NCAA Women’s Championship Game Preview: UCLA vs. South Carolina
USA TODAY breaks down the keys to the women’s NCAA championship game between UCLA and South Carolina.
PHOENIX — And there were two.
The South Carolina women’s basketball team will play UCLA for the women’s national title on Sunday, April 5th at Mortgage Matchup Center (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC).
On Friday, April 3, the Gamecocks ended the school’s winning streak at 54 and advanced. In the other semifinal, the Bruins defeated Texas on a defensive effort.
Lauren Betts leads UCLA with averages of 17.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 2.1 blocks. Kiki Rice averaged 15.1 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists.
South Carolina has a balanced offense with five players averaging double-digit points, including Joyce Edwards, Tanya Latson, Madina Okot, Tessa Johnson and Raven Johnson.
Four Bruins players scored in double figures, holding the Gamecocks to 13 points in the first half.
UCLA graduate Monique Billings cheers on Bruins
The Bruins held the Gamecocks to just five points in the third quarter and appeared to be on their way to winning their first NCAA women’s basketball championship. UCLA currently has three players scoring in double figures. Lauren Betts had a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Tensions are high in the NCAA national title game. South Carolina’s Agot Maker and UCLA’s Kiki Rice had to be separated under the basket in the third quarter. The incident occurred with 2:37 left in the frame after Maker tried to push Rice away after UCLA’s Charlisse Ledger-Walker blocked Maker’s layup attempt.
South Carolina’s lack of experience could hurt against UCLA.
South Carolina trailed by at least 20 points in Game 3, but Dawn Staley said this about her lineup on USA TODAY on Feb. 8: “This year’s team is a lot different than previous championship teams. One, the previous championship teams had core members that were together for at least a season or two,” Staley said.
“We don’t have that luxury. We may have one or two pieces that have been to a championship, but 90 percent, 80 percent of our team has never been to a championship. We haven’t even been to a national championship (or conference championship).”
After Betts made a layup to reach 10 points, teammate Gabriela Jaquez made a layup of her own. She currently has 11 points. UCLA led 48-26 with 5:41 left in the third quarter.
The Bruins started the second half on a 7-2 run to take a 43-25 lead.
Olympian Ilona Maher takes over red panda at halftime
Olympian Ilona Maher and a red panda provided entertainment for Sunday’s halftime show in Phoenix. Maher threw some bowls at the red panda in a great collaboration. What a crossover.
The Bruins dominated in the paint, outscoring the Gumcocks 29-17. UCLA also outscored South Carolina 20-12 in the same lane.
Six Bruins players each scored five or more points during the intermission, with Gianna Knepkens and Gabriela Jaquez leading the way with seven points apiece.
Tessa Johnson led the Gamecocks with 10 points and Joyce Edwards had six rebounds.
With 2:48 left in the first half, Tanya Latson made her first field goal of the night after intercepting a bad pass from UCLA’s Charliss Ledger-Walker. After Latson made a layup, he received a hard chest blow from Raven Johnson. In addition to the 2021 GEICO national title, Latson and Johnson won three straight state championships at Westlake High School in Atlanta.
Latson’s layup cut South Carolina’s lead to 32-21. Latson had four points and three rebounds in his first career national championship game.
The acrobatic red panda, a popular halftime performer known for juggling various items while riding a 7-foot unicycle, has been announced as halftime entertainment for the 2026 NCAA Championship Game between UCLA and South Carolina.
The red panda’s performance involves holding onto a bowl with its head and paws for balance while riding a unicycle. She has performed at various NBA and WNBA games throughout her career.
The Bruins are shooting 45 percent from the field, while the Siamcocks are shooting 21 percent. UCLA led 32-17 with 4:34 left in the first half. Gabriella Jaquez had seven points, and Angela Dugaric and Lauren Betts each had six points.
Lauren Betts returned to the game with 8:41 remaining in the second quarter, with UCLA leading South Carolina 26-14. Just before checking in, Betts was on the bench doing some guided deep breathing with a trainer. It is unclear why Betts asked to be removed from the game in the first quarter, but he was seen on the bench gesturing to his throat and repeatedly coughing. Betts had four points and five rebounds in nine minutes.
Lauren Betts signaled to the bench and left the game with 2:14 left in the first quarter. Betts immediately went to the bench, coughed into a towel, moved around his throat and began talking to the trainer. Betts remained on the bench for the remainder of the first quarter.
She returned to the game with 8 minutes, 41 seconds left in the first half.
Gabriela Jacks and Sharice Ledger-Walker each scored five points to give the Bruins a double-digit lead over the Gamecocks. UCLA started the game on a 13-4 run, capped by two free throws by Jaquez. UCLA made three 3-pointers, seven more than South Carolina. Tessa Johnson had three points for the Gamecocks.
South Carolina has struggled to find an offensive rhythm thus far. The Gamecocks opened Sunday’s title game shooting 1-of-9 from the field and 0-of-2 from the 3-point line, culminating in a layup by South Carolina’s Tessa Johnson with 4:53 left in the first quarter. She gets fouled by Sienna Betts on that play and goes to the line.
Gabriella Jack led UCLA with five points and four rebounds. Lauren Betts had four points and two rebounds to give the Bruins a 13-6 lead at the first TV timeout.
Jersey Robinson, a 2026 recruit ranked No. 5 in the nation, made no secret of who he was rooting for as he sat courtside at the national championship game in Phoenix. The 6-foot guard from Sierra Canyon High School wears a shirt that reads, “Who can protect Tessa?” – A nod to something LSU coach Kim Mulkey said when the Shamcocks beat the Tigers earlier this season.
Senior center Lauren Betts scored the first goal of the game for the Bruins.
South Carolina vs UCLA: NCAA Championship date, start time
The South Carolina Gamecocks and UCLA Bruins will face off on Sunday, April 5th at Mortgage Matchup Center, home of the NBA’s Phoenix Suns and WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury.
- time: 3:30 PM ET (12:30 PM PT)
- date: Sunday, April 5th
- position: Mortgage Matchup Center (Phoenix)
How to watch South Carolina vs UCLA: TV channels, streaming
South Carolina vs. UCLA will be broadcast live on April 5th at 3:30pm ET on ABC, with streaming options on Fubo and ESPN Unlimited.
- 8 Joyce Edwards
- 11 Madina Okot
- 5 Tessa Johnson
- 00 Tanya Latson
- 25 Raven Johnson
Dawn Staley and Cori hug before the game
University of South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley and UCLA coach Cori Close hugged and exchanged pleasantries before the game. Although the interaction was only brief, both coaches seemed to be having fun chatting.
Staley then looked around at the people on the bench, as if to say he was participating in a pregame handshake.
After a tense sideline exchange between Staley and UW coach Geno Auriemma on Friday, Auriemma implied that they did not exchange pregame handshakes, even though there was footage of Staley shaking hands with Auriemma.
Crowd boos Geno Auriemma during jumbotron montage
A national championship montage was shown at the Mortgage Matchup Center prior to the title game between UCLA and South Carolina. South Carolina fans in the crowd booed loudly when UW head coach Geno Auriemma was shown celebrating the program’s 12th national championship of the year on the jumbotron. Meanwhile, South Carolina fans applauded loudly as footage of the University of South Carolina and Dawn Staley celebrating championships in 2017, 2022 and 2024 was shown.
In the final moments of South Carolina’s 62-48 victory on April 3, Auriemma and Staley got into a heated confrontation before shaking hands after the game. Auriemma later apologized to the University of South Carolina and team staff for his behavior.
Lauren Betts and Sienna Betts are relaxing for the U.S. Championship match. The sisters performed several popular TikTok dances before uniting with Angela Dugalich and Amanda Muse. Betts gave an impassioned speech to a tightly packed group of forwards before high-fiving other teammates.
WNBA’s Chelsea Gray to serve as guest analyst for title game
WNBA star Chelsea Gray is in Phoenix to call up today’s championship game.
UCLA’s Kiki Rice: Shoulder surgery ‘best thing ever’
UCLA senior guard Kiki Rice’s offseason was unlike any other she’s experienced.
After the Bruins’ historic 34-3 season ended with a loss to UW in the Final Four last April, Rice opted to undergo shoulder surgery after playing through shoulder pain all year. Rice said the move was “one of the best things I’ve ever done,” as evidenced by her career season that ultimately helped the Bruins advance to their first NCAA National Championship Game. “This was the first time I’ve had major surgery and been out for an extended period of time,” Rice told USA TODAY Sports. “Being out for a while and not being able to really shoot for four months and not being able to use my right arm was tough.” Read Sidney Henderson’s full story here.
Ann Meyers Drysdale played on the 1978 UCLA team that won the AIWA national title. She made two Final Four appearances with the Bruins.
Miami Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. is at Mortage Matchup Center to support his sister, UCLA Bruins guard Gabriella Jaquez.
- Two female coaches will take to college basketball’s biggest stage.
- UCLA star Kiki Rice underwent shoulder surgery. It changed her 2025-2026 season
- South Carolina analyzed UConn accurately. UCLA might be next.
The 2026 WNBA Draft is scheduled to take place on April 13th. In a sudden twist after the biggest weekend in college basketball, UCLA’s Lauren Betts is projected to be a first-round pick in USA TODAY’s latest mock draft. USA TODAY is now predicting how the center’s draft night will go. Read the detailed analysis here.
- 4th overall pick, Washington Mystics
| # | name | POS | Experience points | HT | hometown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 00 | Tanya Latson | G | senior | 5’9″ | Miami, Florida |
| 1 | maddie mcdaniel | G | Soph. | 5’9″ | Upper Marlboro, Maryland |
| 5 | tessa johnson | G | junior | 6’0″ | Albertville, Minnesota |
| 8 | Joyce Edwards | F | Soph. | 6’3″ | Camden, South Carolina |
| 11 | Madina Okot | C | senior | 6’6″ | Mumias |
| 15 | Adele Tuck | F | Soph. | 6’5″ | grand prairie, texas |
| twenty one | Chloe Kitts | F | senior | 6’2″ | Oviedo, Florida |
| twenty four | Ira McDowell | G | Father | 6’1″ | Cypress, Texas |
| twenty five | raven johnson | G | senior | 5’9″ | atlanta, georgia |
| 30 | mary david | F | senior | 6’4″ | bentonville, arkansas |
| 31 | Alicia Tournevese | F | Father | 6’4″ | carmel |
| 44 | agoot manufacturer | G | Father | 6’1″ | thunder bay, ontario |
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