UConn vs. South Carolina live score, updates, highlights from 2025 NCAA women’s basketball championship

By | April 6, 2025
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Five months after the season began, UConn and South Carolina are the last two women’s teams standing. Sunday, they’ll meet with a national title on the line.

Geno Auriemma’s Huskies punched their ticket to the championship game with a historically dominant victory in the national semifinal — UConn’s 85-51 win over UCLA is now the largest margin of victory in women’s Final Four history. On the other side of the bracket, Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks pulled away to defeat conference foe Texas, 74-57.

Fittingly, the national title will go to one of the most dominant women’s programs in NCAA history: South Carolina. The Gamecocks are looking to repeat as national champions and win their third title in four years. Adding to the lore of this matchup is that the Gamecocks’ 2022 title came against the Huskies, and several players from that game will take the floor for this one three years later.

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More recently, these two dynastic programs also met in South Carolina in February, but UConn dominated its way to a win, snapping the Gamecocks’ 71-game home winning streak in the process. Seven weeks later, they’ll meet for much higher stakes.

On the big-time stage, it’s up to big-time players to make big-time plays — there are plenty of those on both sides. UConn senior Paige Bueckers will look to close her career with a title, and she’ll do so with the aid of running mate Azzi Fudd and sensational freshman Sarah Strong.

South Carolina seniors Bree Hall and Te-Hina Paopao will look to add to their respective national championship tallies, and freshman Joyce Edwards will look to end her first season of college ball with a bang. 

MORE: Watch UConn vs. South Carolina with Sling

The Sporting News is tracking live score updates and highlights throughout Sunday’s national championship game. Follow along below.

UConn vs. South Carolina score

  Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
UConn 19 17 26 11 –
South Carolina 14 12 16 2 –

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UConn vs. South Carolina live updates, results, highlights from 2025 women’s basketball championship

4:59 p.m. — There won’t be a comeback here, as UConn leads 80-48 with 4:01 to go in the fourth. What a strong finish from the Huskies! 

4:54 p.m.— It’s an 11-2 UConn run, and the Huskies lead 73-44. Paige Bueckers also just tied Maya Moore most points in NCAA Tournament history!  

4:49 p.m. — South Carolina sees it largest deficit of the night, going down 65-42 to UConn early in the fourth quarter. 

4:43 p.m. — And that’ll do it for the end of the third quarter! UConn leads 62-42, and South Carolina will need some major heroics to come back here. 

4:40 p.m. — Joyce Edwards gets her fourth foul and heads to the bench. Sarah Strong makes both free throws, and UConn’s lead is 19 at the tail end of the third quarter. 

4:39 p.m. — Sarah Strong picks up her third foul, but looks like she’s staying in the game. Tessa Johnson makes both free throws, and it’s 59-42 UConn. 

4:35 p.m. — Oh my goodness, and Sarah Strong makes a three-pointer to extend UConn’s lead 56-40! This one is all Huskies, folks!

4:34 p.m. — My goodness, Azzi Fudd is on fire! She nails a three-pointer to thwart that South Carolina momentum real quick. It’s 53-39 UConn. 

4:30 p.m. — OK, we might have some life here from the Gamecocks! Following the bucket, Fulwiley forces a turnover and Sania Feagin makes a layup to make it an 11-point game. Geno calls a timeout. 

4:29 p.m. — MiLaysia Fulwiley makes a big layup for South Carolina, but UConn still leads 50-37 after a pair of Bueckers free throws coming out of the timeout. 

4:24 p.m. — Azzi Fudd is on fire, folks. She has 21 points, and UConn leads 48-35 in the first TV timeout of the second half. Hard to see how South Carolina can get this one back if things continue like this. 

4:20 p.m. — UConn’s Jana El Alfy gets her fourth foul and she heads to the bench. But South Carolina continues to be cold on offense, and UConn leads 44-29 after another Fudd bucket.  

South Carolina has nine turnovers on the day. 

4:16 p.m. — Azzi Fudd is back at it in the second half, she makes a jumper to give UConn a 40-28 lead. 

4:12 p.m. — The second half is set to get underway here! Let’s see how the Gamecocks come out and respond down 10. Expect some major adjustments on defense, but South Carolina also has to get rolling on offense, too. 

4:03 p.m. —Azzi Fudd leads UConn with 13 points and two steals at halftime. Paige Bueckers and Sarah Strong also have eight points, with Strong adding 11 rebounds. 

For South Carolina, there’s not much to be happy about for Dawn Staley, except Joyce Edwards and Tessa Johnson’s five points each. 

3:58 p.m. — Oh man,  UConn cannot be stopped! Ashlynn Shade nails a three pointer right in the final seconds of the first half, and its a 10-point lead at halftime for the Huskies.

What a strong start on offense for UConn! UConn goes to the locker room with a 36-26 lead. 

3:56 p.m. — Tessa Johnson with a much-needed three-pointer to pull South Carolina within eight, then forces a turnover on the other end. Maryam Dauda makes one of her two free throws, and its 33-26 UConn.

3:52 p.m.— Following a Sarah Strong layup, a South Carolina turnover from Fudd gets finished off with another bucket for her. 

This one’s getting away from the Gamecocks, as UConn leads 33-22. 

3:47 p.m. — Azzi Fudd is rolling, she hits a nice jumper to extend UConn’s lead 29-22. We’re in our second TV timeout. Fudd has 11 points so far on the day. 

3:45 p.m. — Sania Feagin hits a much-needed jumper for the Gamecocks to make it 25-22, but South Carolina can’t respond following a miss on the other end. Azzi Fudd makes a pair of free throws to extend the Huskies lead 27-22.

3:43 p.m. — Sarah Strong gets whistled for her first foul, and Tessa Johnson makes both free throws. UConn still leads 25-20.

3:40 p.m. — South Carolina has no answer on defense for this UConn offense early here. 

On the other end, the Gamecocks have sixth turnovers on offense. Dawn Staley is frustrated as Joyce Edwards picks up her second foul.

3:37 p..m. — Bueckers opens the first quarter with a jump shot to extend UConn’s lead to 21-14. South Carolina responds with its fifth turnover on the day. 

3:35 p.m. — At the end of the first quarter, Fudd leads the Huskies with seven points, and Bueckers and Strong have four. For the Gamecocks, Chloe Kitts has four points. 

3:31 p.m. — South Carolina closes out the first quarter with a scoreless three-plus minutes, and Bueckers makes a jump shot off a Sarah Strong assist.

It’s a 19-14 lead after the first quarter for UConn. What a start!

3:28 p.m. — Back-to-back turnovers for South Carolina, and UConn has a 17-14 lead. 

3:26 p.m. — This game is pretty fast faced so far, and this one is a lot of fun early! So far, it’s delivering. 

3:22 p.m. — UConn goes up by four off a Jana El Alfy layup, but South Carolina’s Joyce Edwards responds on the other end with a two-pointer. It’s 15-13 UConn after the first TV timeout. 

3:20 p.m. — Both offenses are firing early, and we’re back and forth here so far. UConn’s Azzi Fudd with an and-one to give the Huskies a 13-11 lead. 

3:16 p.m. — South Carolina strikes first with a Te-Hina Paopao three-pointer, but UConn’s Paige Bueckers and Sarah Strong respond nicely in the next two possessions. It’s 8-7 UConn here early. 

3:15 p.m. — UConn wins the tip, and we’re off and running! 

3:10 p.m. — They’re introducing the starters now, and tip-off is coming up next! Let’s go! 

3:04 p.m. — It’s almost time! Could you ask for any better national championship matchup than this? Can’t wait to get this one tipped off. 

2:57 p.m. — Looks like a packed house is on-hand for this one! 

2:46 p.m. — According to the tip-off countdown clock live on ABC, tip is expected closer to 3:15 p.m. 

2:45 p.m. — UConn’s Sarah Strong is expected to have a big day: 

2:18 p.m. — We’re less than 45 minutes out until tip-off! Can’t wait to get this one started!

2:00 p.m. — Looks like a pretty big crowd expected in Tampa today: 

1:40 p.m. — Staley is rocking some Louis Vuitton for the occasion: 

1:35 p.m. — UConn has also arrived: 

1:27 p.m.— Dawn Staley and South Carolina are in the building: 

1:25 p.m. —We are a little over an hour and a half until tip-off! Should be a great game between these two heavyweight contenders. 

What channel is UConn vs. South Carolina on today?

  • TV channel: ABC, ESPN
  • Live stream: ESPN+, Sling

The Final Four matchup between UConn and South Carolina will be broadcast on ABC and ESPN. Cord-cutters can live stream the game on Sling.

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UConn vs. South Carolina start time

  • Date: Sunday, April 6
  • Time: 3:00 p.m. ET

The Huskies and Gamecocks will meet on Sunday, April 6 at 3:00 p.m. ET at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.

MORE: Why Aaliyah Chavez committed to Oklahoma over South Carolina

Women’s Final Four schedule 2025

Final Four

Friday, April 4

Matchup
No. 1 South Carolina  74, No. 1 Texas 57 
No. 2 UConn 85, No. 1 UCLA 51

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National championship

Sunday, April 6

Matchup Time (ET) TV
No. 2 Uconn vs. No. 1 South Carolina  3:00 p.m. ABC

MORE WOMEN’S FINAL FOUR NEWS

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