The South Carolina Gamecocks held the Top 25 Women’s Poll spot all season, about as closely as where they play defense every evening.
The final test for the No. The Connecticut Huskies will be the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament this year. They defeated Stanford with a defensive display that was unmatched.
Paige Bueckers and Aliyah Boston demonstrating who is boss in the paint. Dawn Staley is on one bench and Geno Auriemma the other. North against South
The best of women’s college basketball is able to bring together the greatest players on the biggest stage, as often as any other sport. This South Carolina-UConn matchup won’t be different.
The Gamecocks (34-2 defeated Louisville 72-60 in the first semifinal at Target Center Friday night. Boston was the new AP Player of Year, scoring 23 points and 18 rebounds.
Boston stated, “With the awards I’m really fortunate, but my main focus bringing home a National Championship,” “I am really focused on that.”
Boston rebounded this year after missing a putback at the buzzer last season in a one point loss to Stanford.
Boston stated, “We knew that this was a new group.” Boston said, “We have a lot of depth.”
The Gamecocks were a team that was on a mission.
It’s a relief right here, and it feels great. We’ll take in the moment, but we’re not done yet. So we still have some work to do,” Destanni Henderson said, after hitting three 3-pointers Friday.
UConn defeated Stanford , the reigning champion Cardinal (30-5) in the second match. Bueckers scored 14 points, had five assists and made two steals in her hometown, helping Auriemma to reach the title game for the second time since 2016.
Auriemma stated that points are difficult to find in this tournament and that today was no exception. “We have to win in some other way.”
Bueckers, her teammates, and others huddled together at midcourt to celebrate the buzzer sounding. Most of them held up index fingers and shouted “One more!” at one another in anticipation of the next game of this season. Eight UConn athletes had to miss at most two games due to injury or illness.
The No. 2 seed in this Final Four was the Huskies. As strange as it sounds for a dynastic program, the No. 2 seed in this Final Four might have been a little too successful.
“Coming into, I don’t believe we’re the best team. Even if we play our A-game, I don’t believe we can win. We need your help. Stanford must not be their best. Auriemma stated that they need to make more mistakes than usual.
UConn is unbeaten in the NCAA final and boasts a remarkable 11-0 record at national championships. The streak of four consecutive titles won by the Huskies from 2013-16 was broken in 2017 when South Carolina defeated UConn on an overtime buzzer beater in the Final Four.
Five years ago, the Gamecocks won their only championship.
South Carolina won the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament at the Bahamas in November. The Huskies were unable to resist the Huskies’ stifling defense in the fourth quarter.
Bueckers will be the star of Sunday’s show, as the smooth-shooting and lightning-quick second guard. She was raised in Minneapolis’ first-ring suburb and learned her game at Hopkins High School. Hopkins High School is just 10 miles west. This weekend, the arena sold out with more than 18,000 people.
Bueckers said, “It doesn’t really matter where it is,” after he was sidelined for nearly three months due to a left knee injury. “We are just trying to win and continue playing with this team.
Bueckers was the first freshman to win Player of the Year last year. This stretch run has been about getting back on track after a long layoff. She grimaced twice in the fourth quarter and gingerly walked around after landing hard. But, even though her knee isn’t 100%, it doesn’t stop her from trying for the title.
Bueckers stated, “Everybody will lay it on the line,” and that was just basketball.
