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Tampa, Fla. “The outcome has long been decided when Ucon The Auriemma Geno coach called a time limit with the remaining 1:32, pulling his stars from the game that would eventually be the dominant victory of 82-59 over the champion defense South Carolina for an unprecedented 12. State title for Huski.
As older Paige Buueckers She got off the field, ending her college career with an elusive first title, she and Auriemma shared a long, emotional hug, a celebration of what they gathered.
“So much emotion,” Bueckers said, carrying one of the nets cut from Sunday’s neck. “Thanksgiving was the main, journey of the ups and downs of everything that was needed to come to that moment. Just an overwhelming joy, and just so happy for every individual person who is part of this trip.”
For decades, the best players in women’s basketball came to Uconn to win state titles, and this was the last chance of Buueckers. At the same time, Auriemma, 71, has not won since 2016, and for nine years without a title in Ucon is eternity.
“My journey became hers, in so many words,” he said.
Auriemma said that from each year the people who were closest to him asked if he needed to withdraw in 2016 after UCONN won the fourth straight championship. For all the dynastic success they had more Huski, he did not know if there would be another title, and not alone.
“There were a lot of people who didn’t think it would ever happen, a lot of people who hoped it would never happen,” Auriemma said. “I’m glad we were able to get to the place that Connecticut occupied. In the last 30 years I do not know that any program meant more to their sport than Uconn meant women’s basketball.”
And just like that, the Huski are champions again, although it was so much more than just auriemme and Buueckers who brought them back to the top. The most prominent player of the tournament was a guardian Azzi Fuddwho had 24 points, 11 in the third quarter in which they saw that Huski had rejected Southern Caroline, building a lead that grew to 32 points. Freshman forward Sarah Jaka He was equally solid, finished with 24 points, 15 rebounds and five assists to complete the phenomenal debut season.
Huskii did something they never did in 11 previous championships, beating three seeds 1 seeds on the way. They were the second seed of their region, winning the USC to make progress to the Final Four, and then took the total number of number 1 in UCLA on Friday, before they beat Gamecocks on Sunday afternoon.
South Caroline coach Dawn Staley, whose team wanted to be the first repeated champions in Sport from UCONNA 2016, never lost themselves in three previous championship games and said that he hoped the defeat of the defeat remained with his return players.
“I hope they cry,” Staley said. “I hope they will show up because they have a crying emotion for loss, (this) makes you hard work in off -season. It makes you look at it and really analyze what is separation from their program and our program and how we close the gap.
In the near future, Staley hopes for his programs, but understands the dedication and purchase needed from his players to achieve the ultimate goal of winning the title.
“They are very talented and I think they have gained a great experience of playing at this level, which I hope they will come back here and do whatever it takes to play in the national championship game and achieve the impacts needed to win,” Staley said.
Both teams are expected to have talented exhibitions next season. South Carolina’s leading shooters on Sunday were freshmen Joyce Edwards and another guard Tessa Johnson. For UCONN, FUDD has announced this week that he is returning another year with Huskies, despite knowing that she would probably be a high choice in the first round in the WNBA design, and strong shows every sign that the next elite star of the program, breaking the NCAA record for points in the tournament.
But Sunday was related to a coach who returned to the highlight and how grateful he was for Bueckers, who helped him to come there.
“He told me he loved me. I told him to hate him, but we both love each other for some days,” Bueckers joked when they asked him what was said as they hugged the UConn bench.
Auriemma said Bueckers and “bother” and “enchanting”, a player who was like a conductor of the orchestra for five years, selflessly controlling any practice and playing if she had a ball or not. Almost 50 years at the age, they had countless serious talks and a lot of light, but that moment, enjoying the last seconds of the championship victory, he stressed above all.
“Today he was the first, I think, in five years that all the emotions that were being built in me had come out and went out to it,” Auriemma told Bueckers. “In five years I never saw her cry. She could deny it, but she’ll miss her.”
Greg Auman is a NFL journalist for Fox Sports. He spent the decade earlier by covering Bukanari for Tampa Bay Times and athletic. You can follow it on Twitter on @gregauman.
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