The UConn Huskies and UCLA Bruins are set to face off against each other in the second game of the Women’s Final Four doubleheader in Tampa Bay on Friday night.
The UCLA Bruins Will Appear In The NCAAW Final Four For The First Time In Program History
The UCLA Bruins will participate in the Women’s Final Four for the first time in program history after defeating the LSU Tigers in the Elite Eight.
Head coach Cori Close believes that the Bruins are the underdogs in the tournament as UCLA brings in the grit and intensity on both sides of the court.
“This is this year’s UConn’s team, not the last 10 or 20 years of UConn teams, and this is our UCLA team,” Close said. “I have a lot of confidence, both mentally and physically and tactically, in this UCLA team.”
Junior center Lauren Betts is having a historic run for the Bruins, who held lead UCLA to a Big 10 Conference Championship for the first time since 2006. She is averaging 20.0 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 3.0 blocks per game and won the Most Outstanding Player award in the Spokane 1 Regional.
The UConn Huskies look to win a National Championship for the first time since 2016
The UConn Huskies advanced to the Women’s Final Four for the 24th time in program history, and will aim to win a National Championship for the first time since 2016. Since 2016, the Huskies won four straight NCAAW Titles from 2013 to 2016 during the Breanna Stewart era.
Fifth-year guard Paige Bueckers, who has declared for the 2025 WNBA Draft, performs spectacularly for the Huskies throughout the season. She is averaging 20.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists while shooting 54.3 percent from the field. She has scored at least 30 or more points in the last three games for UConn.
“They’re both extremely outgoing (and) both enjoy other people‘s company,” UConn head coach Geno Auriemma said when comparing Bueckers to six-time Olympic Gold Medalist Diana Taurasi. “They’re accommodating to other people. They’re respectful (and) great team players. They’re both generous to their teammates, both on the court (and) off the court. They have a flare for the moment they can summon something that’s needed at the time when it’s exactly needed.”
The Huskies would need to successfully defend Betts to advance to the National Championship. Waiting in the paint tonight will be Freshman of the Year, Sarah Strong.
What is next for the winner of UConn vs. UCLA?
If the UConn Huskies advance, they would participate in the National Championship game for the first time since 2022, in which they fell to the South Carolina Gamecocks. If the UCLA Bruins upset them, it would be the first time participating in the Women’s National Championship game.
Either of these teams would face the winner of the South Carolina Gamecocks vs. Texas Longhorn set to air tonight at 7 p.m. ET.
