The last time UConn was the last team standing in the women’s basketball realm, the year was 2016 when a young Breanna Stewart led the Huskies to their 11th championship.
During that period of time between 2016 and 2025, Dawn Staley had built South Carolina in a women’s basketball powerhouse on par with what Geno Auriemma had established in Storrs.
It was only fitting that in order for UConn to find its way back to the top of the mountain that it had to go through the Gamecocks en route to said destination. The Huskies did just that by virtue of an 82-59 rout of South Carolina.
February Flashbacks
Going into Sunday’s national championship game at Tampa’s Amalie Arena, many believed that this get-together between Huskies and Gamecocks would be very different from an earlier contest at Colonial Life Arena that was all UConn, all the time.
Instead, it was eerily reminiscent of that contest in Columbia from two months ago. In many ways, that earlier blowout was a premonition of what was to come in the national championship game.
Auriemma’s Huskies had the number of Staley’s Gamecocks this season – and now it is South Carolina that will head into the offseason asking how to defeat UConn.
Tables Turned From Twenty Twenty Two
Auriemma and Staley – two of the greatest coaches in history – have a history seeing each other in big games – including in 2022.
It was in 2022 when South Carolina and UConn last matched up in a national championship game. That was a Gamecocks team that featured the likes of Aliyah Boston and Destanni Henderson and was also motivated by a heartbreaking loss in the previous year’s Final Four.
That South Carolina rendition got the better of UConn to claim the second of two championships in the Staley era.
Azzi 360
In many ways, the Gamecocks learned the hard way that this year’s UConn team was not last season’s Iowa team.
That Iowa team’s chances of winning were dashed when Staley put Raven Johnson on Caitlin Clark. That team had Kate Martin and Hannah Stuelke leading the Hawkeyes’ supporting cast.
This season’s Huskies team had Azzi Fudd – and South Carolina had no answers for her the way they did Iowa last season. Fudd earned Most Oustanding Player honors after a 24-point, five-rebound performance where she played 38 of the game’s 40 minutes.
Too Strong
Much of the conversation in the women’s game revolves around the immense depth of talent there is. That includes young talents that prove they can match veterans point for point, rebound for rebound and assist for assist.
Sarah Strong, a nationally-recognized prospect (ironically out of the Carolinas) was a massive pickup for UConn. Strong may be a freshman but she looked like a redshirt senior at Amalie Arena. Strong’s sneakers were on the court for 37 minutes. She concluded her day with 24 points and 15 rebounds.
We are still some years away from the 2028 WNBA Draft. If anyone is going to put together a mock draft for 2028, Strong ought to be at the top of said board.
Turning the Paige
The odyssey of Paige Bueckers has been one to watch these past few years. Bueckers has experienced the low of an ACL injury to the euphoria of this year’s championship.
Bueckers is now in rarefied air. When one wears the UConn uniform, one is measured by national championships. The list of WNBA talents that have passed through Storrs reads like a who’s who. Sue Bird. Diana Taurasi. Tina Charles. Maya Moore. Breanna Stewart. Napheesa Collier.
While Fudd and Strong shared the UConn lead in scoring, Bueckers chimed in with 17 points, six rebounds and three assists.
She is heading into the WNBA as a champion. Bueckers is virtually a shoo-in to be the No. 1 overall pick. The Dallas Wings await Minnesota’s favorite daughter.
Monday Morning Quarterbacking in Columbia
It is not often that South Carolina is asking questions following a big game. Sunday’s national championship tilt was an exception.
Next season’s Gamecocks rendition will certainly be different. Te-Hina Paopao is sure to be a WNBA draft pick. This was also the senior season for Raven Johnson, Bree Hall and Sania Feagin.
It is a guarantee that South Carolina will be back and motivated to get back to the top of the women’s college hoops food chain that they were at in 2017, 2022 and 2024.
Chloe Kitts will be a senior – so will Maryam Dauda. MiLaysia Fulwiley will be a junior as will Tessa Johnson. Joyce Edwards will be a sophomore as will Maddy McDaniel. In addition, the Gamecocks will also benefit from having a healthy Ashlyn Watkins.
One can also expect South Carolina to be an attractive destination in the transfer portal. And we know Staley is one of the best recruiters in the game on top of being one of the best coaches.
This loss will sting for a while but the Gamecocks will firmly be in the national championship conversation next season and for as long as Staley is calling the plays in Columbia.
