PHOENIX — The UCLA Bruins captured their first NCAA women’s basketball championship in stunning fashion Sunday, overwhelming South Carolina 79-51 in a performance that ranks as the third-most lopsided title game victory in tournament history.
Led by standout performances from Gabriela Jaquez and Lauren Betts, the Bruins completed a remarkable season that saw them finish 37-1 and ride a 31-game winning streak to the championship.
UCLA head coach Cori Close expressed confidence before the game even tipped off.
“I really did expect us to win today,” Close said. “I felt very peaceful all day. It wasn’t about whether we got the ‘W’ or not. I wanted us to be able to play our best when our best was needed, and we delivered on that.”
Jaquez delivered a stellar all-around performance with 21 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, while the 6-foot-7 Betts contributed 14 points and 11 rebounds for her 15th double-double of the season. Betts received Most Outstanding Player recognition for her tournament efforts.
The senior-laden Bruins knew they had championship potential from the beginning of the season.
“Since the roster was made, we just knew we had the tools,” said Jaquez, one of five senior starters. “It was just about staying focused and working hard to be the versions of ourselves. That led us to this moment.”
Jaquez, whose brother Jaime Jr. plays for the Miami Heat and previously starred at UCLA, had extra motivation with family watching from the stands.
“Of course I have bragging rights,” Gabriela said.
The Bruins established control early and never let up. A fast-break score by Jaquez stretched UCLA’s advantage to 48-26 in the third quarter, and consecutive three-pointers from Jaquez and Gianna Kneepkens sparked a 13-0 surge that put the game out of reach at 61-32 heading into the final period.
South Carolina coach Dawn Staley acknowledged the challenge Jaquez presented throughout the contest.
“Hard matchup,” Staley said of Jaquez. “You come into a game, you know exactly what she’s going to do and she does it. She’s relentless.”
The Gamecocks (31-4) struggled offensively all evening, managing just 29.0% shooting from the field while UCLA controlled the boards 49-37. Tessa Johnson led South Carolina with 14 points, while Agot Makeer added 11 points. The deficit never dropped below 28 points in the fourth quarter.
UCLA’s defensive dominance continued a pattern from their semifinal victory over Texas, where they held the Longhorns to 30.8% shooting in a 51-45 win.
The Bruins jumped out to early leads of 13-4, 21-10 and 30-15, taking a 36-23 advantage into halftime before pulling away in the second half.
Staley, who was seeking to become just the fourth coach in NCAA history with four women’s championships, acknowledged her team’s struggles.
“We just didn’t have it today,” said Staley. “They were the better team today. Obviously we got smacked today. We got to figure out how we smack back.”
UCLA’s balanced attack featured all five senior starters reaching double figures. Kneepkens finished with 15 points, Charlisse Leger-Walker scored 10 points, and Kiki Rice contributed 10 points, six rebounds and five assists.
Rice earned a spot on the all-Final Four team alongside Jaquez and South Carolina’s Johnson and Taniya Latson.
The championship marked UCLA’s second consecutive Final Four appearance, a program milestone. While they previously won the 1978 AIAW national title, this represents their first championship since the NCAA began sponsoring women’s basketball in 1982.
For South Carolina, the loss ended their bid for back-to-back titles after defeating Iowa in 2024. The Gamecocks were making their third straight championship game appearance and fourth in five years, having also lost to UConn in the previous season’s final.
UCLA experienced the other side of a championship game blowout just one year ago, falling 85-51 to eventual champion UConn in the semifinals.
“I just never wanted to feel that way ever again,” Betts said. “I feel like ever since then we’ve really just grown in our preparation. When duty called, everyone answered, so I’m just really proud of this group.”
