If you were expecting a nail-biter for the national title, the Bruins clearly had other plans! In a game that was supposed to be a heavyweight battle, the UCLA South Carolina showdown turned into a total masterclass by the girls from Westwood. UCLA absolutely cruised to a 79-51 victory at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, securing the program’s first-ever NCAA era national championship. It was giving “main character energy” from the very first whistle, as the Bruins never once trailed and effectively ended the Gamecocks’ season in a way that left the entire stadium speechless.

What made the UCLA South Carolina win so iconic was the fact that the Bruins’ starting five played like a perfectly synchronized girl group. Every single starter finished in double figures, led by a spectacular performance from senior Gabriela Jaquez, who put up 21 points and 10 rebounds. We also have to give flowers to Lauren Betts, who earned Most Outstanding Player honors after dominating the paint with 14 points and 11 boards. UCLA’s defense was so suffocating that it held the high-powered South Carolina offense to just 51 points, their lowest total of the entire year, while limiting them to a painful 29% from the field.

A Full Circle Moment for Cori Close

For those of us who have been following this journey, seeing Coach Cori Close finally cut down the nets in her 15th season feels like the ultimate “I told you so” moment. The UCLA South Carolina victory marks the school’s 126th NCAA team title, but this one hits a little different because it is the first time the women have taken the crown since the 1978 AIAW days. It is officially a new era in college hoops, and with these six seniors scoring every single one of the team’s 79 points, they certainly went out on the highest note possible. We are already looking forward to the parade in Westwood because these Bruins definitely earned every bit of the hype!