UConn Claims 12th NCAA Women's Basketball Championship, Defeats South Carolina 82-59

UConn captured its 12th national championship in women's basketball, defeating defending champions South Carolina 82-59, marking their first title since 2016. This victory adds to UConn's storied history, which includes six undefeated seasons and a remarkable 111-game winning streak from 2014 to 2017. Despite strong performances from Big Ten teams, including a record 12 entries in the NCAA Tournament, Purdue remains the only Big Ten women's basketball program to have won a national championship, achieved in the 1998-99 season. The Big Ten saw teams like UCLA and USC reach significant stages in the tournament, but neither could secure the title this year, with UCLA falling to UConn in the Final Four. Legendary coaches such as Geno Auriemma and Pat Summitt have shaped the landscape of women's college basketball, with UConn and Tennessee being dominant forces over the decades. UConn's win reinforces their legacy as the most successful program in NCAA women's basketball history.