For Cori Close and the UCLA Bruins, they finally got to be on the right side of history. After numerous stumbles in the March Madness in the last few years, the Bruins finally crossed the winning line on Sunday, clinching their first national title in Phoenix after a 79-51 victory. The Bruins made a mockery of the 40-minute UCLA-South Carolina championship game, turning it into a one-sided affair.

Everything that could have gone wrong for Dawn Staley and South Carolina did, as they seemed to play the game right into the hands of Cori Close and the UCLA Bruins. On that note, here are the five key takeaways from this UCLA vs South Carolina Championship game.

UCLA Bruins’ Early Push to Hardware and South Carolina Faces an Unfamiliar Nemesis

The first 5 minutes after tip off was undoubtedly all about the UCLA Bruins. Cori Close’s team was valiantly proving that, despite being unfamiliar with this stage, they aren’t giving away anything at the Mortgage Matchup Center without a fight. Senior Lauren Betts, who is playing her final game for her team, tipped off the night for the Bruins with a 5-foot turnaround jump shot off a Gabriela Jaquez assist.

From that point, the Bruins never relinquished the lead after the first 10 minutes of the game. Close’s team showcased a decent shooting quarter, scoring 8-for-18 from the field and 2-for-4 from deep, with the seniors, Kiki Rice and Charlisse Leger-Walker, keeping the offensive flow going with precise three-point jump shots.

Betts had to sub out of the game right after the opening stretch and played just four minutes, raising an eyebrow for the Bruins fans immediately. Meanwhile, the Gamecocks had a bizarre shooting display in the first quarter, going 3-for-18 (17%). With the presence of Betts and Jaquez near the paint, the Bruins defended pretty well. It damaged the Gamecocks’ early footing in the game, forcing them to navigate being 11 points down as the first-quarter buzzer sounded.

It left Dawn Staley’s team in a disadvantageous yet familiar territory. According to reports, the team leading the first quarter since 2016 has gone 7-2 in a Championship game. And one of these instances was pulled off by the Gamecocks, who managed a comeback back in 2024 against the Iowa Hawkeyes featuring Caitlin Clark.

South Carolina Tries to Make an Early Comeback but is Halted by an Achilles’ Heel

The Gamecocks tried to step on the gas immediately at the start of the first quarter. Tessa Johnson was the driving force behind an early comeback for the Gamecocks, scoring 5 points in the opening three minutes of the quarter. But the UCLA seniors had no plans to give up the lead. Jaquez, Rice, and Betts scored thrice in four minutes to keep the offensive flow going.

The Gamecocks tried to bridge the gap with improved shooting in this quarter. Yet despite that, they had their occasional poor stretches on offense, with missed layups, and, to be precise, were no match for the Bruins. The Gamecocks’ shooting remained dismal, 9-of-35 for just 25.7%. The “Who can guard Tessa Johnson?” moment came to life once again as the only silver lining for the Gamecocks at the end of the first half.

Johnson scored 10 of the 23 points for the Gamecocks by the end of the first half, as the Bruins led Staley’s team by 13 points by the halftime buzzer. Courtesy of UCLA’s added physicality, Close’s team also outrebounded the three-time NCAA Champions 29-17, with 19-10 on the defensive boards. Betts and Jaquez alone had 14 rebounds combined in the first 20 minutes.

In a halftime on-court interview, Betts revealed the reason behind her limited game time in the first quarter, remarking that her throat was a bit off. “I don’t know what’s going on? Betts said, before continuing, “It’s really dry out here in Phoenix. I had something stuck out there. But I’m good.”

UCLA Bruins Build on Their Advantageous Lead to Solidify Their NCAA Title Hopes

South Carolina’s poor shooting night continued in the third quarter as the Gamecocks went without a field goal for four minutes. Following three turnovers by Dawn Staley’s team to start the third quarter, UCLA went on a 7-0 run before Maddy McDaniel finally broke the scoring drought for South Carolina by splitting a pair of free throws. Tessa Johnson had a couple of looks at the basket, but there was no support around.

Joyce Edwards, the team’s scoring leader, and Madina Okot were practically absent for the entire game and had just 6 points combined. Even on the fast breaks and transitions, the Bruins defended the rim perfectly. Furthermore, the Gamecocks had no answers for the 6’7 wall in Betts that they were up against.

With Betts, the Bruins dominated the glass yet again, leading to easy possessions for her team, making it all too easy. With Gabriela Jaquez’s 7 points, the Bruins outscored the Gamecocks 9-25 in the third quarter. Four of the UCLA starters had more than 10+ points by the end of the quarter as the Bruins extended their lead to an unfathomable 29  points (32-61), practically erasing most of South Carolina’s chances for a heroic comeback in the last quarter.

Yet again, Lauren Betts led the charge for the Bruins and had a double-double in 12 points and 11 rebounds by the third quarter. It was the sixth time this tournament that Betts has had a double-double in a game, making her the sixth player this decade to achieve that feat.

UCLA Bruins Make the Finishing Touches as South Carolina Seems a Shadow of Themselves

The fourth quarter felt like a ceremonial play, since the result had already been decided in the previous three quarters. Furthermore, with Jaquez, Kneepkens, and Betts continuing their scoring spree, it was quite sure that for Dawn Staley and South Carolina, there would be no miracles tonight. Agot Makeer and Tessa Johnson tried to go on a late scoring spree in the dying minutes of the game, but it was all too late and too little. The game concluded 51-79, as South Carolina just avoided being on the wrong side of history with the biggest loss in a Championship game.

Gabriela Jaquez put a historic stamp on the victory, becoming just the fifth player with a 20-point, 10-rebound, 5-assist line in a title game. Her individual brilliance was the centerpiece of a dominant team effort, as the Bruins shot an impressive 43% from the field while their defense suffocated the Gamecocks, holding them to a dismal 29% shooting and just two made three-pointers all night.

All these factors contributed significantly to a win that few in the NCAA community could have imagined. Betts’ passionate celebration right after she subbed out of the game was in line to be immortalized in UCLA history as they etched their name in history books.

UCLA Bruins’ Moment of Rejoicing

As the final buzzer went off, it was a moment of elation for Cori Close and her seniors. The fear of not letting her senior players down turned into a moment of glory as the Pauley Pavilion finally had glimpses of a National Championship. The likes of Lauren Betts, Gabriela Jaquez, Kiki Rice, Gianna Kneepkens, and Angela Dugalic concluded their UCLA stint on a high note, and rightly so.

The emotions overflowed on the sidelines as the senior players and coach Close shared a moment of elation. Following the game, the two coaches took a moment to express their appreciation for each other on the sidelines.

For Close, it was about making a dream come true, while for South Carolina and Dawn Staley, that heroic victory over UConn in the Final Four didn’t materialize in a Championship-winning season, as cold shooting throughout the night just plagued their performance, and a fourth National Championship will be a tale for another day for the Gamecocks to chase.