Paige Bueckers’ chase for a national championship ring is still on. Bueckers and the UConn women’s basketball team knocked off Lauren Betts and No. 1 overall seed UCLA 85-51 in their Final Four matchup on Friday.
While Bueckers had a quiet night by her standards — 16 points — Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd combined to score 41 points. The Huskies shot 55% from the floor, notched 13 steals and forced 19 total turnovers by the Bruins.
‘That’s something that’s so special about this team is just how selfless we are and how we share the basketball, the basketball moves, and I think it starts on the defensive end,’ Fudd said after the game. ‘We play team defense, and then we get the ball and we go. It doesn’t matter who shoots it, we’re happy for them.’
Shop UConn vs. South Carolina national championship tickets
Geno Auriemma, in his 40th season, has the Huskies in the national championship game for the 13th time as he hunts his 12th national title. They will face Dawn Staley and South Carolina on Sunday in a rematch of the 2022 title game — the only time Auriemma has lost in the championship.
‘I still think we got a whole ‘nother level to tap into, and I think that’s what we save it for,’ Bueckers told the UConn locker room after the game. ‘We have 40 minutes to give everything we have in our entire souls and bodies.’
USA TODAY brought you live updates, analysis and highlights throughout the game. Check them out below.
When does UConn women’s basketball play South Carolina?
The Huskies and Gamecocks play on Sunday, a 3 p.m. tipoff. South Carolina is aiming to become the first team to repeat as champs since UConn did it four years in a row (2013-16). The Huskies dominated the Gamecocks in a Feb. 16 win earlier this season. Here’s everything to know about UConn vs. South Carolina history, record and previous matchups.
What Paige Bueckers told UConn locker room after win
UConn senior guard Paige Bueckers addressed her teammates in the locker room after their advanced to the NCAA championship game.
‘I still think we got a whole ‘nother level to tap into, and I think that’s what we save it for,’ Bueckers told the UConn locker room after the game. ‘We don’t need any extra incentive. The game earlier this season (against South Carolina) means nothing. It’s zero-zero, the record’s zero-zero and we’re both trying to go 1-0. Get some sleep tonight, get some rest because the game is early on Sunday, so we’ll need to be rested and recovered. We have 40 minutes to give everything we have in our entire souls and bodies.’
UConn women’s basketball vs. UCLA highlights
This was a coaching clinic. Geno Auriemma ran circles around Cori Close. And Sarah Strong straight up bullied UCLA, by herself. She was a one-woman wrecking crew. — Meghan L. Hall, For The Win
Paige Bueckers stats vs. UCLA
Superstar UConn guard Paige Bueckers finished with 16 points on 7-of-17 shooting. She also recorded five boards, two assists and three steals
Azzi Fudd stats vs. UCLA
Senior guard Azzi Fudd, who’s in her first season back after suffering an ACL tear in November 2023, scored 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting.
‘It’s just so much fun to watch her play with joy, be at this stage,’ Paige Bueckers said of Fudd. ‘You see all the ups and downs, the bad days, the good days, and to be in the spot where it’s the light at the end of the tunnel and for her to perform and just be at this stage means everything to us.’
‘Confidence is definitely high right now and this is such a special moment,’ Fudd said. ‘I’m so grateful to be here with this team and to be on this floor and be able to play and contribute.’
Sarah Strong stats vs. UCLA
UConn freshman forward Sarah Strong recorded a team-high 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting to go along with eight boards, two assists and a steal.
Lauren Betts stats vs. UConn
Center Lauren Betts was the offensive engine for UCLA — 26 points on 11-of-18 shooting. She took some bumps from Connecticut. Anytime she got the ball near the paint, the Huskies closed in with multiple defenders. — Jordan Mendoza
UConn vs. UCLA score after 3Q
The Huskies surged to a 60-37 lead after three quarters. Sarah Strong scored 10 points in the period on 4-of-4 shooting, and Paige Bueckers added four on 3-of-6 from the floor. Strong’s got 18 total through three, Bueckers has 12.
UConn vs. UCLA score at halftime
It’s that kind of night for UCLA. Or for UConn, which had a 42-22 lead at halftime.
Azzi Fudd stripped Elina Aarnisalo of the ball and whipped a pass to Paige Bueckers. Bueckers saw Kiki Rice coming and shoved the ball at Kaitlyn Chen, who scored on a layup to put UConn up 17, 39-22. Bueckers and Chen burst into laughter. UCLA probably feels like crying. — Nancy Armour
UConn women’s basketball storms out to big lead
UCLA had an uphill road, regardless. (Yes, I am saying that about the overall No. 1 seed.) But this is a steal-your-lunch-money game from UConn. They’ve been relentless. Azzi Fudd already has 19 on 7-of-11 shooting, and UConn has forced 11 turnovers. (That’s two more than UCLA has field goals, for those keeping score.) And what should really worry the Bruins? Paige Bueckers has only six points. Oklahoma knows a little about what she can do in the second half. — Nancy Armour
UConn vs. UCLA score after 1Q
UConn held an 23-13 lead after the first quarter. Freshman Sarah Strong and senior Azzi Fudd led the way for the Huskies, combining for 15 points in the frame, while UCLA center Lauren Betts recorded seven points.
UConn vs. UCLA women’s basketball starters
- UConn: G Paige Bueckers, C Jana El Alfy, G Kaitlyn Chen, F Sarah Strong, G Azzi Fudd.
- UCLA: G Kiki Rice, G Londynn Jones, G Gabriela Jaquez, F Angela Dugalic, C Lauren Betts.
UConn women’s basketball championships
UConn women’s basketball roster
The Huskies score 80.8 points per game and shoot 50.8% from the floor, and it’s not just Paige Bueckers. Sarah Strong, the Big East Freshman of the Year, has looked far from a rookie. She’s averaging a double-double in the tournament (17 points, 11.8 rebounds) and joins Maya Moore as the only freshmen in UConn history to record 600-plus points in a season. Don’t forget about Azzi Fudd and Kaitlyn Chen, who are both averaging career highs from beyond the arc. UConn has the highest field goal percentage in the nation (51%) and the highest three-point percentage (38.3%) remaining in the tournament, while simultaneously holding opponents to the lowest point total (51.7).
UCLA women’s basketball roster
Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Lauren Betts has shown up and recorded monster March Madness numbers for UCLA, including a historic 31-point, 10-rebound performance in the Sweet 16. That night, she shot 93.8% from the field, tying the record for the highest field-goal percentage in an NCAA Tournament game with a minimum 15 attempts. Betts is top five in the nation in field goal percentage (64.91%) and blocks per game (3), but she not only scores and defends. Betts also creates open looks for her teammates. And UCLA’s role players have made opposing teams pay. Gabriela Jaquez and Timea Gardiner combined for nine of UCLA’s 10 threes in the team’s Elite Eight win. Here’s the full UCLA women’s basketball roster. — Cydney Henderson
Paige Bueckers season stats
Bueckers poured in 105 points over her last three games, setting a record for most points by a Huskies player in a three-game span. The fifth-year senior averages 20.1 points, 4.4 boards, 4.8 assists and 2.1 steals per game. She shoots 54.3% from the floor and 42.7% from 3.
Lauren Betts season stats
On the season, Betts averages nearly a double-double of 20.0 points and 9.6 rebounds to go along with 2.8 assists and 3.0 blocks. In four games this March Madness, Betts has put up 23 points, 9.25 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game. Ready Nancy Armour’s full story on how Lauren Betts has evolved as a player.
Sarah Strong stats
Freshman forward Sarah Strong is averaging 16.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.6 blocks per game this season. She shoots 58% from the floor and 37.1% from 3.
UConn women’s basketball record
The Huskies are 35-3 this season, losing to Notre Dame and USC in December and Tennessee in February.
Gabriela Jaquez stats
Gabriela Jaquez has become a major contributor to a deep Bruins tournament run. She was instrumental in UCLA’s Elite Eight win over LSU, leading the team with 18 points and drilling a huge late 3-pointer. She averages 9.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.
Is Paige Bueckers a senior?
Paige Bueckers is a fifth-year senior at UConn.
Where is Paige Bueckers from?
Paige Bueckers is from Hopkins, Minnesota.
UConn vs. UCLA predictions
- Nancy Armour, USA TODAY: UConn
- Meghan L. Hall, For The Win: UConn
- Cora Hall, Knoxville News Sentinel: UConn
UCLA vs. UConn odds
Odds via BetMGM as of Friday, April 4.
- Spread: UConn -7.5
- Moneyline Favorite: UConn -400
- Moneyline Underdog: UCLA +310
- Total: 135.5
Where to watch women’s Final Four
ESPN is airing both contests. You can also stream on Fubo with a free trial.
Where’s the women’s Final Four?
Both Final Four games and the national championship game on Sunday are at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla.
Who won women’s March Madness last year?
Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks beat Caitlin Clark and Iowa to win the championship.