UConn Huskies Dominate Bruins to Reach National Championship

USA Today

The basket appeared unstoppable for the UConn Huskies. They couldn’t miss, as they routed No. 2 UCLA 85–51, clinching their 13th national championship berth. It marked the largest Final Four victory in program history.

Fast Start Fuels UConn

Senior Azzi Fudd led the way with a scorching first half, scoring 19 points on elite efficiency. She finished shooting 58% from the field and 60% from three-point range.

Meanwhile, Paige Bueckers, the Big East Player of the Year, started quietly after missing her first two three-point attempts. She found rhythm with her first field goal at the 4:02 mark of the opening quarter. UCLA opened aggressively, attacking the rim as its first 10 points came in the restricted area.

AP All-American Lauren Betts spearheaded the early charge for the Bruins. However, UConn freshman center Jana El Alfy battled defensively, fronting Betts and forcing her to work for the interior position. Despite the effort, Betts remained a difficult matchup whenever she touched the ball.

UCLA committed six turnovers with under three minutes remaining, when they trailed by seven. That changed quickly after an Azzi Fudd triple extended the lead to double digits. UConn repeatedly sent double teams at Betts, though she punished mismatches on the block. Betts scored seven of UCLA’s 13 first-quarter points.

Bueckers capped a strong opening frame with a baseline fadeaway jumper, pushing the Huskies back ahead by 10. Both teams shot over 50% in the quarter, though styles differed.

UConn made 3-of-7 shots from beyond the arc, while UCLA only attempted two three-pointers, preferring to attack the paint.

Second Quarter Surge

In the second quarter, the Huskies shifted into a 2-3 zone to limit Betts’ one-on-one dominance inside. However, El Alfy exited the game due to foul trouble after committing her second personal foul on a moving screen with 8:27 remaining.

Meanwhile, UCLA’s careless turnovers continued to haunt them. Notably, an unforced Janiah Barker turnover led directly to an Ice Brady left-elbow jumper. Still, the Bruins briefly responded. A Kiki Rice three-pointer trimmed the deficit to 10.

Shortly thereafter, Fudd ignited once more. She scored five points in 35 seconds, pushing her total to 16 as the basket looked enormous. Although Bueckers struggled with shooting, she impacted the game in other ways.

She played elite defense, contested shooters, and delivered timely passes in transition. Bueckers threaded a perfect touch pass to Kaitlyn Chen, extending the lead to 17 and forcing a Bruins timeout.

Soon after, Fudd turned the surge into an avalanche. Her third three-pointer gave her 19 points and pushed the Huskies’ lead to 20. At that point, the game began slipping away from UCLA.

Fudd nearly outscored the Bruins, who totaled 22 points on 20% shooting from three. Additionally, UCLA shot just 41% from the field in the half. Fudd scored efficiently in multiple ways, attacking the rim and drilling threes.

Ultimately, the numbers tell the story, as the Huskies are now 12-0 this season when Fudd scores 15 or more points. 

Huskies Pull Away from UCLA

The Huskies’ ball movement continued to keep the Bruins’ defense off-balance. Meanwhile, UCLA failed to capitalize on easy layups, further extending UConn’s lead. Offensively, the Bruins looked directionless as the deficit steadily grew.

UConn pushed the pace and thrived in transition. Big East Freshman of the Year Sarah Strong extended the lead to 25 with a transition layup. She finished with 22 points and eight rebounds. As a result, Strong became the third UConn freshman ever to score 20-plus in a Final Four game.

Only Maya Moore and Breanna Stewart previously accomplished the feat.

With 5:10 remaining, Paige Bueckers checked out, followed shortly by the rest of the starters. At that point, the Huskies’ lead surpassed 30, and a championship berth felt inevitable. Ultimately, UConn closed out an emphatic 85–51 victory.

Bueckers, Azzi Fudd, and Strong combined for 57 of the Huskies’ 85 points. Conversely, Lauren Betts was the lone Bruin in double figures, finishing with 26 points and five rebounds. UCLA struggled mightily, shooting just 25 percent from the field. 

 After a masterful performance, Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma was humbled by his team’s dominant performance. 

“It’s amazing how it played out,” Auriemma said. “When you go in there, you don’t expect, ‘Hey, we’re going to win by 35 points tonight.’ I mean, that’s, oh my god. That is just so, so unrealistic.”

The Huskies clinch their 13th National Championship appearance, entering with an 11-1 record. They’re one win away from their first national championship since 2016.