South Carolina ends UConn’s bid at undefeated season in combative Women’s Final Four

PHOENIX — No team will be perfect in women’s college basketball this season.

Not after South Carolina took down previously undefeated UConn 62-48 Friday in the first national semifinal played in the Women’s Final Four at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix.

A sloppy, defensive battle culminated with the Gamecocks avenging their 82-59 loss to the Huskies in the 2025 national title game, but it wasn’t without the two head coaches losing their heads in the postgame handshake line.

Swarming defense by South Carolina and an extremely poor shooting performance doomed UConn, which scored its fewest points this season.

Huskies star Azzi Fudd, who is projected to be the top pick in this year’s WNBA Draft by ESPN, was held to only eight points on 3-for-15 shooting.

UConn leading scoring Sarah Strong, who was shooting 59.4% from the field entering the game, was limited to just 12 points on 4-of-16 shooting.

As a team, the Huskies shot only 31.1% from the field and just 28.6% from 3-point range.

Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley lauded her team’s defensive effort on Friday.

“I just thought that we made it real difficult for them to get clean looks,” Staley said postgame. “We made them put the ball on the floor. That’s disruption to UConn because … they’re a passing team, they like to assist. They did get 15 assists on 19 field goals. If they’re allowed to play that way throughout an entire game, they win.”

Fudd said most of what went wrong for the Huskies offensively could be blamed on a lack of rhythm all night.

“They were super aggressive on defense,” Fudd said following the game. “I thought some of our shots were a little rushed, some of our offense was a little rushed, out of pace. But when we got a lot of good looks, a lot of shots in our offense, shots that we are used to taking, we just didn’t hit very many or enough today.”

Two other aspects of the South Carolina performance that led to the Gamecocks’ victory were their rebounding and their ability to get to the free-throw line.

South Carolina out-rebounded UConn 47-32 in the game and converted 18 of 22 foul shots. The Huskies shot just six free throws the entire game.

Huskies coach Geno Auriemma did not think his team dealing with more adversity this season would have helped change the outcome.

“You got to run the race you’re racing,” Auriemma said. “There’s nothing you can do about it. It’s not our fault we beat all those teams in November and December by 30. I can’t tell them, let’s make the game close. It is what it is, you know? We just weren’t good enough tonight. It has nothing to do with going through adversity or no adversity.

“I’ve had teams come here undefeated and win the national championship that the game was over at halftime about 38 out of the 40 games. I just think you have to play good that night. What happens to you along the way, I don’t think that maybe has any bearing on it. At least it hasn’t in the past … but who knows?”

The Gamecocks are headed back to the national title game for the fourth time in the last five seasons.

They will be seeking their fourth national championship in program history.

South Carolina will play UCLA on Sunday in the title game at the home of the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury. The game will tip off at 12:30 p.m. and can be seen on ABC, as the Gamecocks aim to capture their fourth championship in program history.

The Bruins took down Texas 51-44 in Friday’s second semifinal game. Bruins star Lauren Betts had a game-high 16 points and 11 rebounds. Texas shot just 30.8% from the field and standout Madison Booker was a measly 3-for-23.

UCLA will be going for its first national title since 1978, when Phoenix Mercury and Suns broadcaster Ann Meyers Drysdale led the Bruins to their only championship in program history.

UCLA will be looking for its first championship under the NCAA banner, as its 1978 national title took place in the AIAW era of women’s college athletics.

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