For the first time in program history, the UCLA Bruins are cutting down the nets in the women’s NCAA national championship.
In a battle of No. 1 seeds, UCLA took it to South Carolina 79-51 on Sunday afternoon to climb the mountain, overcome the dynastic reign of the Gamecocks, and finally claim the national title.
Gabriela Jaquez led the way for the Bruins, pacing her side in scoring with 21 points while adding 10 rebounds and five assists in a do-it-all showing for her possible final collegiate game.
Superstar centre Lauren Betts finished with a double-double and dominated on defence to shut down the Gamecocks, and Giannia Kneepkens poured it in from deep to keep the Bruins’ offence rolling.
On the other end, South Carolina guard Tessa Johnson continued an impressive tournament with 14 points, but the rest of the Gamecocks struggled mightily to create anything against the suffocating UCLA defence.
It was yet another shutdown day for UCLA, as the Bruins won their Final Four matchup against Texas by stiffling superstar forward Madison Booker and holding her to 3-for-23 from the field. Joyce Edwards got that treatment on Sunday, as the sophomore shot 3-for-10 in the loss.
Despite their near-dynastic success in recent years, the loss marked the second straight national championship defeat for Dawn Staley and South Carolina, preventing the side from winning a third title in five years.
Meanwhile, UCLA will finally fulfill its promise under Cori Close, turning years of regular-season success into a long-awaited championship and bringing a college basketball title to Southern California for the first time since Ed O’Bannon and Jim Harrick did so back in 1995.
