The journey has been more challenging than usual, but Dawn Staley and defending national champion South Carolina are still getting the job done.
The Gamecocks (35-3) overwhelmed Southeastern Conference rival Texas 74-57 on Friday night in the Final Four of the women’s NCAA Tournament, advancing to the title game Sunday against UConn (36-3), an 85-51 winner over No. 1 overall seed UCLA.
Coach Geno Auriemma’s Huskies traveled to Columbia, South Carolina, in the regular season and dominated the Gamecocks, winning 87-58 on Feb. 16.
This is the seventh time The Associated Press preseason Nos. 1 and 2 teams will play in the women’s NCAA championship game. South Carolina beat UConn in the 2022 title game after the teams began that season ranked 1-2.
The No. 1 preseason team is 6-0 in the previous title games against the preseason No. 2. The Huskies’ Paige Bueckers will try to end that streak as she seeks a national title, the only prize left in a remarkable collegiate career. UConn’s loss to South Carolina in 2022 concluded an injury-marred sophomore season for Bueckers, who is expected to be the top overall pick in the WNBA draft.
South Carolina enters its third title game in four years coming off its best all-around performance of this tournament and is trying to become the first program to repeat as national champion since Auriemma led UConn to four straight titles from 2013-2016.
UConn has won a record 11 national titles, and South Carolina´s emergence as a perennial championship contenders has come in the nine years since the Huskies have won a title, Auriemma suggested that Sunday´s matchup is only fitting.
“We´ve certainly played each other a number of times in big, big games … and so it does feel like the two most prominent programs right now in women´s college basketball are playing for the right to be national champions,” Auriemma said.
“They deserve to be here,” the UConn coach added. “We deserve to be here.”
Unlike previous title-winning teams led by Staley, South Carolina has endured a difficult run to the title game. Her resilient squad lacks superstars but finds ways to win.
Following double-digit victories over Tennessee Tech and Indiana in the first two rounds, the Gamecocks won close games against No. 4 seed Maryland and No. 2 seed Duke in the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight.
They started slowly again Friday night, took their first lead early in the second quarter and wore down Texas after halftime.
The bench, led by freshman Joyce Edwards, once again sparked the Gamecocks. South Carolina´s reserves scored 35 points against the Longhorns, with Edwards finishing with 13 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.
“Obviously, we have one more to go and we´re just really excited to get going on Sunday,” South Carolina´s Te-Hina Paopao said. “We´re going to be really prepared and ready. It´s going to be a 40-minute battle.”
UConn, appearing in its record 24th Final Four, advanced to the title game for the 13th time. It will try to become the fourth school to beat three No. 1 seeds on the way to an NCAA tournament title.
The others to do it: Tennessee in 1987, Louisiana Tech in 1988 and Baylor in 2005. In addition to toppling UCLA, UConn beat Southern California in the Elite Eight.
Bueckers can hardly wait.
“We prayed, we prepared and hoped to be playing on the last day of the season,” she said. “We got that opportunity, so we don´t want to take it for granted.”
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