Paige Bueckers fires UConn into NCAA Final Four of women’s college basketball tournament

Paige Bueckers carried UConn into the Final Four of the women’s NCAA college basketball tournament for a record 24th time as she scored 34 points in a 78-64 victory over USC.

Freshman Sarah Strong added 22 points and 17 rebounds for the Huskies, who also boast a record haul of 11 NCAA titles, all under coach Geno Auriemma.

Bueckers, projected to be the No 1 pick in next month’s WNBA draft, earned AP All-America honours this season and was named the Big East player of the year for the third time.

The only thing left for her to achieve is a national title after she and the Huskies were beaten in the Final Four last year by Iowa and last year’s No 1 WNBA pick, college sensation Caitlin Clark.

Clinching the last Final Four spot alongside UConn on Monday night were Texas, doing so for the first time since 2003 with a 58-47 victory over TCU.

Texas won a regional final for the first time in four tries under coach Vic Schaefer, who previously made two Final Four trips with Mississippi State.

Texas’ triumph ensures three regional No 1 seeds make up the Final Four, along with defending champions South Carolina and top overall seed UCLA.

South Carolina took down Duke on Sunday, while UCLA held off LSU to advance in the women’s college version of March Madness.

The Final Four games will be played on Friday, April 4, with UConn taking on UCLA and Texas going up against South Carolina for a place in the championship game, scheduled for Sunday, April 6.

What is ‘March Madness’?

At the end of the NCAA College basketball regular season, two 68-team tournaments – one each for men and women – take place to crown the 2025 NCAA champions.

The men’s tournament began in 1939 followed by the women’s competition in 1982, with both offering a stage to some of basketball’s greatest future players. Superstars like Steph Curry, Anthony Davis, Derrick Rose and Michael Jordan all took part before their NBA careers and helped change the tournament standards forever.

Caitin Clark, the story of the year in 2024, dominated last year’s headlines with her record-breaking performances as she brought more eyes onto women’s basketball than ever before.

Watch March Madness live on Sky Sports, with every game of the men’s and women’s NCAA tournaments available via Sky Sports+. Stream with no contract on NOW