HUSKIES HUMILIATE BRUINS: UConn Destroys Top-Seed UCLA in Record-Breaking Final Four Beatdown
Amalie Arena, Tampa, Florida
Let’s just call it what it was—a Final Four bloodbath that nobody saw coming.
No. 2 seed UConn didn’t just beat No. 1 overall seed UCLA—they buried them, 85-51, in the most lopsided victory in Final Four history. That’s a 34-point clinic, people. You could feel the ghosts of UConn greatness—**Maya Moore, Breanna Stewart, Diana Taurasi—**fist-pumping in the rafters of Amalie Arena.
And guess what? Sarah Strong just joined them.
The freshman phenom dropped 22 points and made Huskies history, becoming only the third UConn freshman ever to go for 20+ in a Final Four game, joining Moore and Stewart in that exclusive club. Not bad for someone who just got her driver’s license.
But let’s rewind—because this beatdown started early.
After a tight first quarter, Azzi Fudd torched the Bruins for 19 first-half points. It was like she drank MJ’s “Secret Stuff” before tipoff. UConn swarmed on defense, forcing 14 first-half turnovers and holding everyone not named Lauren Betts to single digits. UCLA looked shook. The scoreboard read 42-22 at the break, but the energy in the building felt like it was already over.
In the second half, Paige Bueckers and Strong joined the party. The trio—Fudd, Bueckers, and Strong—combined for a casual 57 points, shot 64% from the field, and made UCLA look like they wandered into the wrong tournament.
And where was UCLA’s starpower? Lauren Betts showed up, dropping 15 and playing her heart out, but her teammates? MIA. Gabriela Jaquez went 0-for-5. The Bruins looked more like benchwarmers than ballers. Let’s just say: you can’t fumble the bag harder in a Final Four.
The kicker? This blowout was UConn’s first Final Four win since 2022. After years of heartbreak and doubters saying the dynasty was dead, the Huskies are now one win away from flipping the script—and they’re facing No. 1 South Carolina in a 2022 title game rematch. The Gamecocks embarrassed them back then. Now? UConn wants revenge—and they’ve got the arsenal to do it.
Betts, Bueckers, Fudd, Strong—this is the clash of the future. And if you’re not watching Sunday at 3 PM ET, what are you even doing?
