UCLA Just Won Its First Women's NCAA Title and South Carolina Never Had a Chance

UCLA absolutely demolished South Carolina to capture the program's first women's basketball national championship. This wasn't close. This wasn't a thriller that went down to the wire. This was a blowout, plain and simple, and it capped off what coach Cori Close called doing things "our way."

The Bruins Built Something Special

Close's roster was an eclectic mix of transfers who finally delivered an NCAA title years in the making. The longtime coach had been building toward this moment, and on this stage, her team showed up ready. It wasn't accident or luck. This was a team that knew exactly what it was doing, and every player on that roster bought in completely.

Dominant Performance From Start to Finish

Gabriela Jaquez punctuated the blowout with a double-double performance and hit crucial shots when UCLA needed them most. Lauren Betts was connecting on back-to-back threes as UCLA's lead just kept ballooning to 25 points. The Bruins had multiple players stepping up at different moments, and that's what happens when a roster finally clicks together at the right time.

South Carolina came in as the runner-up, and while they'll be ranked No. 3 in the way-too-early projections for next season, there was nothing they could do to stop UCLA's momentum in this one. The Bruins were simply the better team on the court.

What's Next

UCLA is now the 2026 champion, though interestingly they're unranked in the first top 25 projections for next season. Both teams will have decisions to make on recruits and portal priorities as the offseason unfolds. But right now, the focus is on what Close and her players just accomplished: breaking through for that first national title.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.