No. 1-seed UCLA has now superior additional than last 12 months, after they reached their first-ever Final Four. They are enjoying No. 1-seed South Carolina within the nationwide championship recreation on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN.
UCLA was disrespected by not being given the No. 1-overall seed within the NCAA Tournament, and now they, the No. 2-overall seed, are the betting underdog in opposition to the No. 4-overall seed (in keeping with Draft Kings Sportsbook; SC -3.5).
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Admittedly, via a lot of the tourney, the Bruins have been the least spectacular of the No. 1-seeds, all of whom superior to the Final Four in Phoenix. However, within the nationwide semifinals, they took down the crew that had been most spectacular within the Texas Longhorns.
The Bruins have been my decide to win all of it initially of the Dance. I felt they have been the second-best crew on paper subsequent to UConn and that their optimistic vibes of searching for a primary NCAA championship would carry them to the mountain high.
Fast ahead to now, and you could possibly argue that they need to be favored in opposition to the Gamecocks. But South Carolina is essentially the most feared program within the sport, having, in my view, already taken that title from UConn earlier than besting the Huskies on Friday night time.
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As it did with Texas (the No. 3-overall seed who defeated South Carolina by 17 factors within the SEC title recreation) and as it could have with UConn (a crew that went 9 deep with impression gamers), it’s going to take a particular effort to conquer the mighty Gamecocks.
Here’s 5 issues that have to occur for the Bruins to chop down the web.
1. Slow down Agot Makeer!
South Carolina freshman Agot Makeer has been on a tear. She had simply three double-digit scoring performances previous to the NCAA Tournament, but has reached double figures in each recreation of the tourney and is averaging 14.6 factors and a couple of.4 steals.
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You would possibly assume that it’s extra essential to close down the Gamecocks’ extra established stars, who’re a few of the greatest gamers within the nation. But Makeer made the important thing 3 that took the wind out of UConn’s sails on Friday. The Bruins want to stop her from persevering with to return up huge within the clutch.
2. Lauren Betts must disrupt Joyce Edwards and Ta’Niya Latson
UCLA has the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 6-foot-7 middle Lauren Betts. Her size acquired in Madison Booker’s head within the semifinal in opposition to Texas. Booker is thus far forward of the pack as one of the best midrange shooter within the nation, it’s not even humorous. Yet she went 3-for-23 from the sector on Friday, and lots of of these misses have been from mid-range.
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South Carolina has a superb mid-range shooter in Joyce Edwards, who can be an elite scorer in transition and on cuts to the basket. Meanwhile, Ta’Niya Latson is clearly a flexible, three-level scorer, having led the nation in scoring in 2024-25 at Florida State. If Betts can take away their midrange video games, in addition to lots of their photographs on the basket, it ought to stop them from having dominant nights.
3. Keep the ball transferring on offense to alleviate 1-on-1 stress from Raven Johnson
Raven Johnson is the SEC Defensive Player of the Year and made it troublesome for UConn guards who wasted an excessive amount of time dribbling.
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UCLA has so many weapons; their objective ought to all the time be to maintain the ball transferring, however particularly in opposition to Johnson. Point guard Charlisse Leger-Walker has averaged simply 4.6 factors within the tourney, together with zero in opposition to Texas, however 6.4 assists. She is aware of she doesn’t have to blow previous Johnson and relive her Washington State days, when she was the go-to scorer.
The Bruins ought to need to see quite a lot of possessions with a number of ball reversals that get all of Betts, Kiki Rice, Gabriela Jaquez, Gianna Kneepkens and Angela Dugalić concerned. Betts is the one one who has been nice in all 5 event video games, however that’s the purpose. A unique participant can step up each night time, so no person must tackle South Carolina on their very own.
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4. Match or surpass season common for made 3s
On the season, UCLA averages 7.1 made 3s per recreation in comparison with South Carolina’s 6.1. The Bruins are No. 11 within the nation with an effectivity of 36.8; the Gamecocks are literally higher at 37.6.
Long-range capturing is a giant a part of UCLA’s identification, and they should excel in just about each space they’re good in to perform the extremely troublesome feat of beating South Carolina. So, I believe they need to be seeking to make at the very least seven triples.
In the event, they’ve solely reached seven as soon as—that was within the second spherical vs. Oklahoma State. They’re averaging 4.4 per contest, solely making 4 within the semifinal and simply two within the Elite Eight vs. Duke.
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This is one thing they need to have circled on their recreation plan.
5. Lauren Betts doesn’t must be one of the best participant on the ground—but it surely’d be good
Betts’ projected choice spot within the 2026 WNBA Draft has fallen this season and she or he didn’t win National Player of the Year, with that award going to UConn’s Sarah Strong. But the First Team All-American is at present primed for her shining second—the one she cares about most, which is main this system and teammates she has liked so passionately for 3 years to the last word prize.
She has been phenomenal within the Big Dance, with 22.4 factors, 9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, three blocks and one steal per recreation whereas capturing 70.1 % from the sector. She double-doubles within the first spherical, Elite Eight and Final Four. She had 5 blocks in each the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight. And she put collectively a 35-point (15-for-19 from the sector), nine-rebound, five-assist masterpiece within the second spherical.
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I personally assume the Bruins can nonetheless win if Betts isn’t one of the best participant out of each groups on Sunday. Their story all 12 months has been that they’re an entire crew.
But it could solely be becoming if Betts has a monster recreation within the title bout to slay the monster that’s South Carolina and finish her faculty profession on high.