UCLA Withstands Texas' Late Charge in Final Four Win, Reaches NCAA Title Game
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Lauren Betts had 16 points and made a huge block late, and UCLA withstood a late charge by Texas on Friday night for a 51-44 win to reach the women's NCAA Tournament national championship game for the first time.
Manhandled by eventual national champion UConn in their first Final Four a year ago, the Bruins (36-1) dominated their way to another national semifinal with the best season in program history.
A chance at a first national championship game appearance had to go through the only team to beat them this season.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Overpowered in the first meeting, the Bruins turned the bully tables on Texas (35-4), shutting down All-American Madison Booker while building a 13-point lead midway through the fourth quarter.
The Longhorns are one of the nation's best defensive teams and flexed their D during a 12-2 run that cut UCLA's lead to 47-44.
Betts swatted the Texas run to halt.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}She blocked Booker's shot with 20 seconds left and Kiki Rice hit two free throws, sending coach Cori Close's crew into the title game.
The grinding win earns the Bruins a spot Sunday’s title game against South Carolina, the three-time national champions who ended reigning champion UConn’s undefeated season and left Huskies’ coach Geno Auriemma fuming.
So was Booker after a brutal finish to what was otherwise a stellar season. She hit her first shot, missed her next 17 and finished with six points on 3-of-23 shooting.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Another agonizing Final Four loss left Texas coach Vic Schaefer among the dejected as well.
He twice lost in the national title game at Mississippi State — once on a buzzer beater — and watched the Longhorns clank their way out of their second straight Final Four appearance.
The Longhorns got off to a brutal start with six points in the first quarter, shot 38% from the floor overall and 2 for 9 from 3-point distance.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The chance at a second national title stretches to another year — 40 years and counting.
In the teams' first meeting, Texas dominated early and held on late for a 76-65 win on Nov. 26 in Las Vegas.
The rematch was more like a wrestling match, players hitting the floor and coaches screaming for fouls that weren't called — just like in the first Final Four game.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}UCLA dominated the first quarter to lead by eight and Texas tightened the screws in the second, holding the Bruins to pull within 20-17.
Betts was held to a season-low eight points the first go-round against Texas, but had some success early in the national semifinals by attacking before the double teams arrived. She had continued success while her fellow All-American labored, finishing 7 of 10 from the floor with 11 rebounds and three blocked shots — none bigger than the late one against Booker.
Reporting by The Associated Press.