UCLA Women’s Basketball Falls To South Carolina In Final Four
UCLA Women’s Basketball Falls To South Carolina In Final Four...
The UCLA Bruins women’s basketball team saw their NCAA Tournament run come to an end Friday night, falling to the South Carolina Gamecocks 78-59 in the Final Four. The loss marks the end of a historic season for UCLA, which reached the national semifinals for the first time since 2018.
The game, played at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio, was dominated by South Carolina’s suffocating defense and balanced scoring. The Gamecocks, led by head coach Dawn Staley, held UCLA to just 37% shooting from the field and forced 15 turnovers. South Carolina’s star center Kamilla Cardoso recorded a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds.
UCLA’s standout guard Charisma Osborne led the Bruins with 18 points, but the team struggled to find consistent offense against South Carolina’s physicality. The Gamecocks will now advance to the national championship game, where they will face the winner of the Iowa-UConn matchup.
The Bruins’ loss is trending today as fans and analysts reflect on their impressive season and the challenges they faced against a dominant South Carolina team. UCLA finished the season with a 27-7 record, capturing their first Pac-12 Tournament title since 2006. Head coach Cori Close received widespread praise for guiding the team to their deepest tournament run in six years.
Social media has been flooded with reactions to the game, with many applauding UCLA’s resilience while acknowledging South Carolina’s status as the tournament’s top seed. The Bruins’ performance this season has sparked optimism for the program’s future, with key players like Osborne and Lauren Betts expected to return next year.
The Final Four loss also highlights the growing competitiveness of women’s college basketball, which has seen record-breaking viewership and attendance this season. UCLA’s journey to the national stage has further solidified their place among the sport’s elite programs, setting the stage for another strong campaign in 2025.
