UCLA wins first women's basketball championship, defeats South Carolina in Phoenix
The Bruins upset the Gamecocks in a wire-to-wire victory.
UCLA wins first women's basketball championship, defeats South Carolina in Phoenix originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . The battle of No.
1's in the desert with a national championship on the line had a surprise ending. UCLA took home their first women's basketball title, beating South Carolina 79-51 on Sunday afternoon. The Bruins opened up a double-digit lead early and didn't look back, being up by as much as 35 points in one of the worst defeats in Dawn Staley's tenure.
For two teams with different paths to this point, this was an upset between powerhouse programs. South Carolina shot 26 percent from the floor overall in the first half. Its worst field goal percentage in the first half of any game since Dec.
2022, according to ESPN Insights. South Carolina had plenty of experience at this stage and was going for a fourth title. UCLA is tasting it for the first time with star Lauren Betts leading the way.