As confetti fell on the court in Tampa following the Huskies' 82-59 national championship win over South Carolina, UConn women's basketball head coach Geno Auriemma gave a touching reflection on Paige Bueckers’ five-year journey with the team.

“(Bueckers') journey,” Auriemma said on ESPN’s postgame show, “has been the most incredible for any kid I’ve had.”

Bueckers, who finished her final college game with 17 points, six rebounds and three assists, led UConn to its 12th national title and first since 2016. Her career had been defined as much by setbacks as success, with multiple injuries delaying the team’s return to the top. The national championship completes her decorated résumé and ends the Huskies' nine-year title drought.

The senior guard, projected to be the No. 1 pick in the upcoming WNBA Draft, embraced Auriemma after leaving the court with just over a minute to play. Later, Auriemma shared the brief message he gave her in that moment: “I love you. That’s all I can say. I love you.”

Joining Bueckers in leading UConn’s title run were Azzi Fudd and freshman Sarah Strong. Fudd was named Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four after scoring 24 points. Strong added 24 points and 15 rebounds, helping the trio combine for 368 total points in the NCAA Tournament, the most by three teammates in a single tournament, per Stats Perform.

UConn women's basketball back to winning ways

Connecticut Huskies guard Paige Bueckers (5) holds up a piece of the net after the national championship of the women's 2025 NCAA tournament against the South Carolina Gamecocks.
© Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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The win marked a return to form for a UConn program that had suffered early tournament exits in recent seasons.

“You just never know if you’ll ever be back in this situation again,” Auriemma said, per Doug Feinberg of the Associated Press. “And there were so many times when I think we all questioned, ‘Have we been here too long? Has it been time?’ And we kept hanging in there and hanging in there and that’s because these players make me want to hang in there every day.”

For Bueckers, the championship game was a fitting conclusion to a college career defined by perseverance.

“It’s been a story of resilience, gratitude of overcoming adversity and responding to life’s challenges,” Bueckers said. “I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Former UConn great Rebecca Lobo called the moment “truly storybook.”

“For her and the journey that she’s had, what she’s been through,” Lobo said, “I think it means so much because of all the trials and tribulations she’s had along the way.”