NCAA championship: UConn's Azzi Fudd named Final Four MOP over Paige Bueckers, Sarah Strong

ASSOCIATED PRESS

In a Final Four that also featured sensational efforts from Paige Bueckers and Sarah Strong, Azzi Fudd was named the Most Outstanding Player on Sunday following UConn's 82-59 win over South Carolina in the NCAA championship game. 

Fudd finished with 24 points, five rebounds and and three steals as the Huskies cruised past the Gamecocks for the program's 12th national championship. She's now the Final Four's MOP three seasons after a disappointing 3-point effort in UConn's loss to South Carolina in the 2022 national title game. 

Sunday's win was an overwhelming effort by the Huskies to secure the program's 12th national title and leaves no doubt about their claim as the nation's best team. In the end, the MOP award was not an obvious or easy choice. 

Strong, a freshman, was dominant on both sides of the court while securing 24 points, 15 rebounds, five assists, three blocks and two steals. Bueckers had sentiment on her side in her final college game and finished with a strong effort of her own with 17 points, six rebounds, three assists and two blocks.

But ultimately, voters determined that Fudd was the rightful winner after sparking UConn's early lead over South Carolina that the Gamecocks never challenged. 

Fudd scored seven of UConn's 19 points as the Huskies opened up a 19-14 lead. She led the charge as UConn broke the game open for a 36-26 halftime lead, and Fudd finished the first half as the leading scorer with 13 points while making plays on both sides of the court.

Then, in the third quarter, Fudd hit a corner 3 that ballooned UConn's lead to 53-39 and answered a 4-0 South Carolina run that amounted to the Gamecocks' last gasp. 

South Carolina had no answers from there as the rest of the second half was a coronation for UConn.

Fudd's performance on Sunday followed up another sensational effort in