TAMPA, Fla. — Through the closing candy moments of UConn’s twelfth nationwide title, Geno Auriemma and Paige Bueckers embraced after the star guard departed her closing sport with the Huskies.
It was the second they’d needed all alongside.
“They’ve all been gratifying, don’t get me unsuitable,” Auriemma mentioned. “However this one right here, due to the best way it took place and what’s been concerned, it’s been a very long time since I’ve been that emotional when a participant has walked off the courtroom.”
Bueckers, Azzi Fudd and Sarah Sturdy led the best way as UConn returned to the highest of ladies’s faculty basketball by rolling to an 82-59 victory over defending champion South Carolina on Sunday.
Fudd, who was named the Most Excellent Participant of the Ultimate 4, scored 24 factors. Sturdy had 24 factors and 15 rebounds, and Bueckers scored 17 factors for UConn (37-3).
“Nicely, it’s superb to have three gamers, three folks like that on the identical group,” mentioned the 71-year-old Auriemma, who turned the oldest coach in main faculty basketball to win a championship. “And Sarah, you’d assume Sarah was graduating the best way she performs, proper? All three of them complement one another so properly. All of them have such distinctive ability units.”
Bueckers capped her stellar profession with the Huskies’ first championship since 2016, ending a nine-year drought for the group. That was the longest interval for Auriemma and his program and not using a title since Rebecca Lobo and Jen Rizzotti led the Huskies to their first championship in 1995.
Since then the Huskies have had dominant championship runs, together with within the early 2000s led by Sue Fowl and Diana Taurasi, 2009-10 with Maya Moore and eventually the 4 straight from 2013-16 with Breanna Stewart. All have been in attendance in Florida on Sunday to see the Huskies’ newest title.
“You simply by no means know for those who’ll ever be again on this state of affairs once more,” Auriemma mentioned. “And there have been so many instances once I assume all of us questioned, ‘Have we been right here too lengthy? Has it been time?’ And we saved hanging in there and hanging in there and that’s as a result of these gamers make me need to cling in there day-after-day.”
Bueckers, the anticipated No. 1 decide within the WNBA draft on April 14, delivered for the Huskies all through their championship season.
Successful a title was the one factor lacking from an unimaginable UConn profession that was slowed by accidents. She was the primary freshman to win AP Participant of the Yr earlier than lacking a number of her sophomore season with a tibial plateau fracture and meniscus tear. She then tore an ACL earlier than the subsequent season.
“It’s been a narrative of resilience, gratitude of overcoming adversity and responding to life’s challenges,” Bueckers mentioned. “I wouldn’t commerce it for the world.”
UConn closed the primary half up 10 factors after which put the sport away within the third quarter, with Fudd, Sturdy and Bueckers combining for 23 of the group’s 26 factors within the interval. UConn was up 50-39 with 3:21 left earlier than closing with a 12-3 run.
Fudd and Sturdy received 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.
UConn’s main trio completed the tourney with 368 factors, together with an NCAA freshman report 114 for Sturdy. It was the very best level complete for 3 teammates in a single NCAA Event, based on Stats Carry out. Chamique Holdsclaw, Tamika Catchings and Semeka Randell scored 363 factors for Tennessee within the 1998 ladies’s match, and Glen Rice led the best way for a trio of Michigan males that had 366 factors in 1989.
The UConn trio proved to be method an excessive amount of for South Carolina.
Daybreak Staley’s group was attempting for a 3rd title in 4 years and fourth general. It might have tied her with Kim Mulkey for third most behind Auriemma and former Tennessee Corridor of Fame coach Pat Summitt, who had eight.
“Our youngsters gave all of it they’d. When you’ll be able to perceive why you misplaced and while you’ve been on the opposite facet of that thrice, you perceive it,” Staley mentioned. “You’ll be able to swallow it. We misplaced to an excellent basketball group.”
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 start out the Gamecocks’ present run of success, a sport that ended Auriemma’s good report in title video games.
There gave the impression to be no nerves early for both group as the sport received off to a quick begin. The groups traded baskets for the primary jiffy 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.
