The 2025 Women’s NCAA Tournament was a rollercoaster ride filled with amazing performances and dramatic moments. Many stars emerged, records were shattered, and teams made a name for themselves in college basketball lore. Here are five moments that we think you’ll need to revisit.
Best Moments of the 2025 Women’s NCAA Tournament
1. Paige Bueckers’ Fireworks
UConn senior star Paige Bueckers turned the Elite Eight into her personal showcase on April 1. Facing USC, she dropped 31 points, drilling four 3-pointers in a 78-64 win. Her back-to-back long-range shots late in the second quarter broke the game open, sending the Huskies to their 24th Final Four.
UCONN TAKES DOWN NO. 1 USC 🚨
Paige Bueckers (28 PTS) and the Huskies are Final Four bound 🔥 pic.twitter.com/mBi6oIDSQ4
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 2, 2024
Over three games, Bueckers racked up 105 points, a UConn record for any three-game span. Her clutch play defined her last tournament run and reminded everyone why she was the center of attention at UConn.
2. UCLA Makes First Final Four
March 30 marked a turning point for UCLA. In a tense 72-65 Elite Eight victory over LSU, the Bruins secured their first Final Four trip ever.
Superstar Lauren Betts faced fouls that made her sit out the second quarter but still finished with 17 points, seven rebounds, and six blocks. Gabriela Jaquez added 18 points, hitting four 3-pointers to keep UCLA in control. For coach Cori Close and the top-seeded Bruins, this win ended years of frustration and proved their mettle.
3. South Carolina’s Elite Eight Battle Against Duke
Defending champion South Carolina faced a test on March 30 against Duke in the Elite Eight. Scoring only 54 points, their second-lowest total in tournament history, they still gutted out a 54-50 win.
DUKE TAKES THE LEAD ON SOUTH CAROLINA 👀
📺: ABC pic.twitter.com/aspSiK2Kn6
— ESPN (@espn) March 30, 2025
With stars Joyce Edwards and MiLaysia Fulwiley struggling, Chloe Kitts and Sania Feagin stepped up. Kitts scored eight of the team’s final 10 points, locking in their fifth straight Final Four spot.
4. Geno Auriemma Secures Legendary Status
The championship game on April 6 was UConn’s moment. Taking down South Carolina, the Huskies grabbed their 12th national title. Freshman Sarah Strong showed her shooting skills while Paige Bueckers controlled the game with her all-around presence.
Paige Bueckers, a UConn legend pic.twitter.com/Ugfge1KpOT
— UConn Women’s Basketball (@UConnWBB) April 6, 2025
Earlier rounds saw UConn crushing opponents by over 40 points on average. This win ended a nine-year title drought for Geno Auriemma, making him the oldest championship-winning coach in basketball.
5. Lauren Betts Dominates the Paint
UCLA’s Lauren Betts became a force in the tournament’s earlier rounds. She posted back-to-back 30-point, 10-rebound games, peaking with 31 points on 15-of-16 shooting in a 76-62 Sweet 16 win over Ole Miss on March 28.
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That performance put her in rare company; only Elena Delle Donne and Brittney Griner had done it in the last 25 years. Betts ruled the paint, powering UCLA’s surge and giving us more than enough reason to keep a close eye on her future career and potential.
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