'We Got Smacked': South Carolina Couldn't Do Anything Right in the National Championship

Phoenix. On Sunday, UCLA defeated South Carolina 79-51 in the 2026 NCAA women's national championship at the Mortgage Matchup Center, never relinquishing the lead; UCLA held a 61-32 advantage entering the fourth quarter and Cori Close earned her first NCAA-era title. The Bruins' victory delivered program milestone and recruiting momentum this week while South Carolina suffered its second straight championship loss, shooting 29% overall and yielding 25 second-chance points to UCLA; Dawn Staley and staff signaled immediate offseason evaluations and preparations for 2026–27.