March Madness: The UCLA Four Final Course ends with a defeat at Uconn

Tampa, Florida – Pass looked with their hands. The rebounds have slipped out of the limits. The lively lights of a blind historical season UCLA on the largest scene.

Connecticut, appearing in its 16th Final Four in the last NCAA tournaments, played as a team used at this time, dominating the UCLA 85-51 in the Final Four in Amalie Arena on Friday. The Bruins (34-3) did not look like the team that won the seeder n ° 1 of the tournament.

Playing in its first NCAA Final Four, Ucla overthrew the ball more than 19 times. Although Star Center Lauren Betts muscled 26 points out of 11 shots, the Bruins only made four three points out of 16 attempts. The UCONN star, Paige Bueckers, succeeded in 16 points – including six in the first half – but the Bruins have always lagged behind by 20 at halftime, equaling the biggest deficit they had to face all season, because Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong dominated with 19 and 22 points, respectively.

The UCLA season – which presented a school record for the victories, the first seeded of the NCAA N ° 1 tournament of the program and the first appearance in the national semi -finals since 1979 – felt charmed after the Bruins rebounded after a humiliating defeat against the USC at home. They have exorcised their demons of rivalry by beating the Trojan horses in the Big Ten tournament for their first conference tournament championship since 2006. They finally overcome the Sweet 16 Hurdle which stumbled them five times at the end. They took revenge against the state of Louisiana to make the history of the school and reach Tampa.

But they left their magic at 3,000 miles in Washington.

UCLA turned the ball back on the possession of opening while Londynn Jones bothered a simple pass to Angela Dugalic. Fudd set up in a three -point pointer in the first quarter. UCLA Timea Gardiner had a three -point roll around the interior of the rim and will come out.

The UCLA bench could not help swing the momentum.

After the turnover of the recruit Elina Aarnisalo turned into a quick uny-up for Kaitlyn Chen who put the Huskies 39-22 with 1:32 to play in the second quarter, the UCLA coach, Cost, has desperately had the referee desperately for a dead time. But before Close could debrief with the players, Kiki Rice pulled his teammates in a tight group. The leader shouted towards his teammates while the coaches huddled separately.

Rice, Betts, Gabriela Jaquez and Jones should be the cornerstone of a team that is still firmly in its championship window. Each player has the eligibility to come back next year.

Betts, whose transfer to the UCLA last season propelled the Bruins into the contenders for the national championship, checked in the last two minutes with tears in the eyes when she gave her teammates. She buried her face in a towel on the bench.