UCLA storms past South Carolina to claim its first NCAA women's basketball title

PHOENIX — It’s mission accomplished for UCLA.

Gabriela Jaquez, Lauren Betts and the rest of the UCLA seniors secured the first NCAA women’s basketball national championship in school history — a goal that was set after losing in the program’s first Final Four last season.

Jaquez scored 21 points and Betts added 14 points and 11 rebounds as UCLA routed South Carolina, 79-51, on Sunday at the Mortgage Matchup Center.

“I knew we were going to do it. Coming to UCLA, we all set out for a goal, and I imagined this moment,” Jaquez said. “I imagined it so many times, and I am just so, so proud . . . Crying a lot, the confetti, all of the fans being here to support us, my family being here, it just means everything. Celebrating with this group, like . . . I’m so happy.”

The lopsided victory completed the Bruins’ journey through this year’s March Madness. The Bruins (37-1) ran through their opponents this season, with their only loss coming to Texas in November.

“It’s immeasurably more than I could ask or imagine,” coach Cori Close said. “It’s beyond my wildest dreams.”

UCLA was led by Betts and her fellow seniors and graduate students, including Jaquez, who played all four years with the Bruins. Jaquez also had 10 rebounds and five assists in front of her brother Jaime, who plays for the Miami Heat and flew in to watch his alma mater win.

“Connectivity. Attention to detail. You know, I looked them in the eyes in the locker room, before the game, and I said, ‘I’m so proud to be able to say this,’ ” Close said. “Because all year we’ve been saying the talent is our floor, but our character will determine our ceiling.’”

Betts exited the game with 3:45 left, giving Close a huge hug. The 6-7 senior earned Most Outstanding Player honors of the Final Four.

Close has been at UCLA for 15 seasons, but her connections go deeper with the school. She was mentored by legendary UCLA men’s coach John Wooden, who won 10 national championships at the school.

Their bond began when she was 22 years old and he was 83. Close visited Wooden biweekly, adopting his “Pyramid of Success” and focus on character.

“Coach Wooden always said, ‘You got to do it the way you’re wired to do it, not the way anyone else did,’ ’’ Close said. “And I just tried imperfectly to stay true to that.”

The title is UCLA’s first since it won the 1978 AIAW championship, which was the postseason tournament for women’s basketball before the NCAA took over in 1982.

“UCLA is a quality team with very experienced players who got a taste of being in the Final Four last year, and you make adjustments,” South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said. “From last year to this year — they played determined last year, but they played more determined this year because they were so close.”

The Bruins led 36-23 at halftime and put the game away by opening the third quarter with a 12-3 run. UCLA outscored South Carolina 25-9 in the quarter to take a 61-32 lead.

“Obviously, we got smacked today,” Staley said. “We got to figure out how we smack back and put ourselves in the position where we’re hoisting the trophy at the end of the day.”

Sunday marked South Carolina’s second straight loss in the championship game after winning the title in 2024. Staley’s Gamecocks (36-4) have a talented group of expected returnees, led by Joyce Edwards and Agot Makeer.

“We just didn’t have it today. We tried, but we just didn’t have it today,” Staley said. “They were the better team.”

The Gamecocks were trying to cement their name as the premier program in the sport with a fourth championship and third in the past five seasons.

“This is not the ending we wanted, but we got here. No one thought we would, and we did it,” said Tessa Johnson (14 points).

Said Gamecocks senior Raven Johnson, who played in five Final Fours in her career: “The score speaks for itself.”