Auriemma After Paige, UConn's Win: 'There's Disney World and Then There's UConn World'
UConn women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma believes the Huskies are in a class of their own after punching a ticket to the Final Four for the 24th time.
With Monday's 78-64 win over USC, the program has now reached the national semifinals in 16 of the past 17 NCAA tournaments.
"There's Disneyland, there's Disney World and then there's UConn World," Auriemma said, per ESPN's Alexa Philippou. "These are fantasy numbers that make no sense. You couldn't predict this and you couldn't script this at all."
UConn no longer maintains the same place within women's basketball it did during the height of its dynasty. The Huskies' last national title was in 2016. That drought feels like a lifetime when they collected 10 championships between 2000-16.
But even with the sport becoming more balanced and new contenders ascending, UConn remains a constant. There's no reason to believe that will change in the immediate future.
Senior guard Paige Bueckers grabbed the headlines from Monday night, and understandably so. She finished with 31 points, six assists, four steals and three rebounds.
Freshman forward Sarah Strong was just as good, pouring in 22 points and grabbing 17 rebounds. She's already looks like the next Huskies legend in the making. Strong is averaging 16.1 points, 8.8 boards, 3.6 assists and 2.3 steals per game.
Bueckers is moving on after this season, having confirmed she's entering the 2025 WNBA draft. With Strong in the fold and senior guard Azzi Fudd sticking around for one more year, a 25th Final Four appearance will be the expectation in 2025-26.
JuJu Watkins Reacts to USC's Loss vs. Paige Bueckers, UConn amid Injury, Thanks Fans
USC women's basketball star JuJu Watkins took to social media on Monday night to share her feelings on the top-seeded Trojans' 78-64 loss to No. 2 UConn in the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament.
Watkins, who was unable to play Monday after tearing her ACL during the second round of the tourney, showed her appreciation for those who have supported her in a post on her Instagram Stories:
The reigning Big Ten Player of the Year and National Player of the Year candidate also commented on her team's season coming to an end, writing: "Right now, my heart is with my teammates. I wish I could have been out there battling, but I couldn't be prouder of the fight we've fought together."
With Watkins leading the way, USC entered the NCAA tournament with a 28-3 record on the season, which was enough to secure one of the coveted No. 1 seeds.
Among the Trojans' 28 victories was a tightly contested, 72-70 win over UConn in December. Watkins was the star of the game, leading all scorers with 25 points on 9-of-16 shooting to go along with six rebounds and five assists.
Given how entertaining that game was, fans were eagerly anticipating a rematch in the Elite Eight, and while it did come to fruition, it wasn't the same without Watkins.
On the strength of Paige Bueckers' game-high 31 points, plus six assists, four steals, three rebounds and two blocks, the Huskies led by 14 at halftime, and it was a lead they would never relinquish.
One can't help but imagine that things would have been far more competitive with Watkins in the fold, given she is the fourth-leading scorer in Division I women's basketball this season with 23.9 points per game.
Although there is tough competition from Bueckers, Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo, UCLA's Lauren Betts and a host of others, Watkins is arguably the woman to beat in National Player of the Year voting as well.
Since Bueckers is making the leap to the WNBA once the 2024-25 women's college basketball season concludes, it would have been special to see her and Watkins do battle one more time with massive stakes on the line.
Instead, Bueckers and the Huskies were able to cruise past the Trojans, setting up a Final Four clash with UCLA on Friday night.
As for Watkins, she is only a sophomore, which means she will have the opportunity to return and re-establish herself as perhaps the best player in women's college basketball next season.
Bueckers tore her ACL prior to her junior season and was able to return to form, which is a path Watkins will now attempt to take as well.
WCBB Fans Lament JuJu Watkins Injury Amid USC's Elite 8 Loss to Paige Bueckers, UConn
For a second consecutive season, UConn is moving on to the Final Four.
The No. 2 Huskies downed No. 1 USC 78-64 in the Elite Eight on Monday as the Trojans were without star JuJu Watkins, who suffered a torn ACL in the Round of 32.
The Final Four appearance is the 24th for the Huskies, the most of any program in women's college basketball history.
UConn was once again led by Paige Bueckers, who had 31 points, six assists and four steals as she looks to add a championship to her resume before leaving for the WNBA.
Any time Bueckers is on the court, it's must-see TV, but one of the biggest storylines heading into the game was the fact that fans wouldn't get to see another matchup between Watkins and Bueckers.
While the Trojans managed to compete even without Watkins, fans lamented the matchup that could have been between Bueckers and Watkins.
Watkins and Bueckers have been two of the best players in college basketball all season. Watkins put up 23.9 points per game while Bueckers is averaging 19.8 points. It would have been an electric battle between the two, but now fans will have to wait to see them square off at the professional level.
With the win, the Huskies will now get a Final Four matchup against No. 1 UCLA as they look to reach the title game for the first time since 2016.
NCAAW Tournament 2025 Final Four Bracket After Bueckers, UConn Beat USC Without JuJu
Between the star power, powerhouse programs and the reigning national champions looking to defend their crown, fans couldn't have asked for much more from the 2025 NCAA women's basketball Final Four.
Texas and UConn clinched their spots in the national semifinals with victories over TCU and USC, respectively, on Monday and joined UCLA and South Carolina.
In something of an ironic twist, the Huskies are the only non-No. 1 seed that qualified for the Final Four in Tampa, Florida. Still, it's hard to call a program with 11 national championships an underdog.
Paige Bueckers and Co. eliminated the top-seeded Trojans in the Spokane Regional on Monday in a game that lost some of its luster when USC star JuJu Watkins suffered a season-ending ACL tear earlier in the tournament.
As a result, UConn will face UCLA, while South Carolina will play Texas.
2025 NCAA Women's Final Four
No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 1 Texas, Friday at 7 p.m. ET
No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 2 UConn, Friday at 9:30 p.m. ET
The full bracket can be found on NCAA.com.
Historically, UConn's presence in a Final Four would mean trouble for the other three teams given its overall dominance under head coach Geno Auriemma. However, Dawn Staley's South Carolina program enters this year's Final Four with more recent championship success.
The Gamecocks are the reigning champions and captured two of the last three national titles. What's more, this year marked a fifth consecutive trip to the Final Four, and they also aren't far removed from their 2017 national championship.
Staley is two wins away from four national titles in a nine-year span but first has to deal with a Texas program that kept pace with South Carolina throughout its first year in the SEC.
The Longhorns and Gamecocks each went 15-1 in conference play and split their head-to-head meetings in the regular season. The latter was awarded the No. 1 seed in the SEC tournament with a coin flip and then earned bragging rights with a blowout win in the conference title game.
Friday gives Texas the chance at some revenge on a national stage.
The winner of that one will face the victor of the showdown between UConn and UCLA.
Bueckers will generate the most headlines as the biggest star remaining in the tournament, and she is playing for the only thing missing from her illustrious resume in a national title. The Huskies haven't cut down the nets as national champions since 2016, which is an eternity by their elevated standards.
It wouldn't be a surprise if they end that drought given the way Bueckers has played this season and tournament, but UCLA will be anything but a pushover.
The Bruins won the Big Ten tournament with a victory over rival USC in the title game and parlayed that momentum into three straight wins by double digits to start the Big Dance before an Elite Eight triumph over LSU.
Lauren Betts has been unstoppable as a double-double machine down low and will look to match Bueckers' production with a spot in the national title game on the line.
Hailey Van Lith, TCU Lose to Texas in School's 1st-Ever Elite Eight Appearance
Hailey Van Lith and TCU's magical season came to an end at the hands of Texas on Monday.
The No. 2 Horned Frogs fell to the top-seeded Longhorns 58-47 in the Elite Eight.
Van Lith had another strong performance, posting 17 points and eight boards, but it ultimately wasn't enough to will her team past one of the best squads in the NCAA tournament. A poor offensive night from TCU proved to be detrimental as the Horned Frogs shot just 26.7 percent from the field and 20 percent from deep.
Losing in the Elite Eight wasn't the result TCU wanted, but it was still a season to remember. The Horned Frogs reached the tournament for the first time since 2010 and reached both the Sweet 16 and the Elite Eight for the first time in program history.
While they fell short of reaching the Final Four, Van Lith and the Horned Frogs received high praise for their best season in program history.
Texas has looked poised to make a deep run for most of the season, and now the Longhorns are heading to their first Final Four in more than 20 years.
The win came behind another strong performance from star Madison Booker, who posted 18 points and six boards. It wasn't the best offensive showing for Texas as a whole, but it did just enough to keep the season alive.
With the win, Texas will now get a matchup with South Carolina in the Final Four. The Longhorns are looking to punch a ticket to the title game for the first time since 1986, but they'll have to get past a Gamecocks squad looking to win back-to-back titles.
Flau'Jae Johnson Uncertain If She'll Return to LSU or Declare for 2025 WNBA Draft
LSU's season came to an end on Sunday with an Elite Eight loss to UCLA and now one of the Tigers' stars faces a big offseason decision.
When asked if she had an answer for whether she return to LSU or declare for the WNBA Draft, star Flau'Jae Johnson gave no indication.
"I don't know," Johnson said, per ESPN's Kevin Pelton.
Johnson, who has been with LSU her entire three-year career, has one more year of eligibility remaining if she chooses to use it. If she opted to go the WNBA route, Johnson would likely be an early pick.
Johnson had two good years to start her career, but she made a major leap this year. She went from averaging 14.9 points a year ago to 18.6 this season, emerging as one of the Tigers' first options alongside Aneesah Morrow and Mikaylah Williams. Johnson earned third-team All-American honors after an outstanding year.
Though going pro is an enticing offer, Johnson might opt to see things through with LSU after coming up short this year. Johnson was already part of one national title run in 2022-23 and would have the chance to add another to her résumé if she returns next year.
Plus, in the age of NIL, Johnson has the chance to continue earning money before joining the professional ranks.
According to Pelton, Johnson will weigh "everything" when making her decision.
While she's still unsure what she'll do next, fans will know Johnson's decision sooner rather than later as the WNBA draft is just over two weeks away.
UCLA Celebrated by WCBB Fans as Win vs. Kim Mulkey, LSU Secures 1st Final Four Trip
For the first time in UCLA women's basketball history, the Bruins are headed to the Final Four.
Led by Lauren Betts' two-way brilliance, 1-seed UCLA held off a stiff challenge from 3-seeded LSU on Sunday, winning 72-65.
Betts was fantastic in the victory, putting up 17 points, seven rebounds and six blocks. UCLA needed every bit of it to hold off the pesky Tigers, who were led as usual by the dynamic duo of Flau'Jae Johnson (28 points, four assists) and Aneesah Morrow (15 points, seven rebounds).
Gabriela Jaquez added 18 points and eight boards for the Bruins, shooting 4-of-5 from three.
"This is a team effort, this is not about any individual," Betts said on the ESPN broadcast after the game. "This is UCLA, this is what we do."
It was a massive victory for the women's program at UCLA, and fans and pundits were excited to see the Bruins finally headed to a Final Four:
UCLA took control of the contest in the second quarter, outscoring LSU 22-12 in the frame. From there, the second half was a back-and-forth affair, but LSU could never fully extinguish the Bruins' lead.
Up next for the Bruins is a matchup against either their rivals, 1-seed USC, or 2-seeded UConn, a perennial threat at the NCAA tournament. The Bruins ended their Final Four drought, though it's hard to imagine they'll be too satisfied with that accomplishment alone.
Updated NCAA Women's March Madness Bracket After Sunday's Elite 8
The 2025 NCAA women's basketball tournament continued on Sunday, with two of the four Elite Eight matchups in the books.
South Carolina took down Duke by the score of 54-50 in the first contest, as head coach Dawn Staley's squad clinched a spot in the Final Four for the fifth consecutive season.
The Gamecocks are also pursuing their second straight national championship.
Meanwhile, UCLA earned some revenge after falling to LSU in the 2024 tournament by defeating the Tigers by the final score of 72-65.
Here's a look at the updated March Madness bracket following Sunday's results.
Elite Eight
South Carolina def. Duke, 54-50
UCLA def. LSU, 72-65
Texas vs. TCU, Monday at 7 p.m. ET
USC vs. UConn, Monday at 9 p.m. ET
Final Four
South Carolina vs. Texas/TCU, April 4
UCLA vs. USC/UConn, April 4
National Championship Game
TBD vs. TBD, April 6
Full bracket can be found here
South Carolina 54, Duke 50
The Gamecocks jumped out to an early 10-2 advantage in the first quarter and led by as many as 11 points in the second, but Duke fought back with a 20-point third quarter and took a four-point lead heading into the fourth.
South Carolina opened the fourth quarter with an 8-0 run to pull ahead once more and didn't look back, holding the Blue Devils to just eight points over the final 10 minutes of action.
The contest was a defensive battle, with both teams combining to record 20 steals and eight blocks.
Sania Feagin wrapped up an impressive all-around performance for South Carolina. She finished with 12 points, eight rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks in 32 minutes on the floor.
Junior forward Chloe Kitts also made her presence felt, scoring 14 points and pulling down four rebounds of her own.
Now, the Gamecocks await the winner of Monday's clash between Texas and TCU.
UCLA 72, LSU 65
UCLA struggled to find its offensive rhythm to open Sunday's contest, scoring just nine points in the first quarter. The Bruins quickly responded by outscoring LSU 22-12 in the second quarter and entering halftime with a six-point lead.
Their advantage was pushed to 11 points with a quick 5-0 run to open the third quarter and the Tigers ultimately couldn't overcome the deficit.
Gabriela Jaquez and Lauren Betts led the way for UCLA.
Jaquez scored a team-high 18 points while shooting 4-of-5 from three-point territory, as Betts racked up six blocks to go along with her 17 points and seven rebounds.
Timea Gardiner chipped in with 15 points off the bench.
The Bruins withstood an impressive performance from Tigers junior Flau'Jae Johnson, who finished with 28 points and four assists.
With the victory, UCLA advanced to the Final Four for the first time in the school's women's basketball history.