UConn Women’s Basketball<\/a> Team will be competing in the school’s 25th Final Four next weekend in Phoenix.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdn-channels-pixel.ex.co\/events\/0012000001fxZm9AAE?integrationType=DEFAULT&template=design%2Farticle%2Fplatypus_two_column.tpl\")
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Here is a look at how the program has fared in previous Final Fours.<\/p>\n
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1991: A program breaks through<\/p>\n
UConn reached its first Final Four in Geno Auriemma’s sixth season,\u00a0but lost to Virginia 61-55 in the semifinal. Future UConn assistant coach Tonya Cardoza hit four free throws in the final seconds to secure the win for the Cavaliers over the Huskies, who finished 29-5.<\/p>\n
1995: The first taste of victory<\/p>\n
The Huskies won their first national title with a 70-64 win over Tennessee in the championship game in Minneapolis. UConn rallied from a nine-point second half deficit to become the first NCAA team to finish 35-0. Rebecca Lobo was named the Final Four Most Outstanding Player and captured in an iconic photo, showing her running across the Target Center court. Kara\u00a0Wolters scored 31 in national semifinal blowout of Stanford.<\/p>\n
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1996: Hello, old friend<\/p>\n
In Charlotte, UConn (34-4) falls to old nemesis Tennessee 88-83 in overtime in the\u00a0NCAA Tournament semifinal. The Huskies lose to Tennessee despite 4-of-5 shooting from 3-point range from\u00a0Nykesha Sales, including one late to force overtime. Sales ended the game with 28 points, while Jennifer Rizzotti added 17. Michelle Marciniak led Tennessee with 21 points.<\/p>\n
2000: Championship homecoming<\/p>\n
Geno Auriemma celebrates a championship and homecoming, leading the Huskies to a\u00a0national championship with a\u00a0 71-52 win over Tennessee in Philadelphia. UConn avenged its only loss of season, a 1-point defeat to Tennessee in championship game. Shea Ralph, the tournament\u2019s Most Outstanding Player, scored 15 for Huskies in final. Kelly Schumacher set the record for blocks in a Final Four game with nine.<\/p>\n
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2001: An Irish Odyssey<\/p>\n
UConn led by as many as 16 points in the third meeting of the season between the Big East rivals, but could not hold off Notre Dame, which beat the Huskies 90-75 in the semifinal in St, Louis. Sue Bird, who hit a memorable game-winner against the Fighting Irish in the Big East championship, led the Huskies with 18 points. Diana Taurasi, then a freshman, is held to four points on 1 of 15 shooting, including 0-for-11 from 3-point range. Notre Dame handed UConn (32-3) two of its three losses that season.<\/p>\n
2002: Taurasi wins her first<\/p>\n
The Huskies got back to their winning ways with a national championship win over Oklahoma, 82-70 at the Alamadome. The Huskies, with four of the top six picks in the 2002\u00a0WNBA Draft, led by six with 90 seconds left before sophomore Diana Taurasi came up with a key basket and free throw to put the game out of reach. UConn became the first team in\u00a0NCAA history to record two undefeated seasons, ending 2002 with a 39-0 record.<\/p>\n
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2003: Back-to-back<\/p>\n
UConn got another national championship with a 73-68 win over Tennessee, this time at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Diana\u00a0Taurasi was named the tournament\u2019s Most Outstanding Player. The Huskies became the third program to win back-to-back titles, joining USC and Tennessee.<\/p>\n
2004: Three-peat<\/p>\n
UConn won its third-straight national championship with 70-61 win over Tennessee in New Orleans. The Huskies fifth-straight trip to the Final Four results in a third-straight national title. The five straight trips to the Final Four were a record at the time. Taurasi is named the tournament Most Outstanding player for second consecutive year.<\/p>\n
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2008: Getting back, almost<\/p>\n
After a few years away, UConn lost to Stanford 82-73 in the semifinal in Tampa. Playing without the injured\u00a0Mel Thomas and Kalana Greene, the Huskies were unable to slow Candice\u00a0Wiggins, who would score 25 points.\u00a0UConn had defeated Stanford by 12 earlier in the year.<\/p>\n
2009: UConn is back<\/p>\n
For the first time in five years, UConn won the national championship with a 76-54 win over Louisville in St, Louis. Tournament Most Outstanding Player Tina Charles leads Huskies to its third win of season over Big East rival Louisville with 25 points and 19 rebounds. UConn became the first NCAA team to win by double digits in all of its games.<\/p>\n
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2010: Here we go again<\/p>\n
UConn went back-to-back again, winning the national championship with a 53-47 win over Stanford at the Alamodome. Trailing by eight at halftime,\u00a0UConn started the second half on a 17-2 run. Maya Moore scored 23 points to lead the Huskies to a seventh national title and second-straight undefeated season.<\/p>\n
2011: A setback<\/p>\n
UConn lost to Notre Dame 72-63 in the NCAA Tournament semifinal in Indianapolis. Maya Moore attempted a Final Four record 30 field goals in the loss. Moore scored a game-high 36 points for the Huskies (36-2).<\/p>\n
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2012: You again?<\/p>\n
For the second-straight season, UConn lost to Notre Dame, this time an 83-75 overtime setback in the semifinal in Denver.\u00a0UConn led by three at halftime but could not hold on.\u00a0Stefanie Dolson lead UConn with 20 points and nine rebounds.<\/p>\n
2013: This is more like it<\/p>\n
The Huskies won the national championship with a 93-60 win over Louisville in New Orleans. The eighth national title for the Huskies ties Geno Auriemma with Tennessee’s Pat\u00a0Summitt for the most\u00a0NCAA women\u2019s titles. This is the first of four national titles for Breanna Stewart, the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four who scored 18 of her 23 points in the first half. UConn led 48-29 at half. The 33-point win was the largest margin of victory in an\u00a0NCAA championship game.<\/p>\n
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2014: Two for Stewie<\/p>\n
UConn again goes back-to-back with a 79-58 win over Notre Dame in the title game in Nashville. Both teams entered the game unbeaten, a first for the\u00a0NCAA women\u2019s basketball championship game. Breanna Stewart scores 21 points and Stefanie Dolson adds 17 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists for UConn, which surpasses Tenneessee with its ninth title. The win also secures UConn a sweep of the men\u2019s and women\u2019s titles for a second time. The men beat Kentucky the night before.<\/p>\n
2015: Geno ties a legend<\/p>\n
A 63-53 win over Notre Dame in the final ties\u00a0Auriemma with UCLA\u2019s John Wooden with his10th national title. Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis and Moriah Jefferson each score 15 points and Breanna Stewart adds 15 rebounds in Tampa Bay. Stewart is the Most Outstanding player for third straight time, the first to do so in women\u2019s basketball.\u00a0Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the only men\u2019s player to do it, while at UCLA.<\/p>\n
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2016: Stewie finishes in style<\/p>\n
The Huskies 82-51 win over Syracuse in Indianapolis is a fourth straight national championship.\u00a0Breanna Stewart caps a brilliant career by leading\u00a0UConn to an unprecedented fourth straight women\u2019s title with 24 points and 10 rebounds. Stewart and fellow seniors Morgan Tuck and\u00a0Moriah Jefferson end their careers 24-0 in NCAA tournament games as the Huskies extend their overall win streak to 75 games. The championship is the 11th for UConn and Auriemma. The Huskies improve to 11-0 in national championship games.<\/p>\n
2017: Wrong side of March Madness<\/p>\n
UConn\u2019s streak of 111 straight wins ends in dramatic fashion as Mississippi State\u2019s Morgan William connects on a 15-foot jumper for a 86-84 overtime win in the semifinal in Dallas. UConn defeated Mississippi State by 60 in the 2016 regional final.<\/p>\n
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2018: Irish goodbye<\/p>\n
UConn lost to Notre Dame 91-89 in overtime in the semifinal in Columbus, Ohio. Napheesa Collier leads UConn with 24 points.<\/p>\n
2019: Irish eyes keep smiling<\/p>\n
Another loss to Notre Dame, this time 81-76 in the semifinal in Tampa.\u00a0UConn led this game by nine points with eight minutes left but fell short. Katie Lou Samuelson scored all of her 20 points in the second half for UConn.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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2021: Upset again<\/p>\n
A double-digit favorite, UConn lost\u00a0to Arizona 69-59 in the semifinal for its fourth-straight semifinal loss. Paige\u00a0Bueckers, the AP Player of the Year was held to 18 points on 5-for-13 shooting at the Alamodome. Christyn Williams leads the Huskies with 20 points. Aairian Shawnae McDonald leads Arizona with 26 points.\u00a0UConn edged Baylor 69-67 in the regional final to advance to the Final Four.\u00a0<\/p>\n
2022: A title game defeat<\/p>\n
For the first time in program history, the Huskies lost in a championship game as South Carolina took control early and never gave up the lead, beating UConn 64-49 in Minneapolis. Aliyah Boston, named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, has 11 points and 16 rebounds in the final. Destanni Henderson leads South Carolina with 26 points. Paige Bueckers scores a team-high 14 for UConn.\u00a0The appearance was UConn’s record 14th-straight in the Final Four.<\/p>\n
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2024: Caitlin Clark prevails<\/p>\n
UConn loses to Iowa and its star player Caitlin Clark 71-69 in the national semifinal in Cleveland. Clark\u00a0finished with 20 points. Paige Bueckers and Aaliyah Edwards lead the Huskies with 17 points each.<\/p>\n
2025: Paige leaves her mark<\/p>\n
Playing in her final game as a Husky, Paige Bueckers help deliver national title No. 12 to Storrs with an 82-59 win over South Carolina in Tampa. Bueckers had 17 points, six rebounds and three assists for UConn.\u00a0Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong each scored 24 to lead UConn. Strong connects on 10 of 15 from the field and adds 15 rebounds, five assists and three blocks.\u00a0It is UConn\u2019s first title since 2016, snapping a nine-year drought on the 30th anniversary of its very first national championship.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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