TAMPA, Fla. (AP) 鈥 Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd didn鈥檛 even need much help from superstar Paige Bueckers to propel UConn into the national title game, leading the Huskies to a remarkably easy 85-51 victory over UCLA on Friday night in the Final Four of the women鈥檚 NCAA Tournament.
Strong finished with 22 points and Fudd scored all of her 19 points in the first half for the second-seeded Huskies, who are one win away from their 12th national championship and first since the team won four straight from 2013-16, led by Breanna Stewart. The eight-year title drought is the longest for the Huskies since they won their first in 1995.
鈥淲e aren鈥檛 worried about the past. Every single day you walk into the gym and live up to the standard of playing UConn basketball,鈥 Bueckers said. 鈥淣ot comparing yourself to other teams and players before. We want to fill their shoes and make them proud. Wear the jersey with pride.鈥
UConn will face defending champion South Carolina on Sunday for the title after the Gamecocks beat Texas earlier Friday night. It鈥檚 a rematch of the 2022 championship game, which the Gamecocks won 64-49. The teams met in February and UConn shocked South Carolina with a .
鈥淭hey've played basketball at an exceptionally high level when you think about the Final Fours they've been too and the consistency in their program," UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. 鈥淭he ability to win national championships multiple times and (they) are in a position to win back-to-back ones.鈥
Bueckers, the likely top pick in the WNBA draft on April 14, finished with 16 points after topping 30 in each of the previous three games for the Huskies (36-3).
鈥淚f Paige had 16 last year, we wouldn't have made it to the Final Four,鈥 Auriemma said. 鈥淚f she had the game she had today the previous year, it would be almost impossible for us to win.鈥
All-America center Lauren Betts scored 26 points for top overall seed UCLA (34-3).
UConn got off to a hot start with Strong and Fudd leading the way. Even when shots looked off, they found their way in. Fudd, one of the best shooters in the country whose career at UConn has been interrupted by multiple injuries, banked in a 3-pointer from the top of the key, prompting Auriemma to throw his arms in the air and smile.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just so much fun to watch her play with joy and be at this stage,鈥 Bueckers said of Fudd. 鈥淵ou see all the ups and downs, the bad days, the good days and to be at this spot where it鈥檚 the light at the end of the tunnel and for her to perform and be at this stage, it means everything to us.鈥
The Huskies led 23-13 at the end of the first quarter. They continued the onslaught behind Fudd to open a 42-22 advantage at the break. Bueckers had the play of the half with a in the air to Kaitlyn Chen for a layup late in the second quarter.
UCLA never threated in the second half as the 6-foot-7 Betts had little help. UConn ended up breaking its own record for margin of victory in the Final Four or national title game 鈥 the Huskies won the 2013 championship by 33 points over Louisville.
UCLA's run ends
The Bruins fell short in their first appearance in the NCAA Final Four. UCLA won a national title in 1978 in the pre-NCAA era of women鈥檚 basketball. The Bruins were looking to become the first team from the Big Ten, a conference they joined this season, to win a championship since Purdue did it in 1999.
UCLA cruised through its best regular season, earning the No. 1 ranking in for the first time and holding the spot for 14 weeks.
The Bruins only lost twice this year before Friday, both to JuJu Watkins and USC. UCLA got a measure of revenge by in its first year in the league after the dismantling of the Pac-12. The Bruins set a program record for wins in a season and won 23 consecutive games, including 22 in a row by double digits.
鈥淲e鈥檝e obviously gone to new heights this year, but we got to let the pain of this hopefully teach us to go to new heights next year," UCLA coach Cori Close said. 鈥淟earn from this and be better the next time. (It鈥檚) really unusual to be in this position at the Final Four and have zero seniors in your locker room and have an opportunity to come back stronger, more connected, learning from this experience and be better the next time.鈥
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