UConn, Paige Bueckers destroy South Carolina to win NCAA championship: Highlights, stats
Paige Bueckers and the UConn women’s basketball team are NCAA champions.
The Huskies destroyed South Carolina 82-59 to capture their first national title in nearly a decade and their NCAA record 12th in program history under Geno Auriemma. Bueckers, Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong led the way for UConn, combining to outscore the entire South Carolina roster (65-59).
After a 17-point outing, Bueckers finishes with 477 career points in the NCAA Tournament, third most all-time. She exited the game with 1:32 left, crying in Auriemma's arms on the sideline.
"He told me he loved me, and I told him I hated him. So," Bueckers said about what Auriemma told her while they hugged. "No, I love that man like more than words can describe."
"They have all been gratifying, don’t get me wrong. But this one here, because of the way it came about and what’s been involved," Auriemma said. "It’s a long time since I’ve been that emotional when a player has walked off the court."
Fudd’s 24-point performance put her past the 1,000-point mark for her career, a total she’ll build on when she’s back with the Huskies next season. She was named the game's Most Outstanding Player.
Strong dominated with a 24-point, 15-board double-double, her fourth double-double of this March Madness. She now holds the record for most points in an NCAA Tournament by a freshman and is the first freshman since at least 2010 to record at least four double-doubles in a tournament.
"There are players that play four years and don't get as much done as she did this year," Auriemma said. "And I mean everywhere. Shooting the ball, handling the ball, finishing at the basket. Eleven rebounds in the first half. There's not a part of the game where she doesn't dominate."
With the win, Bueckers, who is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft on April 14, puts a flourish on her spectacular UConn career. Auriemma, in his 40th season, extends his record for most national championships by a college basketball coach.
“This afternoon I went for a walk and as I’m walking outside the hotel at one point I said, ‘Dear God, I don’t need one of these, but damn my players do. Can you do it for them?’" Auriemma said. "So I think it means a lot personally that we can still do this after all these years, but I’ve said this 100 times — Tomorrow I get up in the morning and I’m the same person ... but these kids, their lives have changed forever and I’m glad I had a part in that."
Paste BN brought you live updates, analysis and highlights throughout the game. Check them out below.
Paige Bueckers on winning NCAA championship
“Unreal. Just so much gratitude for everything this program has meant to me, for how much my teammates have meant to me," she said after the game. "I can’t name all the people. Everybody here, it takes a village just to do what we do here. Every one is important to the team success.”
"I love that man like more than words can describe, and there's a lot of stuff about him that I don't, but it's because he's challenging me and making us all better in ways we never even knew we could," Bueckers said of Geno Auriemma. "And he always has our back. That's the thing, sometimes it feels like he's on you and he has nothing but bad things to say. But he always has belief. He always has your back and just the relationship that we have, I can't even put in the words."
What Geno Auriemma said after winning 12th national title
"You just never know if you will be back in this situation again. There were so many times when I think we all questioned if we’ve been here too long," Auriemma said, "and yet we kept hanging in there and hanging in there. It’s because these players. They make me want to hang in there every day. And this team has changed so much from the beginning of the season. If people only knew.
"We had a preseason scrimmage and we lost the scrimmage. I thought we wouldn’t make the NCAA Tournament. They have all been gratifying don’t get me wrong. But this one here, because of the way it came about and what’s been involved. It’s a long time since I’ve been that emotional when a player has walked off the court."
UConn women's basketball national championships
Geno Auriemma has led the Huskies to a record 12 national championships: 1995, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2025. The program recently shared a photo of him wearing his first 11 rings on social media. Auriemma has been at the helm since 1985.
Azzi Fudd stats
UConn guard Azzi Fudd scored 24 points so far on 9-of-17 shooting. She also had five rebounds, three steals and an assist. Fudd entered Sunday's national championship game with 990 career points, and her 13 first-half points vs. South Carolina pushed her past the 1,000-point threshold in 76 career games.
Fudd could have reached the milestone sooner, but she missed all but two games in the 2023-24 season after tearing her right ACL at practice. There are now 52-players in UConn's 1,000+ point club, lead by the Huskies' all-time leading scorer Maya Moore (3,036 points). — Cydney Henderson
Paige Bueckers points
UConn guard Paige Bueckers recorded 17 points on 5-of-14 shooting, six rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal. She was 7-of-7 from the free throw line.
Bueckers is now third on the NCAA Tournament all-time scoring list (477 points). She passed Maya Moore (476) in the national championship and sits behind Chamique Holdssclaw (479) and Caitlin Clark (492).
Sarah Strong stats
UConn freshman Sarah Strong has made some NCAA Tournament history. Her holds the record for most points in a tournament by a freshman (114) and she is the first freshman since at least 2010 to record four double-doubles in a tournament. She finished with 24 points and 15 rebounds against South Carolina.
Maya Moore, Breanna Stewart among stars in Tampa
It was a star-studded affair at Amalie Arena. The national championship game between UConn and South Carolina brought out many famous faces and alumni. Former Huskies Maya Moore, Breanna Stewart and Stefanie Dolson were in the building, in addition to former Gamecock stars Aliyah Boston and Allisha Gray. Legends Sylvia Fowles and Sheryl Swoopes are also on hand.
“I thank all of my former players that are here," Geno Auriemma said after the game. "You know when you cut down the nets and everybody gets a little piece of it. I wish we had enough nets that all of them got a piece of it, because that’s how much they mean to us." — Cydney Henderson
UConn vs. South Carolina score in 3Q
The Huskies blew open a 62-42 lead by the end of the third quarter. UConn's Azzi Fudd continued to be the hot hand and is up to 24 points. Sarah Strong has a double-double of 17 points and 14 rebounds, and Paige Bueckers has 12 on 3-of-9 shooting.
UConn vs. South Carolina score at halftime
With 9 seconds left in the second quarter, sophomore guard Ashlynn Shade sunk a 3 to give the Huskies a 36-26 lead at halftime.
UConn's Azzi Fudd recorded a game-high 13 points in the first half, surpassing the 1,000-point mark for her career. Paige Bueckers and Sarah Strong each added eight. South Carolina's Joyce Edwards and Tessa Johnson, who both came off the bench as they usually do, leads the Gamecocks with five points each.
UConn vs. South Carolina score after 1Q
UConn and South Carolina traded leads early in the first quarter, but the Gamecocks ended the frame on a nearly 4-minute scoring drought and the Huskies held a 19-14 advantage.
"Man, it was a hell of a first quarter, and I'm just tired watching it," UConn head coach Geno Auriemma said at the quarter break. "These guys gotta rebound better. Right now, Sarah's the only one. And I think we can get one or two more opportunities in transition."
South Carolina women's basketball championships
Dawn Staley has led the Gamecocks to three: 2017, 2022, 2024.
South Carolina women's basketball roster
The Gamecocks have depth and defense on their side, ranking first in the nation in bench points per game (40.5) and fifth in blocks per game (5.8). Here's a look at the full South Carolina women's basketball roster.
UConn women’s basketball roster
The Huskies score 81.7 points per game (ninth in the country) and shoot 51% from the floor, tops in women’s college basketball. In addition to touting Paige Bueckers and her 20 points per game, the Huskies get 16.2 points from Sarah Strong and 13.3 points from Azzi Fudd per game. Here is the full UConn women’s basketball roster.
Geno Auriemma vs. Dawn Staley
UConn coach Geno Auriemma is 12-1 in national championship games and Dawn Staley is 3-1. Auriemma holds a 10-5 overall head-to-head record against Staley. South Carolina has won four of the six last matchups with the Huskies, who won the first seven matchups against the Gamecocks under Staley. — Cora Hall
UConn women's basketball starting lineup
The Huskies' lineup: G Paige Bueckers, C Jana El Alfy, G Kaitlyn Chen, F Sarah Strong, G Azzi Fudd.
South Carolina women's basketball starting lineup
The Gamecocks' lineup: G Te-Hina Paopao, G Raven Johnson, G Bree Hall, F Chloe Kitts, F Sania Feagin.
Paige Bueckers stats
Superstar UConn guard Paige Bueckers has been on a tear this March Madness. She dropped three consecutive 30-point games, including a career-high 40-point outing against Oklahoma in the Sweet 16, to average 26.4 points per game during the NCAA Tournament. On the season, she averages 20 points, 4.4 boards, 4.7 assists and 2.2 steals per game and she shoots 53.9% from the floor and 42.4% from 3.
Dawn Staley outfit
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley is rocking a black Louis Vuitton track suit, embellished with what looks to be blue pearls.
NCAA championship predictions
- Nancy Armour, Paste BN: UConn
- Cydney Henderson, Paste BN: South Carolina
- Meghan L. Hall, For The Win: South Carolina
- Cora Hall, Knoxville News: South Carolina
Why Sarah Strong could become best UConn player ever
Sarah Strong’s mother, Allison Feaster, is a friend and former Charlotte Sting teammate of Dawn Staley's. Staley watched Strong grow up and saw her work up close when the Gamecocks lost to the Huskies in mid-February. She is all the more impressed with the forward, who is averaging a double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds during the NCAA Tournament and joined Maya Moore as the only freshman in UConn history to score more than 600 points in a season.
“The (basketball) IQ is off the charts,” Staley said Saturday. “The skill set, off the charts. Big play after big play after big play.”
“In the next three years, she might be the best player to come out of UConn,” Staley said. Read our full story on UConn freshman Sarah Strong.
NCAA women's championship history
- 2020s: South Carolina (2024), LSU (2023), South Carolina (2022), Stanford (2021)
- 2010s: Baylor (2019), Notre Dame (2018), South Carolina (2017), UConn (2013-16), Baylor (2012), Texas A&M (2011)
- 2000s: UConn (2009-10), Tennessee (2007-08), Maryland (2006), Baylor (2005), UConn (2002-04), Notre Dame (2001), UConn (2000)
- 1990s: Purdue (1999), Tennessee (1996-98), UConn (1995), UNC (1994), Texas Tech (1993), Stanford (1992), Tennessee (1991), Stanford (1990),
- 1980s: Tennessee (1989), Louisiana Tech (1988), Tennessee (1987), Texas (1986), Old Dominion (1985), USC (1983-84), Louisianna Tech (1982)
Where is NCAA women's national championship game being?
The Gamecocks and Huskies are playing at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.