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The UConn women's hoops team's quest to 40-0 ended connected Friday aft 1 of their worst performances successful caller memory.
Winning each of its first 38 games of nan season, nan Huskies were outscored by 16 points successful nan last 20 minutes to autumn to chap No. 1 seed South Carolina, 62-48, successful nan Final Four.
The bout was a rematch of past year's nationalist championship, which nan Huskies won for a storybook ending to UConn alum Paige Bueckers' career.
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South Carolina defender Agot Makeer and UConn defender Kayleigh Heckel scramble for nan shot during nan 2nd half of nan women's NCAA hoops tourney semifinal astatine nan Final Four successful Phoenix connected April 3, 2026. (Ross D. Franklin/AP)
It's nan 4th clip successful nan past 5 years that nan Gamecocks are backmost successful nan nationalist championship, while nan Huskies had won 54 consecutive making love backmost to past year.
Ta’Niya Latson scored 16 points, and Agot Makeer added 14 pinch South Carolina playing stifling defense. UConn (38-1) entered nan Final Four undefeated for nan ninth clip successful schoolhouse history, and for nan 3rd consecutive clip near without a title. The Huskies besides mislaid successful nan 2017 and 2018 nationalist semifinals.
This was nan fewest points UConn had scored since putting up 49 points successful a nationalist title crippled nonaccomplishment to nan Gamecocks successful 2022.
South Carolina guards Tessa Johnson and Agot Makeer observe aft defeating UConn successful nan women's NCAA assemblage hoops tourney semifinal crippled astatine nan Final Four successful Phoenix connected April 3, 2026. (Rick Scuteri/AP)
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Leading 46-44 a fewer minutes into nan 3rd quarter, South Carolina scored 5 consecutive points, capped by Agot Makeer’s 3-pointer to widen nan advantage to seven.
UConn's Sarah Strong deed a 3-pointer to get nan Huskies backmost wrong 51-47 pinch 4:39 left, but nan Huskies didn't people again until Strong deed a free propulsion pinch 30.8 seconds left, aft South Carolina had scored 11 consecutive points.
Strong, who was honored arsenic nan AP Player of nan Year connected Thursday, had 12 points and 12 rebounds, but went 4 for 16 from nan field. Azzi Fudd had conscionable 8 points for nan Huskies, making only 3-of-15 shots.
UConn had its worst shooting nighttime of nan season, finishing 19 for 61 (31.1%) from nan field.
The crippled was headlined by a heated postgame exchange betwixt coaches Geno Auriemma and Dawn Staley.
Dawn Staley of nan South Carolina Gamecocks argues pinch Geno Auriemma of nan UConn Huskies during nan 2nd half of an NCAA Women's Final Four semifinal crippled astatine Mortgage Matchup Center successful Phoenix, Ariz., connected April 3, 2026. (C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
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The Gamecocks will now look UCLA connected Sunday for nan nationalist championship.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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