UConn dominates defending champion South Carolina 82-59 to win title

By DOUG FEINBERG TAMPA Fla AP UConn is back on top of women s basketball winning its th national championship by routing defending champion South Carolina - on Sunday behind Azzi Fudd s points Sarah Strong added points and rebounds while Paige Bueckers had points in her final meeting at UConn - Well it s amazing to have three players three people like that on the same association UConn coach Geno Auriemma revealed And Sarah you would think Sarah was graduating the way she plays right All three of them complement each other so well They all have such unique skill sets Bueckers capped her stellar career with the Huskies first championship since ending a nine-year title drought for the crew That was longest for Auriemma and his Huskies since the unit won its first championship in led by Rebecca Lobo Since then the Huskies have had dominant championship runs including in the early s led by Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi - with Maya Moore and at last the four straight from - with Breanna Stewart All were in attendance in Florida on Sunday to see the Huskies latest title You just never know if you ll ever be back in this situation again Auriemma stated And there were so a great number of times when I think we all questioned Have we been here too long Has it been time And we kept hanging in there and hanging in there and that s because these players make me want to hang in there every day At last healthy the expected No pick in the WNBA draft on April Bueckers delivered for the Huskies throughout their championship season It was the only thing missing from an incredible UConn career that was slowed by injuries She was the first freshman to win AP Athlete of the Year before missing a lot of her sophomore season with a tibial plateau fracture and meniscus tear She then tore an ACL before the next season Related Articles Clayton leads Florida to NCAA title championship scoring points in - win over Auburn NCAA women s basketball South Carolina UConn advance to title battle Favorite UConn joins top seeds in South Carolina UCLA and Texas in women s Final Four What s next for Arizona MBB after Sweet loss to Duke first Big season Vallejo tough Texas Tech guard Chance McMillian leaves it all on the floor in final collegiate meeting UConn closed the first half up points and then put the championship away in the third quarter behind Fudd Strong and Bueckers The trio combined for of the group s points in the quarter UConn was up - with left in the period before closing with a - run Fudd who was named the Bulk Outstanding Athlete of the Final Four and Strong got it started with back-to-back s and the rout was on Auriemma subbed Bueckers Fudd and Strong out with left in the encounter Bueckers and Auriemma had a long hug on the sideline having ultimately gotten that championship that he so demanded for her They ve all been gratifying don t get me wrong But this one here because of the way it came about and what s been involved it s been a long time since I ve been that emotional when a athlete has walked off the court Auriemma reported Dawn Staley s group was trying for a third title in four years and fourth overall It would have tied her with Kim Mulkey for third greater part behind Auriemma and former Tennessee Hall of Fame coach Pat Summitt who had eight UConn had reached the title match only once during its drought since The Huskies had been eliminated by heartbreaking last-second losses in the Final Four on buzzer-beaters The Huskies last title contest appearance came in when Staley s squad beat UConn to start the Gamecocks current run of success a competition that ended Auriemma s perfect record in title games There seemed to be no nerves early for either crew as the battle got off to a fast start The teams traded baskets for the first meager minutes before the defenses started to clamp down The Huskies led - after one quarter and then extended the advantage to - at the half Fudd had points and Strong added eight points and rebounds