You couldn't ask for more of a premier NCAA tournament final than having the two most recent Naismith award winners in Aliyah Boston for South Carolina and Paige Bueckers for the University of Connecticut squaring off. These don't always live up to the occasion, and the only one that did was against N.C. State.
The main story will be how South Carolina was able to win the title on the boards. The Gamecocks dominated in offensive and total boards, with 49-28 and 21-6. When you're one and done all night, but also giving away second-chance points like a keg party, you're going to end up on the end of the score.
South Carolina's defense was so aggressive that they had to take a test written in braille. Bueckers didn't have any driving lanes, as she and others saw something of the anti-Giannis picket fence defense at the top of the key. Someone dribbling for 20 seconds as if they forgot where they parked is what most of the possessions involve. The University of Connecticut couldn't shoot over it either, going 4-for-16 from the three-point lane. You end up getting blown out in the championship game.
It was Geno Auriemma's first loss in a championship game, which is quite a streak considering he had been 11-0. South Carolina coach Dawn Staley has a 2-0 record. Boston didn't have to play the hero, as Destanni Henderson poured in 26 and Boston led the charge on the glass with 16.
With the tournament over and the Bueckers-Boston game in the final, it's time to think about the future.
It shouldn't be the only thing that faces an attack as to why they work this way.
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