The 2025 NCAA Tournament is set to be an exciting conclusion to a storied season of UConn women’s college basketball.
The theme of the 2024-25 campaign was parity, and that has continued into the postseason. Each program will have to navigate through a sea of competitors worthy of holding the title of national champion. The selection committee has chosen which 68 teams are going dancing. But no one is a clear favorite to cut down the nets in Tampa, Florida.
UConn has consistently been one of the nation’s most dominant women’s college basketball programs for years. With a healthy Paige Bueckers leading the charge and backed up by a supporting cast of Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong, the Huskies are prepared to make another deep run at a national title that they haven’t recaptured since 2016.
As a No. 2 seed in the Spokane 4 region, UConn was just barely edged out as the favorite to win. The positioning isn’t impossible to overcome, but having to take out up to three No. 1 seeds on the way to the championship will make the road there a bit tougher. However, the Huskies’ elite reputation should make them easy frontrunners in at least the tournament’s early stages.
UConn has reasons to feel confident, like its 29-point February victory over reigning champs South Carolina. The Huskies also have all the pieces they need, as their experience, efficient and dominant offense, and health have fallen into place, giving them their best chance at winning in years.
Having arguably the best trio in college basketball also works out in UConn’s favor. The mix of experienced upperclassmen and a talented underclassman in Bueckers, Fudd, and Strong has added the strong core that this otherwise youthful roster lacked.
Granted, they’ve never played all together in March Madness, and Bueckers and Fudd haven’t shared the court the the tournament since 2022. But the trio plays an integral role, and they will need to show up consistently if the team wants to have a successful run.
Bueckers, whose injury history has led to an up-and-down collegiate journey, is motivated to end her amateur career on top after years of disappointments. The 23-year-old’s not only a marquee player for UConn – she’s led the squad to the Final Four each year she’s played – but she’s also one of the brightest standouts in the sport, and her performance could be a catalyst for the Huskies in the tournament.
Seeing as Bueckers knows these will be her last games at the college level, she will likely show the aggressive attacking mentality that coach Geno Auriemma likes to see. Her ability to lead, elevate those around her, effortlessly create plays, and score in high-pressure situations will be a deciding factor throughout UConn’s quest for title No. 12.
Fudd has also fully come into her own in her first campaign back following a long recovery from surgery on a serious ACL and meniscus tear in late 2023. The graduate student is now just 91 shy of 1,000 career points, and while she averaged 12.8 points during the season, she’s capable of putting up 25 to 30 in a game when needed.
The 22-year-old could also be in her last days as a collegiate athlete if she decides to forgo her last year of eligibility, meaning Bueckers won’t be the only one feeling the sense of urgency.
Meanwhile, Strong could be the “secret” weapon that gives the Huskies an advantage. She might be their worst-kept secret – it’s hard to overlook the 6-foot-2 defensive dynamo’s dominance in the paint during her debut season – but her abilities on both sides of the ball don’t get as much attention as Bueckers’ and Fudd’s.
Strong leads the team in rebounds (8.4), blocks (1.6), and steals (2.4) per game while trailing only Bueckers in points (16) and assists (3.4). The 19-year-old can elevate her play in crucial moments and stay unshaken like her fellow co-stars, which is impressive for someone so young with more skill to unlock. Pair that with her genuine on-court chemistry with Bueckers, and Strong could end up being the difference-maker for UConn.
Key Potential Matchups
UConn remains a perennial powerhouse program. However, opponents like USC, UCLA, and the Gamecocks are formidable teams in their own right. Those schools boast some of the nation’s best players, such as JuJu Watkins and Lauren Betts. And they are led by coaches that should never be fully bet against, like legend Dawn Staley. However, they also have weaknesses that could be key to the Huskies’ advancement through the tournament.
UCLA
There was some chatter about whether the Bruins deserved their No. 1 seed, but the program has remained unbothered. And for good reason, given that UCLA beat every regular-season squad it went up against besides USC, and those losses were avenged in the Big Ten Tournament championship game.
The team, led by superstar Betts and a deep talented roster, played at its peak to end the season as conference champs. But there’s a chance the Huskies can overtake the Bruins if they keep the contest close. Many March Madness games are decided on free throws, which appears to be UCLA’s only weak area (besides USC) with a free-throw rate of 15.3%.
South Carolina
Despite being seeded in second, South Carolina is the closest team to being an outright favorite in 2025’s tournament. The well-rounded Gamecocks look to be a lock for their fifth-straight Final Four appearance. Seeing them perceive their No.2 ranking as a snub seemingly adds a chip on their shoulder that makes them even scarier to go up against.
However, South Carolina has slipped up during the campaign. They most notably slipped in an 87-58 loss to UConn that snapped a 71-game home winning streak. The Huskies know Staley’s side is not unbeatable, so they’re in a good position to recreate the magic that took the Gamecocks down in February.
USC
This likely matchup is guaranteed to come sooner rather than later. Facing a potential Player of the Year in Watkins so early in the tournament is not ideal, especially with assistance from Kiki Iriafen’s high basketball IQ and athleticism. Watkins already helped the Trojans reach their first Elite Eight since 1994 in her freshman season, and she’s only gained more experience and confidence in the year since.
But the Huskies can potentially exploit the roster’s lack of reliable playmaking depth if those two aren’t locked in at the same time. USC also has as tough of a journey as UConn does since both teams sit in the same bracket. Oklahoma, Kentucky, Iowa, Cal, and Kansas State are all capable of playing a potential spoiler. And they could bring the Trojans’ hopes for a ring to end sooner than anyone would’ve anticipated.
An upset that huge would cost fans the Bueckers-Watkins showdown they’ve been waiting for. But it would also clear the path for UConn to the Elite Eight and beyond.
When March Madness kicks off for the Huskies, the path to the title will be lined with both challenges and opportunities. With Bueckers at the helm behind Auriemma’s expert leadership, the program has the potential to return to the pinnacle of women’s college basketball.
The path to the Final Four and beyond won’t be easy. However, Bueckers’ talent, the strength of her supporting cast, and UConn’s history of success will still position them as a force to be reckoned with. The longtime threats could be the ones hoisting the trophy when it’s all said and done.
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