Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd didn’t even need much help from superstar Paige Bueckers to propel UConn into the national title game, leading the Huskies to a remarkably easy 85-51 victory over UCLA in the Final Four of the women’s NCAA Tournament.

Nothing goes right for the top-seeded Bruins in falling 85-51 to perennial powerhouse UConn in the most one-sided NCAA Tournament women’s semifinal

Strong finished with 22 points and Fudd scored all of her 19 points in the first half for the second-seeded Huskies, who are one win away from their 12th national championship and first since the team won four straight from 2013-16 led by former great Breanna Stewart.

As UCLA prepares for its historic Final Four appearance, players reflected on their growth and the mental toughness that has driven their journey to this moment

Just as the NCAA Tournament is set to reach its conclusion on the men's side, so too are the best in women's college basketball nearing the culmination of their season and the right to be called champions.

Gabriela Jaquez looked to make history last summer in seeking to help Mexico, the country of her heritage, qualify for the 2026 FIBA World Cup. That remains a work in progress, so for the moment her focus has shifted to a different kind of history with UCLA as the program enjoys its first Final Four run at the women's NCAA tournament.

There are myriad ways the NCAA transfer portal has altered the fabric of college sports. Players’ ability to freely move from school to school has given them agency like never before and changed the way rosters are built.