Defending champs defeated, Wilson’s career ends as UConn tops USC

ALBANY, N.Y. (WOLO) – Carolina’s NCAA Championship defense came to an unceremonious end Monday night at the Times Union Center, falling behind early, and never able to catch up to Connecticut. The top-seeded, undefeated Huskies clinched a berth to their 11th-straight Final Four, defeating the No. 2 seed Gamecocks 94-65 in the Albany Region Final.

Hopkins’ native A’ja Wilson’s illustrious career comes to a close in her third Elite Eight appearance of her stellar four-year career. The four-time AP All-American earned her third-straight first-team honor prior to the game. The program’s all-time leader in points and blocks led all players with 27 points and eight rebounds.

The Gamecocks turned the ball over six times in the first quarter, 13 times over the full forty minutes.

UConn (36-0) broke out to a 30-12 lead in the first 10 minutes and held a 54-33 advantage at halftime. The Huskies put on a shooting clinic in the first half, hitting 67.9 percent of their attempts and making nine of their 10 three point tries. USC shot 56 percent themselves in the first and second periods, but weren’t able to keep up with the Huskies shooting abilities. For the game, UConn made 12 threes compared to just one from South Carolina.

Playing in front of a pro-Connecticut crowd just over a couple hours from their Storrs campus, Geno Auriemma’s program will look to win their first National Championship in two years in Columbus, OH at the Final Four.

The Gamecocks’ season ends at 29-7. Wilson and graduate transfer Lindsay Spann leave to program to graduation. A’ja is expected to be the number one pick in April’s WNBA Draft in New York City.