"Job's not finished" as UCLA looks to halt South Carolina dynasty in women's NCAA title game
Apr 3, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; UCLA Bruins forward Angela Dugalic (32), forward Gabriela Jaquez (11), and forward Sienna Betts (16) react during the first half of a semifinal of the Final Four of the women's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Texas Longhorns at Mortgage Matchup Center. PHOENIX – For the first time in program history, UCLA’s women’s basketball team is within a single win of a national championship after beating Texas 51-44 in Friday’s national semifinal. But as one Los Angeles hoops legend so famously said nearly two decades ago, the job’s not finished.
Not even close. In a poetic twist of fate, the Bruins will have to beat the defining program and coach of the last decade to earn the sport’s ultimate prize. Dawn Staley and South Carolina advanced to a third consecutive national title game with a stunning upset over UConn in the first semifinal, although that masterclass of a performance was largely overshadowed by Geno Auriemma’s postgame antics.
A win on Sunday would make Staley a four-time national champion, tying her with Kim Mulkey for the third most in NCAA women’s basketball history. “Dawn does such a great job,” UCLA coach Cori Close said. “She's a standard bearer in our sport.
I'm thankful for what they have done not just for South Carolina, but for the game. But we also are an incredibly competitive, confident group. I'm sure they are, as well.
All you can ask for is an opportunity to play your best basketball for a national championship. ” Winning Ugly Beating South Carolina will certainly be a tall order, especially for a team that won its semifinal game in one of the ugliest fashions imaginable. UCLA didn’t score a field goal in the final 3:08 of Friday’s game and was held to just six points in the second quarter, but made up for it by limiting Texas to just 28 points through three quarters.