TAMPA, Fla. (AP) 鈥� UConn is back on top of women鈥檚 basketball, winning its 12th national championship by routing defending champion South Carolina 82-59 on Sunday behind Azzi Fudd鈥檚 24 points.
Sarah Strong added 24 points and 15 rebounds while Paige Bueckers had 17 points in her final game at UConn (37-3).
鈥淲ell, it鈥檚 amazing to have three players, three people like that on the same team,鈥� UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. 鈥淎nd Sarah, 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.鈥�
Bueckers capped her stellar career with the Huskies' first championship since 2016, ending a nine-year title drought for the team. That was longest for Auriemma and his Huskies since the team won its first championship in 1995 led by Rebecca Lobo.
Since then the Huskies have had dominant championship runs, including in the early 2000s led by Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi, 2009-10 with Maya Moore and finally the four straight from 2013-16 with Breanna Stewart. All were in attendance in Florida on Sunday to see the Huskies' latest title.
鈥淵ou just never know if you鈥檒l ever be back in this situation again,鈥� Auriemma said. 鈥淎nd there were so many times when I think we all questioned, 鈥楬ave we been here too long? Has it been time?鈥� And we kept hanging in there and hanging in there and that鈥檚 because these players make me want to hang in there every day.鈥�
Finally healthy, the expected No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft on April 14, Bueckers delivered for the Huskies throughout their championship season.
It was the only thing missing from an incredible UConn career that was slowed by injuries. She was the first freshman to win AP Player of the Year before missing a lot of her sophomore season with a tibial plateau fracture and meniscus tear. She then tore an ACL before the next season.
UConn closed the first half up 10 points and then put the game away in the third quarter behind Fudd, Strong and Bueckers. The trio combined for 23 of the team鈥檚 26 points in the quarter. UConn was up 50-39 with 3:21 left in the period before closing with a 12-3 run.
Fudd, who was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four, and Strong got it started with back-to-back 3s, and the rout was on. 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鈥檝e all been gratifying, don鈥檛 get me wrong. But this one here, because of the way it came about and what鈥檚 been involved, it鈥檚 been a long time since I鈥檝e been that emotional when a player has walked off the court,鈥� Auriemma said.
Dawn Staley鈥檚 team was trying for a third title in four years and fourth overall. It would have tied her with Kim Mulkey for third most behind Auriemma and former Tennessee Hall of Fame coach Pat Summitt, who had eight.
UConn had reached the title game only once during its drought since 2016. The Huskies had been eliminated by heartbreaking last-second losses in the Final Four on buzzer-beaters. The Huskies鈥� last title game appearance came in 2022 when Staley鈥檚 team beat UConn to start the Gamecocks鈥� current run of success, a game that ended Auriemma鈥檚 perfect record in title games.
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. The Huskies led 19-14 after one quarter and then extended the advantage to 36-26 at the half. Fudd had 13 points and Strong added eight points and 11 rebounds.
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Doug Feinberg, The Associated Press
