No. 2 UConn steamrolled past top overall seed No. 1 UCLA in the Final Four, winning 85-51, to reach its first national championship game since 2022. Behind forced turnovers and guard Azzi Fudd’s electric first half, the Huskies cruised to a 20-point lead by halftime and didn’t look back.
It marks the first 30-point victory in a Final Four by any team and the largest win margin in Final Four history.
The two teams were neck-and-neck early in the first quarter, only separated by five points with less than three minutes left in the quarter, and that’s when Fudd came to life.
The graduate guard poured in 19 points in the first 20 minutes, dropping 12 in the second, and the Bruins didn’t have an answer. UCLA turned it over 14 times in the first half, while center Lauren Betts was the only player with more than five points.
The Huskies entered the break with a 42-22 lead and didn’t look back after the break. Forward Sarah Strong and guard Paige Bueckers joined Fudd’s high-scoring party in the second half, finishing the game with 22 and 16 points, respectively. Strong became the third freshman in UConn history to score 20 or more points in a Final Four game. Somehow one-upping their first half performance, the Huskies shot 64% from the field and outscored the Bruins 43-29.
UConn will face No. 1 South Carolina in the national championship game on Sunday at 3 pm ET, a rematch of the 2022 national title game where South Carolina won 64–49. With multiple stars on both teams, it will be a preview of two future stars in Strong and South Carolina forward Joyce Edwards.
After converting an and-one layup assisted by center Jana El Alfy, Strong reached the 20-point mark and made UConn history, becoming the third freshman in program history with 20 or more points in a Final Four game.
She joins UConn legends Maya Moore and Breanna Stewart in the coveted club.
It was also her 15th 20-point game all season, tying her with Bueckers and Moore for the most by a freshman in program history.
From Bueckers’ emphatic and-one to Strong’s fourth 3-pointer, the Huskies didn’t take their foot of the gas pedal in the quarter. They lead 60-37 after the third, just 10 minutes away from the program’s first championship appearance since 2016.
Sarah Strong SPLASH 💦
📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/M7uQGJ5RxD
— UConn Women’s Basketball (@UConnWBB) April 5, 2025
Strong stole the show in the third, scoring 10 of UConn’s 18 points and making all four shots — two being threes. Bueckers, Fudd and Strong have combined for 49 of the Huskies’ 60 points.
UConn’s being able to maintain its large lead in the third quarter, leading 50-28 with 4:54 left in the quarter. Strong and Bueckers have joined Fudd in the double-digit category with 10 points each. The trio is shooting 50% from the field.
Betts is still searching for help from her supporting cast, scoring 15 of the team’s 28 points. Jaquez, who starred in UCLA’s Elite Eight win, is 0-5 on the game. UCLA is 1-9 from three.
It’s been a one-sided affair in Tampa, as the Huskies lead 42-22 behind Fudd’s 19-point barrage.
The 20-point deficit is tied for the largest UCLA has faced all season. Fudd’s strong scoring performance, alongside three steals, was the second-most points in an NCAA tournament half in her career and was more points than she’s scored in the last two games (18).
AZZI. FUDD.
📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/FQm1TZVpMo
— UConn Women’s Basketball (@UConnWBB) April 5, 2025
UConn’s dominance was a balance of elite play on both ends of the floor. They forced nine steals and shot 48.6% from the field. The Huskies’ second and third leading scorers were Strong with eight and Bueckers with six.
UCLA struggled to find consistently due to its lack of ball control, turning it over 14 times and finishing with three assists. Betts (11) is the only Bruin with more than five points.
Here’s a look at each team’s stats at the break:
The Bruins have struggled to hold onto the basketball in the first half, turning the ball over 10 times in the first 16 minutes of play. To put it in perspective, UCLA averages just 15 turnovers per game.
UConn has scored 14 points off turnovers to the Bruins’ four, a major reason behind the Huskies’ 29-17 lead. They’ve been able to take seven more shots than UCLA.
UConn is currently shooting 48% from the field, while the Bruins sit at 44.4%.
There aren’t many college basketball players that are more automatic from midrange than guard Paige Bueckers.
And she displayed that in the first quarter, driving baseline and hitting a stepback jumper over UCLA forward Gabriela Jacquez at the buzzer to give UConn a 23-13 after the first 10 minutes of play. It’s the largest deficit the Bruins has faced after the first quarter all season.
beat the buzzer
— UConn Women’s Basketball (@UConnWBB) April 5, 2025
The Huskies built their lead largely in the last few minutes with back-to-back threes from Strong and guard Azzi Fudd. The two led the team in points with eight and seven, respectively.
UCLA hasn’t found much success outside of Betts, who is the only Bruin with more than two points.
UConn’s jumped out to an early 15-10 lead in the first quarter, thriving off forced turnovers and forward Sarah Strong’s five points. The Huskies have scored seven points off five forced turnovers.
Ahead of the contest’s first media timeout, center Lauren Betts made an and-one layup after getting fouled by Strong. She also picked up her 100th block of the season early in the quarter.
(1) UCLA and (2) UConn are minutes away from tip off, battling for a spot in the national championship game against (1) South Carolina.
The Huskies and Bruins’ last met in Nov. 2023 where UCLA won 78-67. UCLA guard Kiki Rice, who’s starting tonight, dropped 24 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists in the victory. UConn guard Kaitlyn Chen, who’s also starting, had 24 points as well.
UConn is 7-1 all-time vs. UCLA and 2-0 against them in the NCAA Tournament.
Here are both teams starting lineups:
The second game of the women’s Final Four between (1) UCLA and (2) UConn is less than five hours away, and it could be one for the books.
The Huskies and Bruins feature two of the most talented and deep rosters in the sport, headlined by household names like UConn guard Paige Bueckers and UCLA center Lauren Betts.
Follow along here for live updates and highlights throughout the must-see battle.
Upcoming showdown 🍿#MarchMadness x #WFinalFour pic.twitter.com/n7NVkESWpc
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) April 4, 2025
What does the Final Four mean to the Bruins and Huskies?
For UConn, it’s the norm. This storied program is playing in its 24th Final Four and expects to advance this far every year. But for UCLA, this is uncharted territory. The Bruins had only advanced as far as the Elite Eight prior to knocking off TCU.
UConn
The Huskies (35-3) are looking to erase the sour taste left in their mouth after bowing out to Iowa in last year’s Final Four. UConn hasn’t raised a trophy since the 2015-16 season. That’s proven to be enough time to give rise to a new dominant program in South Carolina, who won the title in 2024, 2022 and 2017. We’ve also seen Kim Mulkey win two titles at two different schools — Baylor in 2019 and LSU in 2023.
This time, UConn is armed with a healthy duo of Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd, who are looking to finally return the program to championship glory.
UCLA
The Bruins have beaten, every team on their schedule this year. Sure, they have only two losses — both to cross-town rival Southern Cal — but those losses were avenged when UCLA beat the Trojans in the Big Ten Championship game. With this type of season, is it any wonder the Associate Press voted the Bruins as the No. 1 team in the country for most of the year? Is it any wonder they became the committee’s No. 1 overall seed?
Lauren Betts has been a force all tournament long, putting up 30-point performances against South Dakota State in the second round and Oklahoma in the Sweet 16. She leads the team in points (20) and rebounds (9.6) per game and is top 10 in the nation with 19 double-doubles on the year.
The matchup
Statistically, UConn has fared better in scoring, defense, three-point percentage, ball security and free throw percentage. But do the Huskies have an answer for Betts in the paint? The 6’7 center is a huge reason the Bruins have had the type of year they’ve had.
Here is everything you need to know to watch the Final Four matchup:
- 📅 Date: Friday, April 4
- ⏰ Time: 9:30 p.m. ET
- 📺 TV: ESPN
- 📍Location: Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL
- 📊 Follow: Live scores and stats
We have the top-seeded team in the tournament taking on the lone No. 2 seed to crack the Final Four. Here’s a look at (1) UCLA vs. (2) UConn by the numbers:
UCLA Category UConn 78.7 Points per game 81.6 57.9 Points allowed per game 52.0 33.7 3-point percentage 38.3 72.8 FT percentage 76.4 15.1 Turnovers per game 10.7 Lauren Betts, 20.0 (C) PPG leader Paige Bueckers, 20.1 (G) Kiki Rice, 5.1 (G) APG leader Paige Bueckers, 4.8 (G) Lauren Betts, 9.6 (C) RPG leader Sarah Strong, 8.8 (F) 👉 Click or tap here to see all stats
