Tonight, the NCAA women’s basketball champion will be crowned. It will either be South Carolina, or the top women’s basketball program of all time, UConn.
The Huskies have overcame so much this season to get to this point. Their top player, Paige Bueckers, was out for 19 games yet UConn was able to win games and finish as 2 seed. Then the run began. Players like Bueckers and Azzi Fudd stepped well in the clutch, making big shots and sending UConn past tough opponents like NC State and defending champion Stanford. Evina Westbrook and Aaliyah Edwards have also stepped up well in closing roles for the Huskies. Those 4 are huge reasons why UConn has gone back to the championship game for the first time since 2016.
Don’t forget about South Carolina though. The Gamecocks went 34-2 in the regular season, prevailing themselves to a #1 seed in the tournament. They also beat teams like NC State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Maryland, Georgia, Tennessee, LSU, Duke, Stanford, Kentucky and UConn in this stretch! After a big win over Louisville, South Carolina has a chance to win their 2nd ever National championship in their 4th final four appearance in the last 8 seasons. Aliyah Boston is one of the best players in the country and has been the main piece for South Carolina to get to this point. She averages 2.4 blocks per game. The Gamecocks were arguably the best team in college basketball, but can they get it done in the championship game?
No! UConn coach and Hall of Famer, Geno Auriemma, has had probably his most impressive coaching job of his career. To be able to lead an injured team that didn’t have chemistry due to lack of playing time and lead them up to come up and play great basketball in March just describes how good of a coach Geno is. This game will be close. Boston will be tough for Fudd, Westbrook or whoever is guarding her to stop. However, I don’t think she’ll be the best player on the floor tonight. Paige Bueckers will. Bueckers doesn’t only make herself better, she makes everyone around her better. She is the best player in college basketball. She has also came up clutch in the tournament. I also think Aaliyah Edwards will have a good game. She is a dominant big that plays good defense, something you need in March. It will be tough for South Carolina to score when she’s in the paint. I think Geno and UConn will win tonight, grabbing their 12th ever championship and first since 2016!
Chase Coburn
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