PHOENIX — One moment from the weekend will be replayed in Bruins lore: Lauren Betts racing downcourt, rising to meet Madison Booker and rejecting her shot with an outstretched arm. Betts’ block in the national semifinal against Texas — labeled “a block for the ages” by a broadcaster — helped send UCLA to its first NCAA title game. On Sunday, the Bruins finished the job, rolling to a 79-51 victory over three-time defending champion South Carolina.
The title game was a statement from the opening tip. UCLA never trailed, closed the season 37-1, and captured the program’s first NCAA-era championship. Southern California native Gabriela Jaquez paced the Bruins with 21 points and 10 rebounds; Betts finished with 14 points and 11 boards. Across the Final Four weekend, seniors accounted for all 130 of UCLA’s points. By the final minutes of the title game several starters, including Betts and guard Kiki Rice, had already exited, with Jaquez hitting a 3-pointer at 2:55 remaining before leaving the court in tears of joy.
For years UCLA was a strong program that repeatedly fell short on the biggest stage, often halted in the Sweet 16 or Elite Eight. This season everything aligned: a veteran
