Ucla Defeats Texas To Set Up National Title Showdown With South Carolina

2 bulan yang lalu

ARTICLE AD BOX

PHOENIX — For nan first time, nan UCLA women’s hoops team is playing connected nan last time of nan season.

In a grueling protect slugfest pinch chap No. 1-seed Texas, nan Bruins won 51-44 to beforehand to Sunday’s nationalist title crippled against South Carolina. UCLA didn’t way aft nan opening handbasket but didn’t propulsion distant until nan 4th quarter, stymied by a season-high 23 turnovers that fto Texas bent around.

Lauren Betts, who vanished pinch a 16-point, 11-rebound double-double, blocked a past layup effort from Madison Booker pinch 20 seconds near to get nan shot backmost while up 3 points and evaded Texas’ fourth-quarter comeback effort aft nan Longhorns went connected a 12-2 run.

No squad scored 40 until UCLA (36-1) yet reached nan people pinch 7:56 left. Both teams had play lows for points.

And yet, nan Bruins recovered somewhat of a hit early successful nan 4th fourth to unfastened a double-digit lead and continued to clasp nan Longhorns (35-4) to a season-low 31% from nan field.

For each nan attraction astir nan Longhorns’ defense successful this tournament, it was UCLA’s that carried Friday’s semifinal arsenic it dictated nan gait by not letting nan Longhorns run.

The Bruins held Booker, nan Longhorns’ apical violative weapon, to six points connected three-for-23 shooting.

Texas was nan only squad to sound disconnected UCLA this season, backmost connected Nov. 26 during a crippled successful which Betts was injured midway done nan contest.

UCLA guardant Angela Dugalic celebrates aft making a three-pointer against Texas.

UCLA went connected a 14-2 first-quarter tally to spell up by 10 and unit a Texas timeout pinch 2 minutes left. The Longhorns went 1 for 8 during that agelong and their six full points were their lowest successful a 4th each season.

But nan Bruins committed 4 consecutive turnovers to fto Texas constrictive nan shortage moreover arsenic nan Longhorns struggled to make baskets. UCLA concluded nan half 1 for 7 and went into halftime up 20-17. Neither squad scored successful nan past 2:30 of nan 2nd quarter.

The 37 mixed points were nan second-fewest successful a half successful Final Four history. Texas, which is 5th successful nan federation successful violative efficiency, changeable conscionable 25% during nan first half.

The scoring didn’t prime up successful nan 2nd half, either; some teams mixed for 22 points successful nan 3rd 4th and UCLA took an eight-point lead.

But then, Justice Carlton was fouled arsenic she scored a layup and deed a free propulsion pinch 53 seconds near successful nan 4th to get backmost to a one-possession title and different layup to propulsion wrong one. The Bruins led 31-28 astatine nan extremity of three.

UCLA players (from left) Kiki Rice, Angela Dugalic and Lauren Betts respond successful nan last seconds of nan Bruins' win.

UCLA went up by 10 pursuing a Kiki Rice three-pointer and a Gabriela Jaquez fast-break layup, past Gianna Kneepkens deed a three-pointer pinch 5 minutes to springiness nan Bruins their largest lead astatine 13 points.

Texas sewage backmost wrong 3 pinch conscionable nether 1 infinitesimal left, and aft an Angela Dugalic miss, Texas had a chance for nan last changeable of regulation, but Betts delivered a clutch artifact and UCLA gained possession.

Texas has succeeded this tourney pinch a lockdown protect effort, but its shooting has gotten amended throughout, led by Rori Harmon and Booker. UCLA didn’t fto either of nan players get room to put up comfortable shots.

South Carolina (36-3) took down previously-undefeated UConn 62-48 earlier Friday to beforehand to Sunday’s championship, wherever nan Gamecocks will look UCLA for nan first clip this season.