South Carolina Beats Connecticut in Final Four, Advances to National Championship

South Carolina snapped Connecticut’s 54-game win streak in the Final Four, defeating the Huskies 62-48 in a rematch of last year’s national championship.

The Gamecocks doubled up the Huskies 18-9 in the fourth quarter with Ta’Niya Latson leading the way with 16 points and 11 rebounds. 

“This is why I came to South Caroline: to play in the national championship and win it,” Latson – transferred from Florida State last offseason – said during postgame. 

South Carolina hit 18/22 free throws while the Huskies got to the line six times and hit four. The Gamecocks also outscored the Huskies 47-32. 

“Our kids laid it on the line,” South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley said. “They were locked in for every minute, every second of the game, even when they came back. I thought we were scrappy. I thought we wanted to win and we displayed that.”

There was a confrontation between the team’s head coaches during postgame handshake line. 

See more

Geno Auriemma walked off the court without shaking Dawn Staley’s hand after this altercation between the two coaches at the end of their Final Four game.pic.twitter.com/9R4sfPo1Bl

— Front Office Sports (@FOS) April 4, 2026

Geno Auriemma was not happy with the officiating during his third quarter interview with Holly Rowe. 

See more

Geno Auriemma was not happy with the officiating in the third quarter 😳

“Their coach rants and raves on the sidelines and calls the referees some names you don’t want to hear …”pic.twitter.com/AOX5KxgY44

— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) April 4, 2026

South Carolina will play the winner of UCLA and Texas in the national championship at Mortgage Matchup Center on Sunday.