South Carolina and UCLA Meet for the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Title

Two No. 1 seeds and two of the sport's most compelling storylines converged Sunday at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix as South Carolina and UCLA faced off for the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship, a matchup that put a program chasing history against one making it for the first time.

South Carolina entered as a 4.5-point favorite, carrying a 36-3 record and the weight of a dynasty. Dawn Staley's Gamecocks were bidding for their fourth national title since 2017 and their third in five seasons, a run that has redefined dominance in the women's game. UCLA, at 36-1, was playing in its first national championship game in program history. Cori Close's Bruins arrived in Phoenix with something to prove and nothing to lose.

The road to Sunday's final was defined by two seismic semifinals on Friday. South Carolina dismantled UConn 62-48, snapping the Huskies' 54-game winning streak and holding them to 31 percent from the field, the lowest shooting performance UConn had suffered all season. It was a defensive masterclass built around Raven Johnson and Joyce Edwards, who drew the primary assignments on Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong and smothered both. Freshman Agot Makeer provided the offensive spark the Gamecocks needed, scoring 14 points off the bench including two three-pointers, reaching double figures for the fifth consecutive tournament game.

UCLA's path was no simpler. The Bruins escaped Texas 51-44 in a grinding semifinal that exposed their offensive limitations but showcased the championship-caliber play of senior center Lauren Betts. Betts posted 16 points and 11 rebounds, her seventh career double-double in NCAA tournament play, and delivered a clutch block in the final seconds to preserve the victory. Betts entered Sunday's final averaging 22.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 3.0 blocks in tournament play while shooting 70.1 percent from the field. The projected WNBA lottery pick was the most dominant player in the tournament, and the central matchup of the title game pitted her against the Gamecocks' Edwards.

The history between these programs is brief but pointed. The two programs had met only five times before Sunday, with South Carolina holding the edge in the all-time series. The most recent meeting told a different story: UCLA beat the Gamecocks 77-62 at home in November 2024, a result that gave the Bruins confidence heading into this rematch. South Carolina had also lost the 2025 national championship, making Sunday's game a second consecutive shot at reclaiming the title.

Sunday's final was also a milestone in women's basketball leadership. Both teams were guided by women head coaches, with Staley's Hall of Fame-level resume measured against Close's steady program-building at UCLA, which had never before reached this stage.