UConn Huskies guard Paige Bueckers (5) dribbles to the basket against South Carolina Gamecocks forward Aliyah Boston (4) during the second half in the Final Four championship game of the women's college basketball NCAA Tournament at Target Center. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

MOP Aliyah Boston all smiles after South Carolina wins title

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Larry Brown | Last updated 4/3/22

Last season’s NCAA Tournament ended in disappointment for Aliyah Boston and South Carolina, but things were completely different this year.

The Gamecocks dominated UConn 64-49 at the Target Center in Minneapolis on Sunday night to win the national championship. Boston only scored 11 points, but she still was named Most Outstanding Player for the tournament.

The 6-foot-5 junior got to smile this time around, which was a departure from last season. Last year, a photo of Boston crying following South Carolina’s loss in the Final Four to Stanford drew attention.

Last year This year pic.twitter.com/JYti0omMSK

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) April 4, 2022

“I’ve been thinking about this since last season,” Boston said in her postgame interview with ESPN’s Holly Rowe. “Everyone had a picture of me crying at the end of the Final Four … but today we are national champions.”

Boston then started to cry “happy tears” and told viewers she would give them a big smile.