Final Four 2025 was a tale of two different games, one a battle of warriors and the other resembling a lower card match before the headliner.
In the first game, defending champions South Carolina met what was most likely the fourth-ranked team of the Final Four, Texas. Each team has good shooters, although Texas is not known for three-point shooters, and good defense, and both are headed by storied coaches. For about 2/3 of the first quarter, Texas looked as though they would give the Gamecocks a run for their money.
After holding a 12 – 4 lead, Texas started to lose some of its punch, and the Gamecocks slowly began to muster their forces, and ended the quarter outscoring Texas 14 – 7, making it a one-point lead for the Longhorns.
The second quarter was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams showing brief moments of making a surge but then allowing the other to catch up. Neither team had as yet shown the fire needed to make a deep run, and while there was not an overabundance of turnovers, there were enough to get in the way of establishing a firm grip on the lead. South Carolina managed to end the quarter with a slight lead, 38 – 35. Hardly insurmountable, but the worst was yet to come.
All South Carolina in the Second Half against Texas
To put it simply, after halftime, the Gamecocks started the third quarter reenergized, and the Longhorns looked tired and, if not defeated, deflated. South Carolina ran away with the game, outscoring Texas 20 – 9, giving them a 14-point lead going into the fourth quarter. Again, not so out of reach that a Texas comeback might triumph, but if Texas looked tired in the third quarter, they looked defeated in the fourth.
Even coach Vic Schaefer, who is usually animated and vocal, looked dismayed at his team’s inability to get the job done. There was a sadness on his face that was impossible to misunderstand – his team had lost. The fourth quarter was essentially cosmetic, and South Carolina’s energy had returned to give the Gamecocks a 74 – 57 victory.
Super sophomore Madison Booker was held to 11 points, and highly thought of point guard Rori Harmon to only eight points. Jordan Lee, off the bench, led the team with 16 points. South Carolina was led by Te-Hina Paopao with 14 points, followed by freshman Joyce Edwards with 13 and Bree Hall with 11. Chloe Kitts usually excited fans but was held to six points, while MiLaysia Fulwiley scored seven points.
South Carolina and Texas’s Offenses
While neither team displayed a great deal of shooting prowess, South Carolina did just enough to gain the win. Perhaps too, it is time for Texas to think about adding some bona fide three-point shooters. As this has become an important part of the game, they’re going to need it in the very near future.
After the game, one had to wonder how South Carolina would fare with either UCLA or UConn, given the dynamics of both teams. The Gamecocks can be crafty and difficult, as their successes over the years and this season have shown. They can also be vulnerable and inconsistent, as the season has also shown. We were about to find out.
UCLA Versus UConn in the Second Final Four Matchup
The nightcap featured overall No. 1 seed UCLA and No. 2 seed UConn. According to many pundits, UConn is the favorite to win it all.
UCLA, who had held the No. 1 spot in the rankings for most of the season and who is headed by Lauren Betts, had never been to this stage of the tournament. UConn had, with 11 titles to show for it, and a wealth of history and experience behind it. How much all of that contributed to the outcome is impossible to discern, and each team brought plenty of skill and determination to make this a competitive and exciting game. Competitive it was not, but it was exciting.
From the start, UConn’s fire was obvious. It was equally obvious that Lauren Betts would be charged with carrying her team. Both Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong came out ready to contribute, which set the tone for the rest of the team and the game. It became evident that this was not going to be another 30-point game for Bueckers, who had been playing her best basketball in the tournament.
That didn’t matter, though, for with both Fudd and Strong leading the way, the machine looked pretty well oiled and ready to roll.
UCLA Left it All on the Court
There was nothing the UCLA could do. As much as Betts carried the team, it proved to be a heavy burden. After Betts’s 26 points, the next highest scorer was Kiki Rice with eight. Gabriela Jaquez, who had scored 18 against LSU in their previous game, was held to no points. Timea Gardiner, who had 15 against LSU, scored only three.
UConn turned the Bruins over 19 times, scoring 27 points off turnovers. UConn shot 7 – 16 from three while UCLA shot 4 – 16. Overall, the Huskies held UCLA to 38.5% shooting while going 55%.
UConn and the Offense Versus UCLA
UConn played at a blistering pace, something that coach Geno Auriemma wanted from his team. They did not disappoint. Was it an off night for Paige Bueckers? Yes. She did not make any 3s, but 16 points was a decent contribution, and her presence on the court provided the intangible energy that can’t be measured by a box score.
Neither team’s bench made any significant scoring contribution, but KK Arnold‘s presence cannot be overlooked. Scoring nine points, three assists, and one steal was the line on Arnold, but what she brings in terms of energy and pace is what makes her contribution so significant. Only Arnold, Ashlynn Shade, and Ice Brady played significant minutes off the bench. However, all bench players are going to need to contribute more against South Carolina.
That the Huskies won is not as surprising as how they won. UCLA never had a lead and, at times, looked completely confused by UConn’s game.
It was not their night, and they just got out-played. UCLA’s success is not diminished by this result. They had a stellar season, and coach Cori Close was well-deserving of her Coach of the Year award. There is no doubt that they will be back.
South Carolina Versus UConn for the National Championship
With UConn facing South Carolina for the championship, things have come full circle for Bueckers. This is the team they met in the finals her freshman year. This is also the team that the Huskies dominated in an earlier win this season. The Gamecocks are the defending champions. UConn and Bueckers are looking for a title; the 12th for UConn and the first and only for Bueckers.
To say that there is a lot at stake is a gross understatement. We’ve seen the strengths and weaknesses of each team throughout the season. Is this a revenge match for South Carolina? Is it the same for UConn, which lost its previous finals game? I don’t normally make predictions, but I’m going to here. I can’t give you a score, but I’m going with UConn. It is their time. We’ll soon find out.
And that, my friends, as they say, is that.’ — Martin Ruben.
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