Facing UConn in a late-season nonconference showcase, the Gamecocks played their worst game in years. The Huskies traveled south from Storrs, Conn., to Columbia, S.C, and both silenced a crowd and overpowered an opponent. UConn beat South Carolina 87-58, snapping the Gamecocks’ 71-game home winning streak for one of the worst losses in Dawn Staley’s tenure.
On Sunday, in the national championship at Amalie Arena, the two powers of the sport will face each other once more. History will be made one way or another. Either South Carolina will become the first repeat champion since 2016, or the Huskies will win their first title since that same season.
(2) UConn vs. (1) South Carolina
The 2025 Women’s National Championship is set 🏆 pic.twitter.com/R9yXsnFNRr
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) April 5, 2025
Here are four keys to Sunday’s title game:
Can South Carolina get off to a better start?
After the Gamecocks’ sloppy start in Friday night’s semifinal, guard Te-Hina Paopao said it’s something her team “shouldn’t be used to.” South Carolina trailed by eight in the first quarter against Texas … after trailing at halftime against Indiana in the second round and trailing Maryland in the final four minutes in the Sweet 16 and trailing Duke entering the final quarter of the Elite Eight.
Granted, there’s something to the idea of grinding out wins, especially during March Madness. Not every game can be a masterpiece. But it’s a dangerous habit as the competition level increases, and UConn is playing at an elite level. The Huskies beat South Carolina the first time by scoring 31 of the first 45 points and never looking back. A repeat performance Sunday could result in a hole too big for the Gamecocks to dig out of.
Who will win the turnover battle?
The Gamecocks’ ability to force turnovers has been key to their top-five defense. But against the Huskies in mid-February, South Carolina struggled to create any live-ball takeaways. The Gamecocks had just a single steal, according to CBB Analytics, down from just over nine in the regular season. They had only four points off turnovers, down from their 19.4 season average.
UConn’s experienced guards are a big reason they couldn’t force turnovers. The Huskies are in the 99th percentile nationally in turnovers per game, with Paige Bueckers averaging a career-low 1.4 turnovers in her final season. UConn had only seven turnovers against UCLA in the national semifinal.
In February, UConn’s defense was less effective in turning over South Carolina than it typically is against most opponents, but it was nevertheless still effective in transition. The Huskies scored 31 fastbreak points, 19 more than the Gamecocks. Against the Bruins, UConn didn’t get out and run nearly as much, but it scored 27 points off 19 UCLA giveaways, and played stout transition defense on the other end.
Will Bueckers finally lead UConn to a title?
The Huskies are not a one-person team. The ...
