South Carolina and UConn win in women’s Final Four, will square off for national title on Sunday

South Carolina guard Bree Hall, left, and UConn guard Paige Bueckers.

The matchup for the women’s basketball national title game is set, and it’s a doozy.

South Carolina and UConn will face off at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday in a matchup between two powerhouse programs. The Gamecocks are looking to repeat as national champions and win their third national title in four seasons, while the Huskies are looking for their school’s record 12th national title – though it would be their first since 2016.

The matchup will pit two of the sport’s most high-profile coaches against one another in SC’s Dawn Staley and UConn’s Geno Auriemma. It’ll also give the college game’s most high-profile player, UConn senior Paige Bueckers, one final shot to win an elusive national title before she moves on to the WNBA.

This will be the second time the teams will face off this year, and the Gamecocks will be looking for revenge. The Huskies won in a rout back in February, defeating South Carolina 87-58 on the Gamecocks’ home floor.

It’ll be the second time in recent years these two teams have faced off in the title game. South Carolina defeated UConn for the title back in the 2022 edition of the national championship game. If the Gamecocks are victorious, they’ll be the first team to repeat as champions since UConn won four straight titles between 2013 and 2016.

The game will be shown on ABC on Sunday afternoon.

South Carolina forward Joyce Edwards takes a shot against Texas.

South Carolina 74, Texas 57

Reigning champs South Carolina are heading back to the national championship game after defeating Texas 74-57.

The Gamecocks, who are in the title game for the third time in four years, are looking for their fourth title in program history.

South Carolina guard Te-Hina Paopao scored a team-high 14 points in the win, with freshman Joyce Edwards adding 13 points and 11 rebounds off the bench.

After the game, Edwards gave credit for her and her teams performance to South Carolina alumnus and WNBA superstar A’ja Wilson.

“The reason we are here is because of her,” Edwards told the ESPN broadcast with Wilson watching on at the Amalie Arena. “It’s crazy for her to see a full circle how her legacy is inspiring other girls just like me to come out here and play.”

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley, who has never lost in a title game, told reporters it is not a statistic to which she pays much attention.

“I don’t even bring it up,” Staley said. “It’s just singularly focused on winning a game. Nothing that happened prior to here is going to help us on Sunday – nothing. … I think playing in the game and seeing how the game is being played out, it’s the only thing that’s going to help us.

“Saying that we’re undefeated in national championship games, it’s not – I wish it helped, I wish it would spot us 10 points because we’re undefeated. I’d feel really good about that.”

The No. 1 seeded Longhorns did not play up to par. Texas finished with 14 total turnovers and struggled from 3-point range, making only four out of 10 attempts.

Longhorns star forward Madison Booker struggled with fouls all game despite finishing with 11 points.

The more impressive statistic from the first of two games on Final Four Friday was that South Carolina have now won 104 straight games when they lead at halftime.

UConn guard Azzi Fudd drives to the basket against UCLA guard Londynn Jones.

UConn 85, UCLA 51

The No. 2 Huskies secured a return to the NCAA tournament’s national championship game with a dominant 85-51 win over No. 1 UCLA in the second game of the women’s Final Four.

UConn’s dynamic frontcourt duo of Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd lit up the Bruins, who were the top overall seed in the tournament, combining to score 41 of the Huskies’ 85 points.

Freshman-sensation Strong led the charge with a team-high 22 points, etching her name in history as only the third UConn freshman to drop 20 in a Final Four game.

With the victory, the Huskies punched their ticket to the title game for the first time since 2022. They will square off against No. 1 South Carolina on Sunday, aiming for a record 12th national championship in women’s program history.

The opponent the last time UConn got to the national title game? South Carolina. The Gamecocks handed Geno Auriemma, the all-time winningest coach in women’s basketball history, his only defeat in a national title game in that showdown.

Paige Bueckers, the senior star for the Huskies, said she’s not putting much stock in her team’s performance in Columbia earlier this year and what it means for Sunday.

“At this point, anything you did prior to the season means nothing,” Bueckers said on the key to winning against the Gamecocks. “The record is 0-0, teams are trying to go 1-0 in the final game.”

For UCLA, Friday night’s loss closes the curtain on a groundbreaking season. The top-seeded Bruins, making their first-ever Final Four appearance, couldn’t find their rhythm despite a valiant 26-point effort from standout center Lauren Betts. Plagued by 19 turnovers and a dismal 4-of-16 from beyond the arc, UCLA’s historic run ends in heartbreak.

Bueckers said keeping Betts in check was the key to their game planning.

“They got the best post player in the country, she draws so much attention, she’s very physical she gets to her spot, and they just did a tremendous job on her,” Bueckers said on how the UConn frontcourt defended Betts.

“They’ve been working extremely hard to practice. You can’t beat her, but you can do your best to try to be like her, but they just did a wonderful job in the paint.”

Two powerhouse schools will meet on Sunday to determine the national champion - South Carolina and UConn.

However, Friday saw two Final Four games that showed why these two teams were destined to meet in the title game.

The No. 1 seeded Gamecocks defeated No. 1 seed Texas 74-57 while the No. 2 seed Huskies blew out No. 1 UCLA 85-51.

See some of the best pictures from tonight’s matchups:

Paige Bueckers, center, celebrates with her UConn teammates during the fourth quarter against UCLA.

UCLA center Lauren Betts and UConn forward Sarah Strong battle for the ball.

UCLA Bruins guard Kiki Rice and UConn guard Kaitlyn Chen go after a loose ball.

UCLA center Lauren Betts looks during the fourth quarter against UConn.

The South Carolina bench celebrates in the fourth quarter against Texas.

South Carolina guard MiLaysia Fulwiley attempts a shot against Texas.

Texas forward Kyla Oldacre fights to keep the ball while being guarded by Sania Feagin and Bree Hall of South Carolina.

South Carolina forward Sania Feagin attempts a shot while being guarded by Texas guard Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda.

Jordana Codio and Taylor Jones of the Texas Longhorns react after losing to South Carolina.

See more pictures from the NCAA tournament.

UConn's Paige Bueckers celebrates on the bench against UCLA.

The No. 2 Huskies have secured a return to the NCAA tournament’s national championship game after a dominant 85-51 win over No. 1 UCLA in the Final Four at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.

UConn’s dynamic frontcourt duo of Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd lit up the Bruins, combining to score 41 of the Huskies’ 85 points.

The freshman sensation Strong led the charge with a team-high 22 points, etching her name in history as only the third UConn freshman to drop 20 in a Final Four game.

With the victory, the Huskies punch their ticket to the title game for the first time since 2022. They will square off against No. 1 South Carolina on Sunday, aiming for a record 12th national championship in women’s program history.

For UCLA, Friday night’s loss closes the curtain on a groundbreaking season. The top-seeded Bruins, making their first-ever Final Four appearance, couldn’t find their rhythm despite a valiant 26-point effort from standout center Lauren Betts. Plagued by 19 turnovers and a dismal 4-of-16 from beyond the arc, UCLA’s historic run ends in heartbreak.

Final score: UConn 85, UCLA 51

UCLA ead coach Cori Close during the third quarter against UConn.

UCLA’s head coach Cori Close said her team needs to play with more toughness and togetherness if they want to mount any kind of comeback.

“We got to play with more toughness and togetherness,” Close told the ESPN broadcast. “You know, we’ve been reacting the entire game. When we have executed together on defense or on offense, we’ve gotten good stuff and played to our identity.

“We have just not done that on a consistent basis. We have not been the tougher, more together team.”

Score: UConn 66, UCLA 39

Inside the paint, from beyond the arc, and mid-range, the No. 2 Huskies have scored every which way, leaving no doubt who will advance to the national championship – unless there’s a major change in the final 10 minutes.

UConn outscored UCLA 18-15 in the third quarter and further extended their lead to 23 points heading into the final stanza.

Paige Bueckers, who scored six points in the first half, has come alive for the Huskies, scoring six points in the thrid quarter alone.

Score: UConn 60, UCLA 37

UConn forward Sarah Strong takes a shot against UCLA.

UConn continue to hold a steady advantage over UCLA.

Paige Bueckers’ latest bucket has the Huskies ahead by 22 points, as UCLA try to climb back into this one.

Bueckers has struggled on offense for most of the night, but it hasn’t come back to haunt UConn.

Lauren Betts continues to be one of the lone bright spots for the Bruins, scoring four of the Bruins’ eight points so far in the quarter

Score: UConn 50, UCLA 28

We are back underway in Tampa! No. 2 UConn and No. 1 UCLA have taken the court as we tipoff for the second half of the Final Four matchup.

UConn sit comfortably with a 20-point advantage, just two quarters away from a return to the national championship game.

Meanwhile, the Bruins will look to flip the script and mount a comeback in their hunt for a maiden title game appearance.

Will the Huskies hang one and prevail? Tune in!

Jana El Alfy and Paige Bueckers of the UConn Huskies celebrate after a play against UCLA.

The No. 2 Huskies stormed out the gate and never took their foot off the pedal, taking a 42-22 lead over No. 1 UCLA at the break in Tampa, Florida.

Azzi Fudd has almost single-handily matched the Bruins score, dropping 19 points, while shooting 7-of-11 from the field.

“This is something, when you’re in the Final Four, there is no off,” Fudd told the ESPN broadcast. “Like you got to be on, whether shots are going in or not, that’s a mindset that you’re on.”

Meanwhile, the Bruins struggled to maintain possession of the ball, committing 14 turnovers leading to 19 of the Huskies’ points.

UConn are 24-1 when Fudd scores 15+ points, including 21 straight. Will they make it 25-1?

Score: UConn 42, UCLA 22

UConn guard Azzi Fudd drives to the basket against UCLA.

Azzi Fudd is on a heater! The UConn forward is up to 19 points, as she continues to keep the Huskies ahead against UCLA.

UConn’s frontcourt duo of Fudd and Sarah Strong have combined to score 27 of the Huskies’ 42 points.

The Bruins are still struggling with turnovers, but are also being hurt by their lack of scoring from beyond the arc. UCLA have shot a combined 1-of-5 from range.

Score: UConn 42, UCLA 22

UConn's Paige Bueckers, right, and KK Arnold, left, attempt to steal the ball from UCLA forward Janiah Barker.

It’s been all Connecticut in this one, as the top-seeded UCLA are being haunted by turnovers.

As we approach the midway point of the second quarter, the Bruins have committed 10 turnovers, which have led to 14 Huskies points. UCLA have more turnovers (10) than made field goals (eight) so far in this contest.

Score: UCLA 29, UCLA 17

UConn head coach Geno Auriemma during the first quarter against UCLA.

Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma liked what he saw from his squad in a dominant first quarter.

“Well, I think defensively we’re doing a pretty good job of getting some pressure on the ball,” Auriemma told the ESPN broadcast.

“The key is we’re making them play defense, we’re making them have to adjust to different things, and we’re getting open looks. Now, it’s just a matter of being able to contain that for four quarters.”

Azzi Fudd, who struggled in the team’s Elite Eight game, leads UConn with 11 points, including shooting 4-for-5 from the field.

Meanwhile, the Huskies have forced the Bruins to commit 10 turnovers as we cross the six minute mark of the second quarter.

Score: UConn 27, UCLA 15

UConn forward Sarah Strong takes a shot against UCLA forward Angela Dugalic.

We are through the first quarter with No. 2 UConn holding a comfortable 23-13 lead over No. 1 UCLA.

UConn got off to quick start, jumping to a quick 4-0 lead, but UCLA weathered the early Huskies onslaught.

The Huskies stayed a step ahead of the Bruins, while mostly neutralizing standout center Lauren Betts.

Holding a 9-8 lead, UConn strung together a 6-0 run to take a seven-point advantage as they began to impose themselves on UCLA.

But Betts stopped the run with a much-needed layup and foul for the and-1. That score turned out to be more of a Band-Aid than a solution as UConn added six more points on back-to-back threes from Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd.

At the quarter’s buzzer, UConn star Paige Bueckers nailed a 3-pointer with the horn sounding to give her team a 10-point lead after 10 minutes of play.

Score: UConn 23, UCLA 13

We are underway in Tampa, Florida, for the second Final Four matchup on Friday night.

The No. 2-seed UConn and No. 1 UCLA have tipped off as they square off with a berth in the national championship game on the line.

UConn will be led by Paige Bueckers, who has averaged 29 points per game while shooting 58.7% and 58.3% from three. After advancing to the NCAA Final Four for a record 24th time, the Huskies are looking to return to the national championship game and capture a 12^th title in women’s program history.

Meanwhile, the top-seeded UCLA are making their first Final Four appearance in program history. The Bruins will be led by standout center Lauren Betts, who led the team with 20 points and 9.6 rebounds per game.

History favors the Huskies, who hold a 7-1 edge all-time against the Bruins, including 2-0 in the NCAA Tournament.

The winner will play against South Carolina in the national championship on Sunday.

Lauren Betts, Angela Dugalić and Kendall Dudley of the UCLA Bruins celebrate after beating the Ole Miss Rebels at Spokane Arena on March 28, in Spokane, Washington.

Friday’s second Final Four game is also a clash of two teams with vastly different recent histories.

UCLA is playing in its first Final Four while for UConn, it is a 24th appearance at this stage of the women’s NCAA tournament.

UCLA, the No. 1 overall seed in this year’s tournament, has been the Associated Press’ top-ranked team in the country for most of the year and is seeking to cap off a special season by going one step further on Friday.

Although they are in an uncharted position, Bruins head coach Cori Close isn’t surprised at all: “We expected and believed that we would be in Tampa. And that being said, we’re really grateful, but we are ready to compete.”

UConn Huskies guard Azzi Fudd shoots the ball against St. John's Red Storm forward Kylie Lavelle at Mohegan Sun Arena.

Despite historically being a benchmark team in the women’s game, the 11-time national champion Huskies are seeking to return to the top of the mountain having not won a title since 2016.

They are looking to go one step further than last year having lost to Caitlin Clark and Iowa in the Final Four. And with Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd leading the team, UConn could be well positioned to do so.

The Huskies have better scoring, defense, three-point percentage, ball security and free throw percentage than UCLA and produced a brilliant display in the Elite Eight to comfortably beat No. 1 Southern California, which was missing Naismith and AP national women’s player of the year JuJu Watkins through injury.

Bueckers – who has averaged 30.5 points per game in the Huskies’ last three outings – highlighted the danger Betts will pose when the two teams face off on Friday, while also talking about the weight that comes with playing for UConn as they seek to bring a 12th national championship back to Storrs.

“And once you walk inside the practice facility, you see all the history, all the names, all the banners, it’s just motivation. Obviously, there’s expectations here, and anything less than a national championship is really a disappointment. As players, that’s what you play for and what you want to live up to. And the expectations and the pressure, it’s a privilege. So we all look at it as such.”

Lauren Betts of the UCLA Bruins shoots against LSU Lady Tigers at Spokane Arena on March 30 in Spokane, Washington.

The emergence of Lauren Betts as a star has been a key component in the Bruins’ success this season, having recorded two 30-point performances so far this tournament already.

The 6-foot-7-inch center leads the team in points and rebounds per game and has 19 double-doubles, which puts her in the top 10 in the country.

When speaking to the media on Thursday, Betts puts her outstanding season in large part down to the “mental work” she’s put in recently, having opened up about her mental health struggles in an article with ESPN where she talked about being bullied for her height.

“I think one of the reasons why I wanted to come out with the story is because I felt like I was finally in the right place to do so,” Betts told reporters. “I think that I just had done a lot of healing since then. I was like: ‘You know what, I just don’t feel like I have to really hide this anymore.’

South Carolina forward Chloe Kitts, guard Te-Hina Paopao and guard Bree Hall react during the second half against Texas.

Reigning champs South Carolina are heading back to the national championship game after defeating Texas 74-57.

The Gamecocks, who are in the title game for the third time in four years, are looking for their fourth title in program history.

SC guard Te-Hina Paopao scored a team-high 14 points in the win, with freshman Joyce Edwards adding 13 points and 11 rebounds off the bench.

After the game, Edwards gave credit for her and her teams performance to South Carolina alumnus and WNBA superstar A’ja Wilson.

“The reason we are here is because of her,” Edwards told the ESPN broadcast with Wilson watching on at the Amalie Arena. “It’s crazy for her to see a full circle how her legacy is inspiring other girls just like me to come out here and play.”

The Gamecocks will face the winner of the upcoming Final Four game between UConn and UCLA on Sunday at 3 p.m ET.

Final score: South Carolina 74, Texas 57

South Carolina guard Te-Hina Paopao has been the stabilizer the team needs to start the fourth quarter.

While the Gamecocks are holding onto a 13-point lead, Texas has stayed in the game with timely shots.

The senior guard Paopao stopped the Longhorns momentum with a clutch 3-pointer.

Texas has seven minutes to come back.

Score: South Carolina 61, Texas 48

The third quarter was all South Carolina.

The Gamecocks ended the quarter on an 11-3 run and outscored Texas 20-9 to jump out to a 14-point lead.

Joyce Edwards has been the X-factor for SC, scoring 12 points off the bench – a breakout game for a freshman who has struggled in the tournament to this point..

The Gamecocks are 10 minutes away from advancing to the national championship game on Sunday, where they would face the winner of UConn-UCLA.

Score: South Carolina 58, Texas 44

Joyce Edwards of the South Carolina Gamecocks drives to the basket during the third quarter against the Texas Longhorns.

South Carolina has found some calm air so far in the second half.

The Gamecocks are holding onto an 11-point lead with just under four minutes to go in the third quarter.

Joyce Edwards has led the way with 10 points off the bench.

Texas needs to do everything in their power to keep Madison Booker out of foul trouble.

The star forward has a team-high 11 points but has three fouls.

The Longhorns are also struggling from three, making only one attempt up to this point.

Score: South Carolina 52, Texas 41