PHOENIX — And then there were two.
TheSouth Carolina women's basketball team will face UCLAfor the women's national title Sunday, April 5 at Mortgage Matchup Center (3:30 p.m., ET, ABC).
The Gamecocksended UConn's 54-game winning streakto advance on Friday, April 3. TheBruins defeated Texasin a defensive struggle in the other semifinal.
Lauren Bettsleads UCLA, averaging 17.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.1 blocks.Kiki Riceadds 15.1 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists.
South Carolina has a balanced offensive attack with five players averaging double figure scoring including Joyce Edwards,Ta'Niya Latson, Madina Okot, Tessa Johnson and Raven Johnson.
Women’s Final Four showcases top-ranked teams going head-to-head
South Carolina vs UCLA: NCAA Championship date, start time
The South Carolina Gamecocks and UCLA Bruins and will face off Sunday, April 5 at the Mortgage Matchup Center, home of the NBA's Phoenix Suns and WNBA's Phoenix Mercury.
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Time: 3:30 p.m. ET (12:30 p.m. PT)
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Date: Sunday, April 5
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Location: Mortgage Matchup Center (Phoenix)
How to watch South Carolina vs UCLA: TV channel, streaming
South Carolina vs. UCLA will air live on ABC at 3:30 p.m. ET on April 5, with streaming options onFuboandESPN Unlimited.
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TV channel: ABC
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Streaming: Fubo, ESPN Unlimited
Betts throat injury?
Lauren Betts motioned to the bench and checked out of the game with 2:14 remaining in the first quarter. Betts immediately went to the bench and began talking with a trainer as she coughed into a towel and motioned toward her throat area. Betts remained on the bench the remainder of the first quarter.
Gamecocks trying to find offense
South Carolina has struggled to find its offensive rhythm so far. The Gamecocks opened Sunday’s title game shooting 1-of-9 from the field and 0-of-2 from the 3-point line before South Carolina’s Tessa Johnson got a layup to go with 4:53 remaining in the first quarter. She was fouled by Sienna Betts on the play and heads to the line.
Gabriela Jaquez has five points and four rebounds to lead UCLA. Lauren Betts has scored four and grabbed two rebounds to help the Bruins to a 13-6 lead at the first TV timeout.
Jerzy Robinson repping South Carolina
Jerzy Robinson, the fifth-ranked 2026 recruit in the nation, is sitting courtside at the national championship game in Phoenix and making no secrets about who she's rooting for. The 6-foot guard from Sierra Canyon High School is wearing a shirt that says, "Who can guard Tessa?" − a nod to something LSU coach Kim Mulkey said when the Gamecocks beat the Tigers earlier this season.
We are underway in Phoenix
Senior center Lauren Betts scored the first basket of the the game for the Bruins.
UCLA starting five
South Carolina starting five
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8 Joyce Edwards
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11 Madina Okot
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5 Tessa Johnson
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00 Ta'Niya Latson
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25 Raven Johnson
Dawn Staley and Cori Close hug pregame
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley and UCLA coach Cori Close hugged pregame and exchanged pleasantries. It was just a brief interaction, but both coaches were happy to chat with one another.
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Afterward Staley looked around after to people on the bench as if to say she does participate in pregame handshakes.
On Friday, after atense sideline exchange Staley and UConn coach Geno Auriemma, Auriemma insinuated Staley didn't do the pregame handshake exchange, despite footage that she did shake hands with Auriemma.
Crowd boos Geno Auriemma during Jumbotron montage
A national championship montage was shown at Mortgage Matchup Center ahead of the title game between UCLA and South Carolina. When UConn head coach Geno Auriemma was shown on the Jumbotron celebrating the program’s 12 national championships throughout the years, South Carolina fans in the crowd loudly booed. Meanwhile, South Carolina fans loudly applauded when footage of South Carolina and Dawn Staley celebrating their titles in 2017, 2022 and 2024 was shown.
In the waning moments ofSouth Carolina's 62-48 winon April 3,Auriemma and Staley got into a heated confrontationbefore the postgame handshake.Auriemma later issued an apologyto South Carolina and team staff for how he conducted himself.
Lauren Betts gives teammates pregame speech
Lauren Betts and Sienna Betts are staying loose ahead of the national championship game. The sisters performed several popular TikTok dances before locking in a huddle with Angela Dugalic and Amanda Muse. Betts gave an impassioned speech to the group of forwards in the close huddle before going to high five her other teammates.
WNBA'S Chelsea Gray on guest analyst duties at title game
WNBA star Chelsea Gray is in Phoenix to call today's championship matchup.
UCLA's Kiki Rice: Shoulder surgery 'the best things I ever did'
UCLAsenior guard Kiki Rice's offseason was unlike any she's experienced.
After the Bruins' historic 34-3 season ended with a loss to UConn in the Final Four last April, Rice elected to undergo shoulder surgery after playing through shoulder pain all year. Rice said the move was "one of the best things I ever did," as evidenced by her career season that's ultimately helped the Bruins reach their first NCAA national championship game. "It was my first time having a big surgery and being out for a long time," Rice told USA TODAY Sports. "It was tough just being out for a while and not being able to really shoot and use my right arm for four months." Read Cydney Henderson’sfull story here.
Ann Meyers Drysdale repping
Ann Meyers Drysdale played on the UCLA team that won the AIWA national title in 1978. She appeared in two Final Four for the Bruins.
Less than 30 minutes to tip
Miami Heat forward in Phoenix to support UCLA sister
Miami Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. is at Mortage Matchup Center to support his sister, UCLA Bruins guard Gabriela Jaquez.
South Carolina and UCLA storylines to watch:
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Two women coaches are on college basketball's biggest stage:
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UCLA star Kiki Rice had shoulder surgery; It changed her 2025-2026 season
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South Carolina dissected UConn with precision; UCLA could be next
Dawn Staley and Cori Close are dressed for the occasion
South Carolina hits the court
South Carolina vs. UCLA predictions
South Carolina and its FAMs are ready for the title game
UCLA heads to Mortgage Matchup Center with a fan sendoff
Lauren Betts WNBA mock draft projection
The 2026 WNBA draft is scheduled to take place on April 13. It's a quick turnaround after the biggest weekend in college basketball and in USA TODAY's latest mock draft, UCLA's Lauren Betts is expected to go in the first round. Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the center's draft night will play out. Read full analysishere.
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Pick No. 4 overall, Washington Mystics
UCLA women's basketball roster
Bethesda, MD
Christina Karamouzi
Charlisse Leger-Walker
Gianna Kneepkens
Gabriela Jaquez
Camarillo, CA
Sienna Betts
Centennial, CO
Timea Gardiner
Angela Dugalic
Des Plaines, IL
Amanda Muse
Brentwood, CA
Megan Grant
San Bruno, CA
Lauren Betts
Centennial, CO
South Carolina women's basketball roster
Ta'Niya Latson
Maddy McDaniel
Upper Marlboro, MD
Tessa Johnson
Albertville, MN
Joyce Edwards
Madina Okot
Grand Prairie, TX
Chloe Kitts
Ayla McDowell
Cypress, TX
Raven Johnson
Atlanta, GA
Maryam Dauda
Bentonville, AR
Alicia Tournebize
Agot Makeer
Thunder Bay, ON
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:UCLA vs South Carolina in women's national championship: Highlights, score
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