The UConn Huskies are advancing to the 23rd Final Four in program history after a 80-73 win over No. 1 seed USC. The Huskies have officially made the final weekend in 15 of the last 16 years.
The one Final Four they did miss was last year's, when Paige Bueckers was out with a torn ACL. The redshirt junior guard is back competing at the highest level, and she led the Huskies on Monday night with 28 points -- her seventh consecutive 20+ point game. She also added 10 rebounds to complete the double-double.
"Today was one of the most rewarding feelings I've ever felt in my life," Bueckers said. "Just seeing where I was a year ago, today, doing individual workouts, starting to feel the basketball again, get the ball in my hands again and play. Now I'm here with my teammates and coaching staff going to the Final Four.
"It's been a very rewarding journey. I'm super, super grateful for it all. The tough times made me who I am. It's built my faith. It's built my appreciation for life and gratitude for anything that gets thrown my way."
But it wasn't just Bueckers' game. Every Huskies player who checked in scored and got at least one rebound, including Aaliyah Edwards, who put up 24 points.
This was a UConn team many were unsure about because it lost six potential contributors to season-ending injuries during the year. Coach Geno Auriemma has been using a seven-player rotation, and that seemed to be more than enough for the Huskies.
"There's something about when you reach this particular game and you win this particular game," Auriemma said. "It may even be more emotional than winning a national championship game sometimes 'cause you know how hard it was to get here."
The Trojans struggled with shooting most of the night, but JuJu Watkins and McKenzie Forbes put on a show with 29 and 24 points, respectively, in the team's first Elite Eight appearance since 1994.
UConn will be taking Iowa on in the Final Four. The Hawkeyes defeated a tough LSU team behind an incredible 41-point performance by Caitlin Clark.
