Every NCAA Tournament is magical.
It’s a time unlike any other, where we get the madness of a single-elimination contest and see if dreams come true or nightmares come to life. 2025 was no exception. So, before we pivot to the transfer portal and what next year will look like, let’s take a look at the biggest moments from the tourney.
Paige Bueckers, UConn win it all
After all the ups and downs, Bueckers finally got the job done and won a national title for UConn, beating South Carolina 82-59. It was a moment of poetic justice where she could leave it all on the floor and share the unfiltered joy of winning in front of the world.
Now, Bueckers moves to the WNBA, but this game and moment were historic and will be the first thing we remember from this tournament decades from now.
JuJu Watkins tears ACL
Not all memories are good ones. In USC’s second-round game against Mississippi State, Watkins went down in the first quarter, tearing her ACL. This not only ended her tournament, but will likely rule her out for all, or almost all, of next year.
The Trojans rallied around her absence. They beat Mississippi State and Kansas State to reach the Elite Eight. During the games Watkins was out, they had a Funko Pop Watkins on the bench as a sign of support—a reminder…
