by Jayden Lawrence
On Sunday, the 2-seeded UConn Huskies won their 12th National Championship, defeating South Carolina 82-59. The 19,731 fans inside Amalie Arena witnessed UConn secure the most national championships in college basketball.
In February, these two teams ranked as the third most-watched women’s college basketball game, garnering 1.8 million fans on ESPN platforms. Now, with final viewership numbers still rolling in from the title game, the attention surrounding UConn feels more than earned.
This team took care of business at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, just as they’ve been doing all tourney long. At 71 and 65 respectively, Hall of Fame coaches Geno Auriemma and Chris Dailey show no signs of slowing down. All Husky championships have been won under their leadership.
From the opening tip, UConn smothered the defending champions defensively and ran in transition like a team possessed. By halftime, the gap was already double-digits, and the Gamecocks had no answers for the Huskies’ tempo or shot-making.
“They played harder than us,” South Carolina Guard MiLaysia Fulwiley conceded. She explained that UConn played like they wanted to win the national championship. “They didn’t back down from us. We came out on the same level, but we didn’t keep it up,” said Fulwiley.
UConn’s readiness for a championship was consistent throughout March Madness. In their 103-34 tournament-opening victory against Arkansas State, Most Outstanding Player Azzi Fudd popped off with 27-points on 10-of-13 shooting.
Fudd and Sarah Strong are two collegiate athletes on this deep roster who deserve their shine. All of UConn’s talent is a testament to how grand the Huskies’ development has been since day one. However, another name from this squad will shake the WNBA soon.
UConn has historically produced winners in the WNBA, including the school’s all-time scoring leader, four-time league champion, first-ballot Naismith Hall of Famer Maya Moore. Additionally, the second career-leading scorer for UConn, two-time league champion Breanna Stewart, is also etched in UConn’s history. Both players were easily number-one picks in their respective draft classes.
But few players have generated as much buzz as Paige Bueckers heading into the WNBA Draft. The 6’ guard now sits third in career scoring while maintaining second in season scoring for the Huskies. Fittingly, in her national championship win, she broke Moore’s record for points in the NCAA tournament. The stats don’t lie, she’s averaging 20 points per game, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.7 assists at the collegiate level.
Bueckers also has that ice in her veins, as she’s now the first UConn Huskies women’s basketball player to score 40 or more points during the March Tournament, doing so in the Sweet-16 matchup against Oklahoma. After that performance, one-seeded USC, with no Juju Watkins, didn’t stand a chance in the Elite Eight, and the Trojans fell, 78-64. Paige, like a true champion, still showed her respect to another future great. In the Final Four, the Huskies defeated one-seeded UCLA, 85-51. Lauren Betts put in a great effort, dropping 26 points for UCLA, but the Bruins couldn’t outscore the Huskies in any quarter.
Simply put, history has been made, with Paige Buckets solidifying her place as a top pick in this year’s draft. The Dallas Wings have the first pick and spots for a star guard to take over. Although the media wants you to believe differently, it’s hard not to see Bueckers ending up there.
While the talk of College Basketball was focused on Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, Bueckers kept pushing this team past one-seed after one-seed, contributing to one-seed upsets five times in her UConn career. In 2022, it was NC State and Stanford. In 2024, it was USC. This year, it was USC and UCLA.
She’s also seen five different injuries in her five years, including an ACL tear, which is why she can empathize with Watkins, who I firmly expect to stop at nothing to bring USC their third national championship next season.
If winning, impact, or returning stronger than ever matters, then Paige Bueckers is the obvious number one pick this year. Dallas has had a rough year in sports, but UConn’s brightest star out of the pandemic could change a lot for their future. The Wings’ 9-31 record can flip with Bueckers. She’s the zenith of a collegiate to pro athlete; given some time to adjust, she’ll be an absolute game-changer. Also, look out for Fudd. Her decision to stay with the UConn Huskies one more year has the world buzzing.
