Final Four 2025 scores, results: UConn tops UCLA, South Carolina defeats Texas to reach NCAA basketball championship

Yahoo

05-04-2025

After several days of anticipation, the women's Final Four took over Tampa on Friday night, and the stars of the sport ultimately came out on top by the night's end.
In the early game, South Carolina continued its quest to become the first repeat national champions since UConn won four straight from 2013 to 2016, defeating Texas 74-57 in the semifinal. Another championship would be the Gamecocks' third title in four seasons.
In the nightcap, UConn's Paige Bueckers continued her final push for a national championship, the sole mountain she has yet to climb in her collegiate career, as the Huskies handily beat UCLA 85-51. Bueckers and Co. will take on the Gamecocks on Sunday afternoon at Amalie Arena.
No. 1 South Carolina 74, No. 1 Texas 57
No. 2 UConn vs. No. 1 UCLAAbsolute dominance by the Huskies from start to finish, and they'll face South Carolina for the national championship on Sunday. Sarah Strong leads the way with 22 points and Azzi Fudd scores 19, all of which came in the first half.
UCONN BLOWS OUT UCLA FOR A CHANCE AT ITS 12TH NATIONAL TITLE 🔥 pic.twitter.com/cCTq9BpVXX
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) April 5, 2025
UCLA star center and All-American Lauren Betts comes out of the game for the last time this season. She finishes with 26 points to cap off an outstanding season, but she's showing a lot of emotion on the bench as this comes to a close.
We've got a Geno smile as Ice Brady draws an and-1 on a tough roll-in.
It looks like Azzi Fudd, Paige Bueckers and Sarah Strong are done for the day with a little under 5 minutes to play as Geno Auriemma pulls his best players with UConn leading by a ton.
Total dominance in this national semifinal.
The Huskies have pretty much put any hope of a miracle UCLA comeback to bed with a strong start to the 4th quarter. It's up to a 68-41 lead with 6:21 on the clock.
Sarah Strong is up to 22 points to lead UConn.
JuJu Watkins is announced as the shooting guard of the year by the Basketball Hall of Fame and draws arena-wide cheers. Not as much as Paige Bueckers for point guard of the year, of course. Lauren Betts is the Lisa Leslie center of the year.
The Huskies shot 8-of-13 from the field in the third, and their lead is now up to 23. Azzi Fudd didn't score at all in the period, but it doesn't matter. We're just about done here.
AND-1 😤😤 @paigebueckers1 #MarchMadness x @WFinalFour x @UConnWBB pic.twitter.com/DdAQfLDHuL
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) April 5, 2025
The Huskies are everywhere all at once. They're tipping passes and rebounds into teammates hands, hustling on defense to force jump balls, collapsing onto Betts and closing out on the open shooter. Ferocious.
Twice now UCLA attempts have run the full circumference of the rim and, as if in slow motion, fallen out. Good descriptor of the night for the Bruins in the program's first NCAA Final Four appearance.
Well, this game got out of hand fast. UConn out-scored UCLA 19-9 in the second quarter to bust open a 20-point lead at halftime. Azzi Fudd leads all scorers with 19 points, and the Bruins still have more turnovers than made field goals.
There's always that one play that draws a quick gasp immediately followed by a booming awe. Bueckers plays some volleyball, setting a pass from Fudd to Chen in transition. UConn is rolling with a massive two-way performance from Fudd (16 points), who is making it difficult on Kiki Rice, and solid defensive play by Jana El Alfy and now Ice Brady on Lauren Betts.
Huskies hustling, we love to see it📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/flDSbAh0td
— UConn Women's Basketball (@UConnWBB) April 5, 2025
UCLA still has more turnovers (10) than made field goals (8) at the media timeout here in the second quarter, and UConn is taking advantage. The Huskies are up by 12 now, and they have a 14-4 advantage in points off turnovers.
4Q 7:50: Eight turnovers and six field goals for UCLA
It's been all UConn so far in Tampa. The Huskies have the early 10-point lead thanks to eight points from Sarah Strong and seven from Azzi Fudd — who is a perfect 3-of-3 from the field. They've also forced six UCLA turnovers so far.
. @azzi_35 makes it look easy 😎#MarchMadness x 🎥 ESPN / @UConnWBB pic.twitter.com/bBgoq3vhCg
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) April 5, 2025
A very on-brand fast and furious start, but it's a stark contrast to the defensive minded teams in the first game.
Jana El Alfy is doing a tremendous job preventing the entry pass to Lauren Betts. And UConn is keeping her from posting up low. Two of her field goal attempts were beyond the paint.
Though UConn has the early 15-10 lead, Lauren Betts has already made history for the Bruins. She's now the first DI player to score at least 650 points, 300 rebounds and 100 blocks in a single season since the 2017-18 campaign.
The second game of the night is now off and running. Lauren Betts and UCLA are trying to stop Paige Bueckers and UConn — who have been rolling through the NCAA tournament while Bueckers sets numerous scoring records — and earn a matchup with South Carolina in the national championship on Sunday.
The Huskies are looking for their first title in nearly a decade, while the Bruins are in their first ever Final Four.
Player introductions are underway for the second game and to no one's surprise, Paige Bueckers draws the loudest fan reaction.
Rori Harmon has an extra year available to her and has 48 hours from this game to either declare for the WNBA Draft or stay in college. That could be at Texas, or entering the transfer portal. She's likely a second-to-third round pick and could stick on a team with roster room given her defensive motor and work ethic.
There are a few pros to staying in college one more season. The WNBA and players association are negotiating a new CBA that is expected to provide larger salaries beginning in 2026. This year's rookie's would likely be locked into the old CBA's rookie-scale salaries that begin around $70,000. There will also be two additional teams in 2026 with the Toronto Tempo and currently unnamed Portland expansion team.
The Gamecocks are headed back to the national championship game. South Carolina rolled past Texas for a second straight time in the first game of the night. The Gamecocks will now take on either UConn or UCLA on Sunday.
Absolute dominance by the Huskies from start to finish, and they'll face South Carolina for the national championship on Sunday. Sarah Strong leads the way with 22 points and Azzi Fudd scores 19, all of which came in the first half.
UCONN BLOWS OUT UCLA FOR A CHANCE AT ITS 12TH NATIONAL TITLE 🔥 pic.twitter.com/cCTq9BpVXX
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) April 5, 2025
UCLA star center and All-American Lauren Betts comes out of the game for the last time this season. She finishes with 26 points to cap off an outstanding season, but she's showing a lot of emotion on the bench as this comes to a close.
We've got a Geno smile as Ice Brady draws an and-1 on a tough roll-in.
It looks like Azzi Fudd, Paige Bueckers and Sarah Strong are done for the day with a little under 5 minutes to play as Geno Auriemma pulls his best players with UConn leading by a ton.
Total dominance in this national semifinal.
The Huskies have pretty much put any hope of a miracle UCLA comeback to bed with a strong start to the 4th quarter. It's up to a 68-41 lead with 6:21 on the clock.
Sarah Strong is up to 22 points to lead UConn.
JuJu Watkins is announced as the shooting guard of the year by the Basketball Hall of Fame and draws arena-wide cheers. Not as much as Paige Bueckers for point guard of the year, of course. Lauren Betts is the Lisa Leslie center of the year.
The Huskies shot 8-of-13 from the field in the third, and their lead is now up to 23. Azzi Fudd didn't score at all in the period, but it doesn't matter. We're just about done here.
AND-1 😤😤 @paigebueckers1 #MarchMadness x @WFinalFour x @UConnWBB pic.twitter.com/DdAQfLDHuL
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) April 5, 2025
The Huskies are everywhere all at once. They're tipping passes and rebounds into teammates hands, hustling on defense to force jump balls, collapsing onto Betts and closing out on the open shooter. Ferocious.
Twice now UCLA attempts have run the full circumference of the rim and, as if in slow motion, fallen out. Good descriptor of the night for the Bruins in the program's first NCAA Final Four appearance.
Well, this game got out of hand fast. UConn out-scored UCLA 19-9 in the second quarter to bust open a 20-point lead at halftime. Azzi Fudd leads all scorers with 19 points, and the Bruins still have more turnovers than made field goals.
There's always that one play that draws a quick gasp immediately followed by a booming awe. Bueckers plays some volleyball, setting a pass from Fudd to Chen in transition. UConn is rolling with a massive two-way performance from Fudd (16 points), who is making it difficult on Kiki Rice, and solid defensive play by Jana El Alfy and now Ice Brady on Lauren Betts.
Huskies hustling, we love to see it📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/flDSbAh0td
— UConn Women's Basketball (@UConnWBB) April 5, 2025
UCLA still has more turnovers (10) than made field goals (8) at the media timeout here in the second quarter, and UConn is taking advantage. The Huskies are up by 12 now, and they have a 14-4 advantage in points off turnovers.
4Q 7:50: Eight turnovers and six field goals for UCLA
It's been all UConn so far in Tampa. The Huskies have the early 10-point lead thanks to eight points from Sarah Strong and seven from Azzi Fudd — who is a perfect 3-of-3 from the field. They've also forced six UCLA turnovers so far.
. @azzi_35 makes it look easy 😎#MarchMadness x 🎥 ESPN / @UConnWBB pic.twitter.com/bBgoq3vhCg
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) April 5, 2025
A very on-brand fast and furious start, but it's a stark contrast to the defensive minded teams in the first game.
Jana El Alfy is doing a tremendous job preventing the entry pass to Lauren Betts. And UConn is keeping her from posting up low. Two of her field goal attempts were beyond the paint.
Though UConn has the early 15-10 lead, Lauren Betts has already made history for the Bruins. She's now the first DI player to score at least 650 points, 300 rebounds and 100 blocks in a single season since the 2017-18 campaign.
The second game of the night is now off and running. Lauren Betts and UCLA are trying to stop Paige Bueckers and UConn — who have been rolling through the NCAA tournament while Bueckers sets numerous scoring records — and earn a matchup with South Carolina in the national championship on Sunday.
The Huskies are looking for their first title in nearly a decade, while the Bruins are in their first ever Final Four.
Player introductions are underway for the second game and to no one's surprise, Paige Bueckers draws the loudest fan reaction.
Rori Harmon has an extra year available to her and has 48 hours from this game to either declare for the WNBA Draft or stay in college. That could be at Texas, or entering the transfer portal. She's likely a second-to-third round pick and could stick on a team with roster room given her defensive motor and work ethic.
There are a few pros to staying in college one more season. The WNBA and players association are negotiating a new CBA that is expected to provide larger salaries beginning in 2026. This year's rookie's would likely be locked into the old CBA's rookie-scale salaries that begin around $70,000. There will also be two additional teams in 2026 with the Toronto Tempo and currently unnamed Portland expansion team.
The Gamecocks are headed back to the national championship game. South Carolina rolled past Texas for a second straight time in the first game of the night. The Gamecocks will now take on either UConn or UCLA on Sunday.