Ucla Defies Expectations With A Tko Of Texas And Isn't Backing Down From Title Fight

It was ugly.

It was beautiful.

It was a messy stone fight.

It was Bruin ballet.

In beforehand of a stunned crowd astatine Phoenix’ Mortgage Matchup Center Friday night, nan UCLA women’s hoops squad defied stereotypes and defined toughness and did what fewer believed this dancing, dazzling group could do.

They hit personification up.

They stared down presumably rougher Texas successful nan nationalist semifinals and painted nan level successful streaks of Longhorn and won nan second-most important crippled of their lives.

Now they get to play nan astir important.

With their 51-44 triumph complete nan burned Orange, nan Bruins person precocious to nan nationalist title crippled Sunday against a physically ascendant group from powerhouse South Carolina.

UCLA halfway Lauren Betts shoots complete Texas guardant Breya Cunningham during their Final Four matchup Friday successful Phoenix.

(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)

Put up your dukes.

If you thought UCLA needed to return disconnected nan gloves against Texas, hold until they spell bare knuckles pinch nan heavy and knowledgeable Gamecocks.

Based connected bequest alone, nan nationalist title bout is simply a mismatch.

South Carolina, nether legendary coach Dawn Staley, is playing successful nan nationalist title crippled for nan 3rd consecutive twelvemonth and 4th clip successful 5 years. Meanwhile, this is UCLA’s first title crippled quality successful nan NCAA era.

South Carolina has won 3 championships successful nan past 8 non-COVID-19 seasons. Meanwhile, UCLA is searching for its first NCAA title and first title of immoderate benignant since Ann Meyers Drysdale led nan Bruins to nan 1978 AIAW crown.title.

Count nan Bruins retired if you must. But against Texas, a squad that had dominated them during nan regular season, nan Bruins did each nan counting arsenic nan Longhorns laic level connected their backs during an eventual knockout.

It turns out, being led by six seniors and postgraduate students connected a mission to decorativeness their careers together arsenic champions matters. It turns out, a willingness to do whatever it takes to win that title matters moreover more.

And it turns out, 30 consecutive wins intends something. These Bruins don’t flinch. These Bruins don’t retreat. These Bruins don’t person immoderate uncertainty that they tin past immoderate South Carolina throws astatine them, moreover if that’s capable fists and fury to make semifinal-losing UConn coach Geno Auriemma suffer his mind during a profane in-game question and reply Friday connected ESPN.

“The job’s not finished,” said Gabriela Jaquez, who erstwhile again seemingly showed up astir each loose ball. “Still person 1 much crippled to win.”

UCLA guardant Gabriela Jaquez drives toward nan handbasket nether unit from Texas guardant Breya Cunningham during their Final Four semifinal connected Friday successful Arizona.

(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)

This crippled began, appropriately enough, pinch Angela Dugalic blocking Aston Judd’s changeable and past glaring astatine her arsenic nan Longhorn laic successful a heap.

“It’s specified an astonishing point that we person different opportunity to play together,” said Dugalic. “One much day.”

This crippled ended pinch Lauren Betts blocking Madison Booker’s layup effort pinch 18 seconds remaining and Texas trailing by conscionable three.

“Oh my God,” said Charlisse Leger-Walker. “Another Lauren Betts specialty.”

After nan block, Betts screamed large capable to beryllium heard from nan godforsaken to Westwood. Soon thereafter, her teammates were screaming pinch her.

“We knew it was going to beryllium a tough, beingness crippled and we knew we had to lucifer that intensity,” said Kiki Rice.

Did they ever.

Defensively, they held Texas prima Madison Booker to 3 baskets disconnected 23 attempts, including an unbelievable 17 consecutive misses astatine 1 point. Their Bruins’ unit was truthful intense, Texas took 21 much shots and still mislaid by seven.

Offensively, 4 different players scored successful double figures while they had 13 assists connected 18 baskets. Yeah, they committed 23 turnovers, nan astir successful a Final Four crippled successful 18 years. But who’s counting?

“I want to apologize to each nan fans for nan rugby match,” said Bruins coach Cori Close.

No apology necessary.

UCLA guardant Angela Dugalic blocks a layup effort by Texas defender Ashton Judd during thier Final Four crippled Friday successful Phoenix.

(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)

The Bruins dominated from nan outset, holding Texas to a season-low six points successful nan first 4th arsenic nan Longhorns made conscionable 3 shots. Hampered by their ain mistakes, UCLA fto Texas enactment successful nan crippled until scores by Betts, Rice and Jaquez widened nan spread to 10 astatine nan commencement of nan 4th quarter.

Texas battled backmost to wrong 1 possession late, but Betts’ artifact sealed it for a squad that has travel excessively acold and endured excessively overmuch to beryllium bothered by moreover nan astir furious of comeback attempts. For nan record, nan mighty Texas squad led for each of 54 seconds.

“This is amazing,” said Betts.

There are players connected this squad that person made 4 consecutive trips to nan Sweet 16 and consecutive trips to nan Final Four. South Carolina knocked nan Bruins retired during 1 of those tournaments. They’re good alert it could easy hap again.

But unit moments Sunday day pinch nan hoops world watching? Bring it on.

“I deliberation successful those moments, we’re conscionable truthful connected that sloppy of what nan people is, we could person been down 10, we still would person been arsenic connected arsenic if we were up 10,” said Betts, who missed only 3 of 10 shots and had 11 rebounds. “I’m conscionable really proud of this group. I deliberation it shows nan maturity. I cognize I tin count connected anybody connected this team, sloppy of what nan people is. We’re going to proceed to show up and compete.”

For 1 much game. For 1 past time. For forever.