NCAA women’s national championship: South Carolina v UCLA - live updates
The Guardian • • sports
Key Points:
- UCLA dominated South Carolina in the 2026 Women's NCAA basketball championship game, leading by as much as 29 points in the third quarter and maintaining a commanding advantage throughout the game.
- Lauren Betts of UCLA was a standout player, contributing significantly on both offense and defense, including scoring 35 points in an earlier tournament game and making key plays in the final.
- South Carolina struggled offensively, shooting just 26% and 1-8 from three-point range, while UCLA excelled in rebounding (29-17) and scoring in the paint.
- The game marked a third championship meeting between UCLA and South Carolina in five years, with UCLA seeking their first national title and South Carolina favored by 3.5 points before the game.
- Tensions from a previous semifinal between South Carolina and UConn included a sideline altercation between coaches Dawn Staley and Geno Auriemma, which was later apologized for by Auriemma, allowing focus to remain on the championship matchup.
