TAMPA, Fla. — UConn is again on prime of girls’s basketball, profitable its twelfth nationwide championship by routing defending champion South Carolina 82-59 on Sunday behind Azzi Fudd’s 24 factors.
Sarah Sturdy added 24 factors and 15 rebounds whereas Paige Bueckers had 17 factors in her remaining sport at UConn (37-3).
“Well, it’s amazing to have three players, three people like that on the same team,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma mentioned. “And 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.”
Bueckers capped her stellar profession with the Huskies’ first championship since 2016, ending a nine-year title drought for the group. That was longest for Auriemma and his Huskies because the group received its first championship in 1995 led by Rebecca Lobo.
Since then the Huskies have had dominant championship runs, together with within the early 2000s led by Sue Hen and Diana Taurasi, 2009-10 with Maya Moore and at last the 4 straight from 2013-16 with Breanna Stewart. All had been in attendance in Florida on Sunday to see the Huskies’ newest title.
“You just never know if you’ll ever be back in this situation again,” Auriemma mentioned. “And there were so many times when I think we all questioned, ‘Have we been here too long? Has it been time?’ And we kept hanging in there and hanging in there and that’s because these players make me want to hang in there every day.”
Lastly wholesome, the anticipated No. 1 decide within the WNBA draft on April 14, Bueckers delivered for the Huskies all through their championship season.
It was the one factor lacking from an unbelievable UConn profession that was slowed by accidents. She was the primary freshman to win AP Participant of the 12 months earlier than lacking quite a lot of her sophomore season with a tibial plateau fracture and meniscus tear. She then tore an ACL earlier than the subsequent season.
UConn closed the primary half up 10 factors after which put the sport away within the third quarter behind Fudd, Sturdy and Bueckers. The trio mixed for 23 of the group’s 26 factors within the quarter. UConn was up 50-39 with 3:21 left within the interval earlier than closing with a 12-3 run.
Fudd, who was named the Most Excellent Participant of the Ultimate 4, and Sturdy obtained it began with back-to-back 3s, and the rout was on. Auriemma subbed Bueckers, Fudd and Sturdy out with 1:32 left within the sport. Bueckers and Auriemma had an extended hug on the sideline, having lastly gotten that championship that he so wished for her.
“They’ve 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 been a long time since I’ve been that emotional when a player has walked off the court,” Auriemma mentioned.
Daybreak Staley’s group was making an attempt for a 3rd title in 4 years and fourth total. It could have tied her with Kim Mulkey for third most behind Auriemma and former Tennessee Corridor of Fame coach Pat Summitt, who had eight.
UConn had reached the title sport solely as soon as throughout its drought since 2016. The Huskies had been eradicated by heartbreaking last-second losses within the Ultimate 4 on buzzer-beaters. The Huskies’ final title sport look got here in 2022 when Staley’s group beat UConn to begin the Gamecocks’ present run of success, a sport that ended Auriemma’s good document in title video games.
There gave the impression to be no nerves early for both group as the sport obtained off to a quick begin. The groups traded baskets for the primary couple of minutes earlier than the defenses began to clamp down. The Huskies led 19-14 after one quarter after which prolonged the benefit to 36-26 on the half. Fudd had 13 factors and Sturdy added eight factors and 11 rebounds.
