By Mike Harley | @mhar3481 MINNEAPOLIS — South Carolina senior guard Destanni Henderson saved her best game of the season for last, leading the Gamecocks to their second national championship in program history, defeating perennial power Connecticut 64-49 on Sunday night. Henderson scored a career-high 26 points while shooting 9-for-20 from the field, and 3-for-6 …

By Meghan Rominger Sports Capital Journalism Program MINNEAPOLIS — Before she carried the national championship trophy to the makeshift stage at center court, South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley made a pit stop. She wanted the South Carolina pep band members to pass it around and take pictures with it first. Across the court, Gamecocks superstar …

By Michael Harley Sports Capital Journalism Program MINNEAPOLIS- Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma was not particularly pleased with his team’s performance against Stanford on Friday night, but he is not taking the opportunity to compete for a national championship for granted. “Well, you get to the Final Four, it’s not easy to win either game,” …

By Mike Harley | @mhar3481 Sports Capital Journalism Program MINNEAPOLIS — The Connecticut Huskies held off defending national champion Stanford Friday night at the Target Center, defeating the Cardinal 63-58 to advance to the national championship game against South Carolina on Sunday. Despite UConn’s 19 turnovers, including eight in the fourth quarter alone, the Huskies …

By Michael Harley | @mhar3481 Sports Capital Journalism Program MINNEAPOLIS – A showdown between two national powerhouses will take place Friday night in the second semifinal game of the NCAA Women’s Final Four. The Connecticut Huskies will meet the defending national champion Stanford Cardinal at the Target Center. UConn (29-5) is making its 22nd Final …

By Aidan Wilkins | @AidanJWilkins Sports Capital Journalism Program Editor’s note: Sports Capital Journalism Program student Aidan Wilkins, writing for NCAA.com, writes about the legacy that seniors Napheesa Collier and Katie Lou Samuelson left on the UConn women’s basketball program.  Read the full story here

By Aidan Wilkins | @AidanJWilkins Sports Capital Journalism Program Editor’s note: Sports Capital Journalism Program student Aidan Wilkins, writing for NCAA.com, described how a pair of Connecticut seniors have one last shot at a national title after being eliminated from the Final Four each of the past two seasons. Read the full story here

Rebecca Harris | @MsRebeccaHarris Sports Capital Journalism Program INDIANAPOLIS — With eight minutes to go in the first quarter of Tuesday’s national championship game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, UConn’s Gabby Williams passed to Moriah Jefferson. Jefferson took a brief look at her coach. Huskies coach Geno Auriemma rolled his hands to signal that they needed …

By Frank Gogola | @FrankGogola Sports Capital Journalism Program INDIANAPOLIS – They sat in front of their lockers and spoke softly. Many hung their heads while others gazed straight ahead at nothing in particular. Their eyes were still red and watery. Syracuse had just suffered one of its biggest losses of the season on a …

By Rebecca Harris | @MsRebeccaHarris Sports Capital Journalism Program UConn has forgotten how to lose, at least according to Syracuse head coach Quentin Hillsman. “We have a chance on Tuesday night to play against a dynasty and play against a team that really forgot how to lose,” said Hillman. The Huskies’ seniors have only lost …