huskies reign supreme once more in ladies’s faculty basketball.

The No. 2 seeded Huskies captured their twelfth NCAA championship with a dominating 82-59 victory over South Carolina within the title recreation, capping an excellent return to dominance following years of frustration and accidents.

A Long-Awaited Redemption Story

After shedding their final one in 2016, UConn suffered by a sequence of semifinal disappointments and damage losses, chief amongst them being star guard Paige Bueckers. Sunday, although, introduced all of it full circle, in response to Sports Illustrated.

Bueckers, healthily and vengefully, accomplished her collegiate profession by finally successful the nationwide championship that had slipped by her fingers.

The veteran star, who is predicted to be the No. 1 total decide within the 2025 WNBA Draft, left the sport with greater than a minute to go, exchanging a tearful hug with head coach Geno Auriemma.

The Emergence of a New Star: Sarah Strong

Freshman ahead Sarah Strong was a shock in the course of the match, breaking the NCAA freshman scoring mark with 114 factors.

Championship night time discovered her producing a powerhouse effort with 24 factors, 15 rebounds, and 5 assists, cementing her standing as this system’s future face.

Strong’s postseason excellence concerned shattering information held by legends akin to Tamika Catchings. She additionally turned the primary participant, irrespective of sophistication, to attain 100 factors, 25 assists, and 10 blocks in a single match since 1988.

Azzi Fudd Shines Brightest in Final Four

Guard Azzi Fudd, out for many of final season with a knee damage, was revived within the title recreation with 24 factors and was named Most Outstanding Player.

With Fudd and Bueckers each wholesome for the primary time all season, UConn appeared like its previous dynasty self: concentrated, explosive, and relentless.

Geno Auriemma Adds Another Milestone

According to ESPN, this victory makes 71-year-old Geno Auriemma the oldest Division I NCAA basketball title winner. He has 12 titles now, greater than solidifying his place among the many best coaches within the sport’s historical past. Auriemma confessed that there have been instances in recent times he thought of retiring, however Sunday’s win recharged his ardour.

“I think there’s a lot of people counting on me to keep doing what I’m doing at UConn — all my team, all my staff,” Auriemma mentioned. “I think they’re counting on me to keep going and keep impacting and keep doing what we do.”