Well – we already know how dominant the men’s team has been – but this quick post is about the women’s team. If you think about the history of women’s basketball, one team that is always mentioned is the Connecticut Huskies.

This season, the Huskies had their typical talented team as well, but then the injury bug happened. With 6 players getting hurt, the Huskies were left with just 7 players to play. They still went undefeated in the Big East but in their typically brutal non-conference schedule, they struggled against their top opponents like South Carolina, Texas, UCLA and NC State. To be fair, everyone struggles with these teams and no one would be crazy enough to schedule all of them, but this is Connecticut – they always are one of the best.

Part of their success in conference was because they had Paige Bueckers, who is one of the best players in the country. But they tried to temper their expectations realizing it is hard to win 6 straight games in the tournament with just 7 players even when you have one amazing player.

But then magic started and UConn found their way in the Elite 8 final against 1 seed USC. The game was tied at halftime at 33, but UConn took control in the 3rd quarter. After a three-pointer by Ashlynn Shade and a layup by Bueckers, the Huskies jumped out to a 12 point lead. But USC cut the lead by the end of the quarter to 4 off a three-pointer at the buzzer by Kayla Padilla.

USC would continue to cut into that lead – including tying the game with 7:36 to go as McKenzie Forbes hit a three-pointer. But UConn quickly gained back control off baskets from Ice Brady and Aaliyah Edwards.

Then, with about 5 minutes to go, Paige Bueckers took over the game. Bueckers would score 9 of her 28 points over the next 3 minutes to lead the Huskies to an insurmountable 11 point lead. By the time the last two minutes came off the clock, the Huskies had beat the Trojans 80-73.

It is crazy hard to make the Final Four – to win 4 games in a row against the top teams in college basketball is a great achievement. That makes what UConn and NC State have achieved even more impressive, as both their men and women have survived this gauntlet to make the Final Four. To realize the UConn Huskies managed to do this with just 7 players able to play is an even more impressive feat.

Congratulations to the UConn Huskies on making the Final Four.