How UConn, South Carolina advanced to the NCAA title game -- and first look at the final

TAMPA, Fla. -- Sunday's nationalist title matchup is set. The South Carolina Gamecocks volition look the UConn Huskies astatine 3 p.m. ET connected ABC.

It's a rematch of the 2022 NCAA rubric crippled successful Minneapolis. South Carolina won that matchup 64-49 to triumph its 2nd nationalist championship. That is the lone NCAA last that the Huskies person lost; they came into that 11-0 successful rubric games.

It's besides a rematch from the regular season. The Huskies routed the Gamecocks 87-58 connected Feb. 16 successful Columbia, South Carolina. UConn's Azzi Fudd scored 28 points to assistance drawback South Carolina's 71-game location triumph streak.

We tracked each the enactment Friday arsenic South Carolina bushed Texas and UConn upended No. 1 wide effect UCLA. Check retired our investigation and archetypal look astatine the NCAA rubric game.

Jump to results and analysis: UConn-UCLA | South Carolina-Texas

(2) UConn vs.
(1) South Carolina

Three X factors for Sunday's nationalist championship

What's astatine stake?

UConn seeks its 12th nationalist rubric and archetypal since 2016. South Carolina looks to repetition aft past year's 38-0 undefeated season. It would beryllium the Gamecocks' 3rd rubric successful 4 years, and 4th overall.

Who wins the freshman conflict betwixt UConn's Sarah Strong and South Carolina's Joyce Edwards?

Strong had 22 points successful Friday's 85-51 blowout of UCLA, owning the 2nd half. In South Carolina's 74-57 triumph implicit Texas successful the Friday's archetypal semifinal, Edwards had 13 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists.

In the regular-season matchup, Strong had 16 points and 13 rebounds, and Edwards 17 and 5. Neither subordinate is connected an island; they volition person plentifulness of help. But a batch of eyes volition beryllium connected these 2 stars of the freshman class.

Can South Carolina bounds Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers?

Fudd had 19 points (all successful the archetypal half) and Bueckers 16 against UCLA. The Bruins conscionable couldn't execute the mode they wanted connected offense, and that marque their defence adjacent much fishy against UConn. If there's 1 happening South Carolina has been capable to number connected each season, it's defense. Bree Hall, the Gamecocks' superior antiaircraft stopper connected the perimeter, volition person a engaged day against UConn.

Can South Carolina marque the astir of its seat strength?

Like its defense, the Gamecocks person been had large accumulation from their seat this season. And that could beryllium a large origin if they tin get the violative boost from the seat (35 points) connected Sunday that they did Friday. Along with Edwards, guards Tessa Johnson (9) and MiLaysia Fulwiley (7) helped bash harm against Texas. -- Michael Voepel

(2) UConn vs.
(1) UCLA

Final: No. 2 UConn 85, No. 1 UCLA 51

How UConn bushed UCLA: The Huskies took power of this crippled from the commencement with their offense, defence and experience. The archetypal fractional was the Azzi Fudd show, arsenic the UConn defender had 19 points successful helping the Huskies to a 42-22 halftime lead.

UCLA struggled to enactment the shot into the players it wanted to get touches, and UConn had 9 steals successful the archetypal half. Bruins manager Cori Close kept imploring her squad to get up the tribunal quicker, to walk much crisply and to not springiness Fudd truthful galore unfastened looks.

Then things didn't get immoderate amended successful the 2nd fractional for the Bruins, who decorativeness the play astatine 34-3. Even though Fudd didn't people aft halftime, it didn't wounded UConn astatine all. That's due to the fact that freshman Sarah Strong proved conscionable arsenic lethal; she scored 14 points successful the 2nd fractional and finished with 22 to pb the Huskies.

Paige Bueckers didn't sprout astatine her accustomed ratio -- 7 of 17 from the tract -- but she inactive finished with 16 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists, including a beauteous interaction walk to teammate Kaitlyn Chen connected a second-quarter accelerated interruption that volition marque item reels.

The No. 1 origin that helped UConn scope Sunday's rubric game: The Huskies' defence reduced UCLA to mostly a one-person menace connected offense. Center Lauren Betts had 26 points connected 11-of-18 shooting and 5 rebounds. But the remainder of the Bruins were 9 of 34 from the field, and nary scored successful treble figures. The acquisition that UConn arsenic a programme and players similar Bueckers individually person successful the Final Four showed connected Friday. The Huskies looked comfortable, similar this was conscionable different crippled for them to amusement their stuff.

The Bruins, by contrast, seemed rattled and uncertain, not looking similar the squad that was ranked No. 1 for longer than immoderate different programme this season. But unless determination are transfers oregon different departures, UCLA could bring backmost each of its players and marque different tally astatine the Final Four adjacent year. This experience, achy arsenic it was to beryllium blown retired successful the nationalist semifinals, could assistance that quest.

What is UConn's cardinal successful the title game: The Huskies volition look South Carolina successful a rematch of the 2022 NCAA last won by the Gamecocks. South Carolina went into that crippled a favorite, but UConn -- contempt being a No. 2 effect -- is apt considered the favourite Sunday. That's successful portion due to the fact that of what UConn did to the Gamecocks erstwhile they met successful Columbia, South Carolina, connected Feb. 16 successful an 86-58 victory.

Despite that result, Sunday should beryllium what neither of Friday's semifinals were: a adjacent game. The Huskies volition request their large 3 of Bueckers, Fudd and Strong to support doing what they've done each tournament: power the gait and momentum. -- Michael Voepel

play

1:14

Azzi Fudd dominates with 19 points for UConn successful archetypal half

Azzi Fudd drops 19 points successful UConn's ascendant archetypal fractional vs. UCLA.

An affectional Betts exits

An affectional Lauren Betts conscionable checked retired of the crippled for UCLA. She bent implicit crying astatine the extremity of the seat earlier taking a spot and putting a towel implicit her face. Just named the Lisa Leslie Award victor arsenic the country's apical center, she finished with 26 points and 5 rebounds. -- Katie Barnes

UConn pulling distant arsenic Betts lone agleam spot for UCLA

UConn's pb present is 72-43 with 4:15 left. Lauren Betts is up to 23 points for UCLA, but nary different Bruins person reached treble figures. -- Michael Voepel

Stat fact: Sarah Strong is successful elite company

Sarah Strong is the 3rd freshman successful UConn past with astatine slightest 20 points successful a Final Four game.

Maya Moore did it successful the 2008 semifinal against Stanford (20 points) and Breanna Stewart did it successful the semis (29) and title (23) successful 2013. -- ESPN Research

One much play to play

The smallest momentum that UCLA gets is unopen down astir immediately. The Huskies pb 60-37 astatine the extremity of the 3rd quarter. UConn didn't get immoderate points from Azzi Fudd successful the 3rd quarter, but didn't request any. Freshman Sarah Strong had 10 points and elder Paige Bueckers had 6 points successful the 4th for the Huskies, who look good connected their mode to a title crippled matchup with South Carolina. -- Michael Voepel

UCLA fans feeling the pain

Even erstwhile things look similar they are going close for UCLA, it conscionable isn't panning out. After getting UConn heavy into the changeable timepiece and forcing a Paige Bueckers miss, the shot bounced astir and landed with the Huskies. As Sarah Strong deed a 3-pointer to marque it a 53-29 UConn lead, I heard a UCLA instrumentality screaming "NOOOO." The despondence is palpable. -- Katie Barnes

Offensive struggles proceed for Bruins

UConn is up 50-28 with 4:54 near successful the 3rd quarter. Again, thing extracurricular of Lauren Betts is moving offensively for UCLA, which is 1 of 7 from 3-point range. Betts is 7 of 13 from the field; the remainder of the Bruins are 5 of 19. -- Michael Voepel

Halftime: UConn 42, UCLA 22

Most everything they person wanted has gone the UConn Huskies' mode successful the archetypal half. Azzi Fudd leads each scorers with 19 points connected 7-of-11 shooting, portion Sarah Strong has 8 points and Paige Bueckers 6.

Center Lauren Betts has been the lone large menace offensively for UCLA; she has 11 points connected 5-of-10 shooting. This is the Bruins' lowest halftime full of the season; the erstwhile debased was 25.

The Bruins are shooting 41.7% (10 of 24). UCLA finished 9-for-15 successful the paint, 1-for-9 extracurricular of it. UConn is outscoring UCLA by 22 extracurricular the paint.

The Bruins are struggling to determination the shot against UConn's progressive defense. The Huskies person 9 first-half steals to conscionable 1 for UCLA.

UConn is 64-0 erstwhile starring by 15 oregon much points astatine halftime successful the NCAA tournament. So for UCLA to spell to the title game, the Bruins volition request to person an epic comeback. -- Michael Voepel

play

0:26

Paige Bueckers drills step-back buzzer-beater for UConn

Paige Bueckers nails the buzzer-beater from midrange to adjacent retired the archetypal 4th vs. UCLA.

Close not blessed with Bruins' D connected Fudd

UCLA manager Cori Close appears disgusted that Azzi Fudd keeps getting unfastened looks against the Bruins' defence and knocking them down. Close volition person to situation her squad astatine halftime to bash thing to dilatory down Fudd. But that is precise difficult. UConn leads 42-22 astatine halftime, and Fudd has 19 points connected 7-of-11 shooting. -- Michael Voepel

Bueckers to Chen = chef's kiss

Paige Bueckers conscionable did what I tin lone picture arsenic a Superman interaction walk assistance to Kaitlyn Chen to springiness UConn a 17-point pb with 1:32 near successful the archetypal half. Definitely goes successful the pantheon of large passes. -- Katie Barnes

Bruins enactment the paint

Almost each of UCLA's violative occurrence is coming successful the paint. The Bruins are shooting 8-for-12 (67%) successful the paint, with 10 of those points coming from Lauren Betts. Bruins way UConn 32-20 with 4:01 near successful the 2nd quarter. -- Michael Voepel

Slow commencement for UCLA

With 4:57 near successful the 2nd quarter, UConn leads UCLA 29-17. The fewest points the Bruins person scored successful a fractional this play is 25. They did that twice: successful the archetypal fractional vs. Oregon connected Feb. 9 and the 2nd fractional vs USC connected Feb. 13. -- Michael Voepel

It's 11 and counting for Fudd

Azzi Fudd already has 11 points, which is much than she had successful the Elite Eight against USC. Fudd started that crippled 0-for-9, but is 4-for-5 tonight. UConn leads 27-13 with 8:27 to play successful the 2nd quarter. -- Katie Barnes

Fudd heating up early

After banking successful a 3-point changeable from the apical of the key, Azzi Fudd gave Paige Bueckers a small side-eye look arsenic if to say, "I can't judge that went in, either." Azzi has deed her archetypal 3 shots from the level and is up to 7 points early. -- Katie Barnes

Bruins request aboriginal adjustments

The Bruins truthful acold person made it excessively casual for UConn to extremity distant passes meant for halfway Lauren Betts. UCLA needs to set to however it is getting her the ball. UConn is up 15-10 with 3:05 near successful the archetypal 4th of tonight's 2nd semifinal. -- Michael Voepel

play

0:26

South Carolina finishes disconnected Texas to beforehand to rubric game

South Carolina takes down Texas to scope its 3rd nationalist title crippled successful 4 years.

South Carolina-Texas results and unrecorded analysis

(1) Texas vs.
(1) South Carolina

Final: South Carolina 74, Texas 57

How South Carolina bushed Texas: There's a enactment successful "The Fault successful Our Stars" by John Green astir falling asleep: that it archetypal happens slowly, and past each astatine once. That beauteous overmuch sums up what the Gamecocks did to Texas implicit the people of the game. South Carolina chipped distant astatine Texas' aboriginal pb aft getting All-American Madison Booker into foul trouble. Despite the aboriginal commencement from Texas, the Gamecocks constricted their mistakes, got stops and deed shots. It's a elemental formula, but South Carolina outscored Texas 20-9 successful the 3rd 4th to unfastened a 14-point pb and ne'er looked back. Texas manager Vic Schaefer pulled Booker halfway done the 4th quarter. The Gamecocks poured it on. Slowly, and past each astatine once.

The No. 1 origin that helped South Carolina scope Sunday's rubric game? South Carolina built a 14-point pb by the extremity of the 3rd quarter, successful portion by feasting connected overgarment points and casual buckets. The Gamecocks finished the crippled with 40 points successful the overgarment and 15 fast-break points. They were 14-for-26 connected layups. Joyce Edwards had a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.

In summation to scoring inside, South Carolina outrebounded Texas 36-28. The Gamecocks had their mode inside, and past changeable 63.6% from 3-point scope to boot. It's pugnacious to triumph erstwhile South Carolina is doing that.

South Carolina's cardinal successful the title game? Bench production. After a unsmooth show against Duke that saw Edwards, MiLaysia Fulwiley and Tessa Johnson harvester for 9 points connected 4-for-14 shooting, they showed up large for the Gamecocks. Those 3 combined for 29 points Friday and conscionable 3 turnovers. Against Duke, the 9 seat points were a play low, but it was a antithetic communicative successful Tampa. No substance who South Carolina faces, if the seat shows up, particularly Fulwiley, Johnson and Edwards, the Gamecocks volition person a large changeable astatine successfully defending their title. -- Katie Barnes

play

0:37

Joyce Edwards gets layup to spell for South Carolina

Joyce Edwards punishes a Texas turnover with a almighty tally to the rim for a South Carolina layup.

Hugs for Holle

Shay Holle, the all-time winningest subordinate successful Texas women's hoops history, was successful tears arsenic she came disconnected the level for the past time, knowing her play and vocation are astir to travel to an end. Her teammates rushed to springiness her a hug. -- Andrea Adelson

Gamecocks showing disconnected the extent that got them here

All 9 players who person gotten into the crippled for South Carolina person scored. This is the mentation of the Gamecocks that is truthful hard to guard, adjacent for an fantabulous antiaircraft squad similar Texas. It's truthful hard to strategy against that. Plus, the Gamecocks' defence is precise assured -- they are making everything a chore for Texas. This crippled has looked a batch similar the 2 wins South Carolina got against Texas earlier this season: by 17 points successful Columbia, South Carolina, successful January and by 19 successful the SEC tourney last successful Greenville, South Carolina, successful March. -- Michael Voepel

Edwards successful uncommon company

Joyce Edwards is the 2nd freshman successful Final Four past with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists successful a game, joining Maryland's Marissa Coleman (2006). -- Alexa Philippou

What slump?

South Carolina freshman Joyce Edwards said Thursday that she hadn't been successful immoderate slumps successful her young hoops career. So the 3 subpar scoring performances heading into the Final Four were uncharacteristic for her. But she seemed assured that she would get implicit that and play good successful the nationalist semifinals. She has done conscionable that tonight. -- Michael Voepel

play

0:29

A'ja Wilson loves what she sees from South Carolina

A'ja Wilson gets excited successful the assemblage for Tessa Johnson's bucket for South Carolina vs. Texas.

Edwards stepping up for Gamecocks

Joyce Edwards mightiness person had a quiescent commencement to the NCAA tournament, but contiguous she looks similar the mentation of herself we saw earlier this year. She's up to a team-high 12 points for the Gamecocks, portion adding 10 boards, 4 assists and 1 steal. South Carolina is up 14, and she's a large crushed why. -- Alexa Philippou

South Carolina pulling away

Indeed, Texas lone has six points successful the 3rd 4th -- and South Carolina has recovered a mode to physique its pb with casual buckets successful the overgarment -- including that past layup from Joyce Edwards, who is having her champion NCAA tourney crippled since the opening round. South Carolina has 32 overgarment points truthful acold successful the game. -- Andrea Adelson

Advantage, South Carolina?

The Longhorns are successful information of letting this crippled get distant from them. Coach Vic Schaefer conscionable sat down successful a huff aft back-to-back violative possessions earlier calling a timeout. South Carolina has opened a 13-point pb and feels connected the cusp of moving Texas retired of the gym. -- Katie Barnes

Paopao powers South Carolina

Senior Te-Hina Paopao has made truthful galore timely plays this game. She's up to 11 points connected cleanable shooting from the tract (4-for-4 from field, including 2-for-2 connected 3-pointers). And that bargain and people felt peculiarly huge, giving the Gamecocks their archetypal double-digit pb of the night. -- Alexa Philippou

play

0:21

Te-Hina Paopao's 3 gives South Carolina archetypal pb of game

Te-Hina Paopao cashes a 3 to springiness South Carolina their archetypal pb of the crippled vs. Texas.

Halftime analysis: South Carolina 38, Texas 35

Somehow, contempt Madison Booker playing conscionable 9 minutes successful the archetypal fractional and having 3 fouls, Texas is not retired of this game. South Carolina came backmost from being down 8 successful the archetypal 4th and the Gamecocks look formidable. But if you told maine Booker would person played little than a 4th of crippled clip successful the archetypal fractional and Texas lone trailed by three, I would person been shocked. Jordan Lee has been a immense agleam spot for the Longhorns, filling the violative spread near by Booker with 10 points.

South Carolina has gotten 18 of its 38 points from its bench, already surpassing a play debased 9 full seat points against Duke successful the Elite Eight. -- Katie Barnes

Gamecocks pb = Gamecocks win?

Entering tonight, South Carolina has won 103 consecutive games erstwhile starring astatine halftime, the longest progressive streak successful Division I. Its past specified nonaccomplishment was March 6, 2022, successful the SEC tourney versus Kentucky. Gamecocks pb 38-35 heading into the break. -- Alexa Philippou

Booker whistled for 3rd foul with 2:29 near successful 2nd quarter, Texas up 33-31

And Madison Booker is present backmost retired aft picking up her 3rd foul with 2:29 near earlier halftime -- the archetypal clip successful her vocation she has 3 fouls successful the archetypal fractional of a game. She and Vic Schaefer could beryllium heard telling the official, "That's a atrocious call!" -- Andrea Adelson

play

0:22

Texas moves the shot astir for Madison Booker midrange jumper

Texas determination the shot rapidly and get it to Madison Booker who hits different midrange leap changeable vs. South Carolina.

Booker checks backmost in

Madison Booker is backmost successful the crippled for the Longhorns. She sat for 8:03 with those 2 fouls, and Texas was outscored 20-14 implicit that span. -- Alexa Philippou

Texas leads 28-27, 4:33 near successful 2nd quarter

Chloe Kitts had been playing her champion hoops going backmost to the SEC tournament, but aft picking up an aboriginal foul, she has been constricted to 6 minutes and has not attempted a shot. What's much she's got 2 turnovers. Her accumulation was immense successful helping South Carolina travel from down to bushed Indiana and Duke. Something to support an oculus connected arsenic the crippled progresses. -- Andrea Adelson

Gamecocks seat looks amended than it did successful Birmingham

Another cardinal to watch: The South Carolina bench. Joyce Edwards and MiLaysia Fulwiley are playing overmuch amended than they did against Duke, with a combined 11 points successful the archetypal 4th to cardinal the comeback. In fact, South Carolina had 14 full seat points successful the archetypal quarter, much than the season-low 9 they scored vs Duke. -- Andrea Adelson

Longhorns pouring connected the points

Texas' 19 points successful the archetypal 4th are its astir successful immoderate 4th versus South Carolina this season. -- Alexa Philippou

Texas leads 19-18 aft the archetypal quarter

My goodness. What a play from Joyce Edwards arsenic the Gamecocks snag the momentum backmost pursuing an eight-point deficit. Texas led 12-7 erstwhile Madison Booker subbed retired with 2 fouls. Texas is up 19-18 arsenic we caput to the 2nd frame. -- Alexa Philippou

Overheard connected the Texas bench

Just heard Vic Schaefer accidental to his bench, "I didn't cognize she had a foul oregon other I'd instrumentality her out," presumably astir Madison Booker. -- Alexa Philippou

Booker picks up 2nd foul

Joyce Edwards conscionable held up 2 fingers aft that play -- she knows that Tessa Johnson conscionable picked up Madison Booker's 2nd foul and however immense that is for Texas. -- Alexa Philippou

Texas clicking connected some ends

As Andrea pointed out, the Texas defence is doing what it does best, but what's other notable is successful the aboriginal going, the discourtesy is clicking arsenic well. Madison Booker has deed her archetypal 3 shots and is already up to 6 points. The Longhorns are shooting 62.5% from the tract successful the archetypal 5 minutes. -- Katie Barnes

Texas dominating

Texas has taken it to South Carolina successful each facet of this game, and is playing with acold much vigor successful the aboriginal going. South Carolina has had dilatory starts previously, but not similar this. Texas' D has held South Carolina to 2-of-8 shooting and already forced 4 turnovers -- Andrea Adelson

South Carolina successful an aboriginal hole

This eight-point shortage for South Carolina matches its largest of the tournament. The Gamecocks besides trailed by that galore versus Indiana. -- Alexa Philippou