The second-seeded UConn women’s basketball team (36-3) broke its own record for the largest margin of victory in a women’s Final Four game on Friday, defeating No. 1 overall seed UCLA (34-3) 85-51 inside Amalie Arena to advance to its 13th NCAA title game appearance.
“I have to say this was somewhat unexpected,” head coach Geno Auriemma said post-game. “You always went into these games this time of year expecting it to be incredibly, incredibly difficult – and not that it wasn’t – [but] I think our guys played about as hard as any group of kids could play.”
A salty defensive effort was the catalyst in Connecticut’s demolition of the nation’s top seeded team, forcing 19 turnovers and allowing just 38% of field goal attempts to hit in a suffocation of the UCLA offense.
UConn’s victory over UCLA sets up a far-too-common rematch with No. 2 overall seed South Carolina in the National Championship game on Sunday at 3 p.m.
It was the third time in UConn’s star-studded program history that it defeated two one seeds in the same NCAA Tournament. The Huskies have never defeated three No. 1 seeds in the same tournament.
“I think my mindset tonight was just to be aggressive — whatever that meant – on the defensive end,” said graduate wing Azzi Fudd. “[O]ur entire team’s mindset, trying to make things difficult for them and having that lead to offense.”
Fudd started the scoring after she a Bruin pass on the opening possession, sprinting past Kiki Rice and laying it in at the rim to claim the game’s first lead.
The opening possession underscored the entirety of the first half for both teams; Connecticut forcing a turnover that led to paint points on the other end, with UConn taking a +11 margin in turnovers (14-3) and +15 spread in points from turnovers (19-4) into the halftime locker room.
Sarah Strong took a rebound the distance on the following possession, building the Husky lead to four less than a minute into the game.
After Betts and Rice found two baskets in the paint to tie the game, the Huskies responded with the game’s first three pointer from Strong, who drained a look from the left wing to build the lead to five before the first quarter media break.
El Alfy scored her first basket of the game on a second chance opportunity, putting one back up after a Bueckers miss from deep.
The redshirt freshman had a stellar defensive half, ripping three rebounds off the defensive glass and nabbing three steals in the first 20 minutes, playing primarily on Betts in the paint.
Fudd got back on the board on a string of two three pointers, knocking down two from the left wing to put the Huskies up double-digits for the first time.
Paige Bueckers beat the first period buzzer with a step back from the left baseline, notching her second basket of the night to put the Huskies back up 10 to end the quarter.
Fudd added 12 in the second quarter while playing all ten minutes, hitting on two three pointers and grabbing two steals in a hardy effort for the graduate wing.
Connecticut got looks from every spot on the court in the second, pouring on 19 to flex its lead to 20 at the break. UConn ended the quarter on a 7-0 run, with Bueckers and Fudd accounting for all seven.
The Huskies hit on seven field goals and shot 41% from the floor in the period, forcing eight turnovers to bring the Bruins’ total to 14 at the half: one shy of its season average of 15.
The second half saw the Huskies stretch and pry the lead to as many as 34, out-rebounding, out-shooting and out-hustling the Bruins to every spot on the court.
Bueckers and Strong (who finished with a combined 38 points) scored the half’s first baskets on touches from the paint. The Bruins’ one-two punch of Kiki Rice and Lauren Betts fought back with six straight before Connecticut ended the quarter on a 14-6 run to extend its lead to 23 at the end of three.
The Huskies substituted out its starters midway through the fourth quarter, allowing veterans Caroline Ducharme and Aubrey Griffin to earn playing time alongside El Alfy, Qadence Samuels and KK Arnold.
The Huskies will square off with South Carolina in Sunday’s heavyweight bout at 3 p.m. The game will air on ESPN.