UCLA Outlasts Texas Reaches NCAA Championship Game/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ UCLA held off a late Texas rally to win 51-44 and reach its first NCAA championship game. Lauren Betts delivered a game-saving block in the final seconds to secure the victory. The Bruins now face South Carolina for the national title after their historic season.
UCLA vs Texas Final Four — Quick Looks
- UCLA defeats Texas 51-44 in Final Four
- Bruins reach first national championship game
- Lauren Betts records clutch block late
- UCLA improves to 36-1 on season
- Texas struggles offensively throughout game
- Madison Booker held to 6 points
- UCLA advances to face South Carolina
- Defensive battle produces low-scoring contest
- Bruins win 29th straight game
- UCLA seeking first national championship
Deep Look: UCLA Withstands Texas Rally, Reaches First NCAA Title Game
PHOENIX — Lauren Betts spent much of the offseason reliving UCLA’s painful Final Four loss to UConn, watching the blowout repeatedly as motivation. When the Bruins returned to the national semifinals a year later, Betts made sure the outcome would be different.
The two-time All-American delivered the defining moment Friday night, blocking Texas star Madison Booker with 20 seconds remaining to help UCLA secure a gritty 51-44 victory and advance to its first NCAA women’s basketball championship game in program history.
The Bruins relied on defense and composure to hold off a late Texas surge, sealing one of the biggest wins in UCLA women’s basketball history.
“When that play happened, I really have so much confidence that every time she is in a matchup, she’s going to find a way to alter, block, scare somebody from doing that,” UCLA coach Cori Close said after the game. “I just think she’s spectacular.”
Betts’ performance was crucial for UCLA, which entered the game determined to avoid a repeat of last season’s Final Four disappointment. The Bruins, now 36-1, have compiled the best season in program history and extended their winning streak to 29 games.
The matchup carried extra significance because Texas handed UCLA its only loss this season, beating the Bruins 76-65 in November. This time, UCLA flipped the script by controlling the game with physical defense and timely offense.
The Bruins built a 13-point lead midway through the fourth quarter, largely by limiting Booker, Texas’ All-American guard and leading scorer. However, the Longhorns refused to fold, using a 12-2 run fueled by defensive stops to cut UCLA’s lead to just 47-44.
Texas appeared poised to complete the comeback when Booker drove toward the basket on a fast break. But Betts sprinted back on defense — something coaches had emphasized all season — and delivered a perfectly timed block. She secured the rebound herself before Kiki Rice hit two clutch free throws to seal the victory.
“As soon as I saw her getting downhill I was like, ‘Alright, please block this. Don’t let her score,’” Betts said.
The victory sends UCLA to Sunday’s championship game, where the Bruins will face South Carolina, a three-time national champion that defeated reigning champion UConn earlier Friday.
Texas, meanwhile, struggled offensively throughout the game. Booker, who has been one of the nation’s top players all season, endured a difficult night. After making her first shot, she missed her next 17 attempts and finished with just six points on 3-of-23 shooting.
“It did surprise me when I couldn’t get out of my funk because every shot I put up it felt like it was going to be money,” Booker said. “I wish a few more fell in, not just for me but for my teammates, too.”
Texas coach Vic Schaefer was equally frustrated after another heartbreaking Final Four loss. Schaefer previously reached the national title game twice with Mississippi State but fell short both times. Now, Texas will have to wait at least another year to chase its first championship in four decades.
“We feel like, in our locker room, we let one get away,” Schaefer said. “I feel like this one will haunt me as the coach probably until the day I die.”
The game was a defensive battle from the start. UCLA controlled the first quarter and built an early eight-point lead. Texas responded in the second quarter, holding UCLA to just six points and trimming the deficit to 20-17 at halftime.
The physical nature of the game resembled a wrestling match, with players diving for loose balls and coaches lobbying officials for calls. The defensive intensity led to one of the lowest-scoring Final Four games in history.
Texas finished with just six points in the first quarter and shot 38% overall. The Longhorns also struggled from beyond the arc, hitting only 2 of 9 attempts from three-point range.
Betts emerged as the difference-maker. After scoring a season-low eight points in the teams’ first meeting, the 6-foot-7 center attacked early before Texas could double-team her. She finished with 11 rebounds, three blocks, and shot 7 of 10 from the floor.
Her final block, however, proved to be the most important — securing UCLA’s place in history.
Now, the Bruins are one win away from their first national championship and a chance to cap off a historic season.
You must Register or Login to post a comment.