April 6 (UPI) — Azzi Fudd disregarded defenders and sank shots from all angles, while Sarah Strong dominated inside to help the UConn Huskies crush South Carolina Gamecocks on Sunday for a record 12th college basketball title.
Fudd and Strong scored 24 points apiece in the 82-59 victory, which allowed the Huskies to pass the UCLA men’s program for the most tiles in women’s or men’s college basketball history. Senior guard Paige Bueckers chipped in 17 points for the Huskies in the lopsided triumph in Tampa, Fla.
“It’s amazing to have three people like that on the same team,” Huskies coach Geno Auriemma said on the ABC broadcast. “You would think Sarah was graduating the way she plays. But all three of them complement each other so well.”
The second-seeded Huskies (37-3) outshot the No. 1 Gamecocks (35-4) 48.4% to 34.4%. They led by as many as 32 points.
Fudd, who made 9 of 17 shots, was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four. Strong, who collected 15 rebounds, five assists and three blocks, finished the tournament with 114 points, an NCAA record for a freshman.
“Behind the scenes, there is so much work that goes into what we do,” said Bueckers, who became the Huskies’ all-time leading scorer in the NCAA tournament.
“There is just so much gratitude.”
Huskies ball pressure irked the Gamecocks early on, resulting in four steals in the first quarter. The lead changed hands four times before the Huskies went on a 7-0 run for a 15-11 edge.
The Gamecocks failed to make a field goal over the final four minutes of the quarter, allowing the Huskies to take a 19-14 advantage into the second.
The Huskies, who won their last national title in 2016, never lost their lead over the final three quarters.
Bueckers and Strong scored the first four points of the second quarter to extend an 8-0 run from the end of the first for a 23-14 Huskies lead.
The Gamecocks rallied with an 8-2 surge to trim their deficit to three about five minutes before halftime. But they went on to hit a cold streak, missing 16 of 19 shots and allowing the Huskies to go on an 8-0 run. The Huskies led 36-26 at the break, despite hitting just one 3-pointer over the first 20 minutes.
Fudd, who scored 13 in the first half, added another 11 points in the third to help the Huskies outscore the Gamecocks 26-16 in the quarter. They carried a 62-42 lead into the final frame.
The Huskies continued to dominate their favored foes over the final 10 minutes, outscoring the Gamecocks 20-17 to seal the historic blowout victory.
No Gamecocks starters reached double digits in scoring. Freshman forward Joyce Edwards and sophomore guard Tessa Johnson scored 10 points apiece off the Gamecocks bench. Sophomore guard KK Arnold scored nine points off the Huskies bench.
With her 17 points, Bueckers became the Huskies’ all-time leader in career points in the NCAA tournament. The projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft scored 477 points in the tournament over her four-year decorated career with the Huskies.
That total also stands as the third-most in history, trailing only Caitlin Clark and Chamique Holdsclaw.
