MINIAPOLIS – Page Buickers scored 14 points and advanced to the Yukon National Championship game with a 63-58 victory over defending champions Stanford on Friday night.
The Huskies will face South Carolina for the national championship on Sunday night. The Gamecocks defeated the Cardinals 72-59 in the first game of the final four.
This is UConn’s first trip to the championship game since 2016, when the Huskies won the last of four consecutive championships. Since then, the team has suffered heartbreaking defeats in the national semifinals, losing twice in extra time.
UConn (30-5) will be looking for its 12th national championship, and the Huskies have never lost an NCAA title game.
They had to work to get to the finals. 1:26 Leading 52-44 on the left, Stanford has put together an exciting rally for a few expensive UConn turnovers.
With 18.4 seconds left Cameron Brink’s lay-up got the Cardinals 60-58. UConn was able to work seven seconds off the clock before Christine Williams was fouled with 11 seconds left. The senior guard quietly returned the lead with two free throws.
With 5.4 seconds left, Ashton Prechtel missed a tough competitive 3-pointer from the wing and held the Huskies to victory.
Haley Jones led the Cardinals with 20 points.